How-To

How to Use Parental Controls on Max

By Brian Burgess

Updated January 19, 2024

If you are a parent and subscribe to Max, you can restrict content to only kid-friendly using parental controls on Max. This guide explains how.

If you are a Max subscriber (formerly HBO Max) and have young kids, you might want to use parental controls on Max. The built-in child safety option allows you to block inappropriate content safely.

Some of the most popular shows on Max are aimed at adults, but Max includes thousands of hours of kid-friendly programming. Parental controls will help you limit what your child watches on Max based on content safety ratings.

If you need a way to let your child watch Sesame Street but not Game of Thrones, creating a kid’s account on Max is your best solution.

How to Add a Kid Profile on Max (formerly HBO Max)

One of the best ways to get started is to add a kid profile to Max. Your child’s home page will display content for younger kids between the ages of two and nine. Adding a kid profile is straightforward after signing in and creating a secure PIN.

Note: This article uses screenshots from the Max web version, but the steps are virtually the same using the mobile app or television.

To create a PIN on Max:

1. If you aren’t already, sign in to Max, hover over your profile icon, and click Settings from the menu that appears.

2. Scroll to the Notifications section and click the Manage Parent Code option.

3. Enter a four-digit PIN and click the Save button.

4. Now, you need to create a new user profile on Max. Hover the pointer over your profile icon in the top right corner and select Manage Profiles from the menu.

5. Click the New Profile button on the Who’s Watching screen.

6. Choose a profile avatar from characters on the service or skip this step and set one later.
   Note: To add a photo, use the mobile app on your phone or tablet.

7. Type in a name for your kid’s profile, toggle on Kids Mode, and toggle on the Kid-Proof Exit option so they can’t get out of the kid environment without you knowing about it.

8. To manage movie and TV content ratings, click the Ratings option. Choose from five diffferent options that range from small kids with TV-Y to TV-14 and PG-13 for teens. Once you make your selection, click the Done button.

9. You’ll be returned to the Create Profile screen, and if everything looks good, click the Save button.

12. You will be redirected to the Edit Profiles screen — click Done.

13. Selecting the kid’s profile will display age-appropriate content (lots of Sesame Street and Looney Tunes) for previews and show selections.

14. The PIN screen will display if your child tries to exit the kids profile, access your profile, or try to get content you haven’t allowed. If you forget the PIN, you can have it reset via an email to you as the parent.

How to Change Kid Account Settings on Max

You can change your Max kid account settings further. For example, you can’t change a kid profile to an adult profile, but you can control the type of content your young one sees.

To change kid profile settings on Max:

1. Click your profile icon and select Edit Profiles.

2. Select your child’s account.

3. Toggle off Kids Mode or the Kid-Proof Exit options and click Ratings to change the type of content you want to allow in the kid’s account.

Once you increase the ratings, Max will display additional content on the home page based on your chosen ratings. Also, in addition to video previews at the top, a kid profile includes the Continue Watching and My List rows.

The included search feature also includes limited results based on your settings. For example, they won’t see search results that include House of the Dragon. If you’re traveling, Max will apply the same restrictions to your account, no matter where you are.

Keeping Kids Safe While Streaming

You might not think of Max when considering children’s programming, but it has a lot of content from Sesame Street, Looney Tunes, Cartoon Network, and other WarnerBros properties. The platform features beloved characters like Elmo, Bugs Bunny, Scooby Doo, and many others in its extensive collection of content for you to view.

Of course, other streaming services include parental control features. For example, you might want to enable parental controls on Netflix, or you can use parental controls on Disney Plus. And if you enjoy content from Apple, you can use parental controls on Apple TV Plus.

Parental control options aren’t just for streaming services, either. Using a PC, you can set up content management for kids using parental controls on Windows 11. Or, if you aren’t on the new version of the OS yet, learn about using Family options on Windows 10.