Fortnite Parental Controls: Chat, Spending and Time Limits

Fortnite’s parental controls are set in your child’s Epic Games account and apply wherever they play: console, PC or phone. They cover chat, friend requests, spending, age ratings and play time. This guide walks through each one. Checked October 25, 2026.

Step 1: Open Parental Controls and set a PIN

1. Sign in to your child’s Epic account in the Epic Account Portal on the Epic Games website.
2. Open Parental Controls and create a 6-digit PIN your child doesn’t know.
3. Opt in to emails so you’re told when settings on the account change.

The PIN is then needed for things like real-money purchases (if you turn that on), experiences rated above your chosen age rating, friend requests (if you turn that on) and adding more play time.

Step 2: Chat and friends

• Voice chat: choose who your child can talk to. Epic limits children under 10 to Friends Only at most.
• Text chat: choose who can message them. “Nobody” still allows pre-set safe phrases.
• Friend requests: turn on “Require a PIN to Add Friends” so you approve each new friend.
• AI characters: a separate setting controls voice and text chat with AI features in Fortnite.

Epic says text reporting is always on for players under 18, and a mature language filter is always on for players under 13.

Step 3: Spending

• Turn on “Require a PIN for Epic Games Payments.”
• Decide whether to “Allow Paid Random Items,” which lets V-Bucks be spent on random rewards where offered.
• Set purchase approval on the console or phone too, since V-Bucks bought there are controlled by that platform.

In 2024 the FTC began sending refunds to Fortnite players after finding that Epic let children make charges without parental involvement. See In-Game Spending and Loot Boxes.

Step 4: Age ratings and time limits

• Age rating threshold: Fortnite includes many player-made experiences with their own ratings. Experiences rated above your choice need your PIN.
• Time limits: set a daily total or specific play windows. Your child gets a warning 30 minutes before time runs out and can request more time.
• Time reports: see daily play time for up to four weeks, or get a weekly email summary.

Talk with your child

• “Free V-Bucks” sites and generators are scams that steal accounts.
• Never share your Epic password or a verification code.
• Only accept friend requests from people you know offline.
• Tell a parent if anyone asks to move to another app or asks for photos. See Online Grooming Warning Signs.

Quick checklist

• Parental Controls PIN set
• Voice and text chat limited to friends
• PIN required for friend requests and payments
• Age rating threshold chosen
• Daily time limit set
• Purchase approval on the console or phone too

Frequently asked questions

What age is Fortnite rated?
Fortnite Battle Royale is rated T for Teen by the ESRB, and individual player-made experiences carry their own ratings. Check the ESRB rating and use the age threshold setting.

My child is under 13. Is anything different?
Yes. Epic applies stricter defaults and limits to younger players, including chat limits and a daily cap on Epic payments.

Can my child change the settings?
Not without the PIN. Keep it private and change it if you think they’ve seen it.

Sources

• Parental Controls, Epic Games Safety and Security Center, accessed October 25, 2026
• Ratings Guide, Entertainment Software Rating Board, accessed October 25, 2026