Trusted Reviews is supported by its audience. If you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a commission. Learn more.

How to set up a Teen Instagram account

Having teenagers on Instagram can be a worry as parents and guardians can’t keep an eye on the content they’re seeing or how long they’re spending on the social media platform. 

Fortunately, Meta has created new Teen Instagram accounts which are designed to provide parents and guardians with peace of mind that their teenagers are automatically placed into safe, built-in protections. 

These protections limit who can contact your children, the content they see and how long they can spend on Instragram, with the intention being to create a safer network for them to explore. 

Setting up a Teen Account is incredibly simple and isn’t too dissimilar from just setting up a regular Instagram account. Read on to learn how to do it.

What you’ll need:

  • Instagram mobile app (either iOS or Android)

The short version:

  • Open Instagram
  • Tap Create new account
  • Follow the on-screen instructions
  • Create a password
  • Decide whether you want to save login information on the device.
  • Enter your teen’s birthday
  • Enter your teen’s name
  • Create a username
  • Read through the terms and policies
  1. Step
    1

    Open Instagram

    We’ll be demonstrating the process using an Android handset, however the steps are exactly the same with an iOS device.Pixel app library with instagram highlighted

  2. Step
    2

    Tap Create new account

    You’ll find this at the bottom of the screen.Instagram app with create new account options highlighted

  3. Step
    3

    Follow the on-screen instructions

    You can either set up your teen’s account with a mobile number or email address, depending on what you prefer. To avoid Meta thinking you’re creating a spam account, we’d recommend using your teen’s own email address or mobile number.

    Depending on your preference, you’ll either receive an email or a text message with a code that you’ll be prompted to enter next.

    Option to create an Instagram account with mobile number or sign up with email

  4. Step
    4

    Create a password

    Make sure your teen makes a note of the password they’ve chosen.Create a password on Instagram account

  5. Step
    5

    Decide whether you want to save login information on the device

    If you’re setting up your teen’s account on your own device then you might not want to save their log-in information. Regardless, this is down to your personal preference.Save you log in info page on Instagram

  6. Step
    6

    Set the birthday of the account holder

    This is the most important part of setting up a Teen Instagram, as the birthdate you set will enable the extra protection that comes with the account. Remember, anyone under 13 won’t be able to create an Instagram account.Enter birthdate on Instagram

  7. Step
    7

    Enter the name of your teenager

    Although it does say “full name” here, a first name or nickname is fine if you’d rather not have your teenager’s full name appear online.Enter your full name page while setting up Instagram

  8. Step
    8

    Create a username

    A username shouldn’t contain any sensitive information, nor does it need to include a full name. It can also be changed at any time too.Create a username on Instagram

  9. Step
    9

    Read through the terms and policies

    Read through Instagram’s terms and policies and, if you’re happy, tap ‘I agree’.Instagram terms and policies page

Troubleshooting

What if my teenager already has an Instagram account?

By default, Instagram will automatically place teens aged 13-17 years old into a Teen Account, with under 16s needing a parent’s permission to alter any settings themselves. 

At the time of writing, Meta is currently beginning to roll-out Teen Accounts in the US, UK, Canada and Australia, with global access set for in 2025.

What if my teen has lied about their age on Instagram?

Meta has said that it is building new technology to find teenagers that may have lied about their age to automatically place them in protected settings.

Meta explains that account users will also need to verify their age too, which should enable Instagram to determine whether a teen has previously lied about their age.

Can parents or guardians keep an eye on their teen’s Instagram account?

Yes, with Instagram’s parental supervision enabled. Supervision is a set of tools that parents and guardians can use to ensure under 18s stay safe on Instagram. These tools include setting up a sleep mode, time limit, checking which accounts your teen is following and more.

This tool is optional and requires both the parent and the teen to agree to participate, via their respective accounts. 

To enable parental supervision, you’ll need to send an invite from your own Instagram to your teen’s account. To do this, visit your Instagram Settings, then tap Family Centre and follow the on-screen instructions to send an invite to your teen.

Remember, your teenager will need to accept the invite for you to have access.

Why trust our journalism?

Founded in 2003, Trusted Reviews exists to give our readers thorough, unbiased and independent advice on what to buy.

Today, we have millions of users a month from around the world, and assess more than 1,000 products a year.

author icon

Editorial independence

Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.

author icon

Professional conduct

We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.

Trusted Reviews Logo

Sign up to our newsletter

Get the best of Trusted Reviews delivered right to your inbox.

This is a test error message with some extra words