Fortnite Parental Controls 2026
Set one clear control layer for chat, friend requests, payments, island ratings and Fortnite playtime, then add the platform safeguards Epic cannot manage for you.
Create the six-digit PIN, then set the permissions, then review the console or mobile layer separately.
In Fortnite, open the Player Icon, open the menu icon, choose Parental Controls and select Set Up Parental Controls. Confirm a parent-controlled email address and create the six-digit PIN. Use that PIN to set social, purchase, content and time choices; Epic payment controls do not replace PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo or mobile store controls.
Put the PIN under the parent's control.
The PIN is the gate for future changes, so choose a six-digit number that is different from other PINs and do not keep it in the child's game setup. Epic lets you configure the controls from Fortnite or from the Epic Account Portal.
In Fortnite, choose the Player Icon, then the menu icon and then Parental Controls.
Confirm an email address controlled by the parent or guardian before continuing.
Set and confirm the PIN. It will be required whenever settings need to be changed later.
Set the social, spending, content and time preferences that fit the player and household.
Epic controls the Epic experience; a console, PC or phone can still have its own chat, payment and time settings.
If forgotten, use Forgot your PIN. For a minor account, the reset instructions go to the parent or guardian email.
A payment PIN is useful, but it has a clear boundary.
Require a PIN for Epic Games Payments when real-money checkout is handled by Epic. It is a meaningful control for Epic payment, but it does not govern every store or every in-game currency use.
When enabled, the six-digit PIN is required to complete real-money purchases using Epic payment services.
Epic says this setting does not control PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch or Steam store payments. Use the platform's own controls too.
The Epic payment PIN does not affect ordinary V-Bucks spending. A separate option can allow or block V-Bucks on paid random items where that setting is available.
Use island ratings as the Fortnite content gate.
Every Fortnite experience has a rating. Set the highest rating that is appropriate, then enter the PIN only when you deliberately want to unlock an experience above that threshold. This keeps the decision visible instead of treating all of Fortnite as one content category.
Set time as a schedule, not just a daily number.
Epic's time controls apply to the total time spent in Fortnite and Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN). Build an understandable routine: a daily total, a permitted time window and a clear decision on extra-time requests.
Set the total amount of time the child can play each day rather than relying on an informal reminder.
Choose when play is allowed, then set a time limit within that window for a predictable routine.
Choose whether the player can request more time as the limit approaches. Epic can email the parent a request link.
Understand the waiting state before trying to fix a missing feature.
If a player is under 13 or below the country's age of digital consent, whichever is higher, Epic describes the account as a Cabined Account until parental consent is completed. It can still play Fortnite and use previously earned or purchased in-game content, but several features are intentionally unavailable.
Pair Epic permissions with the device's own settings.
Epic controls its own games and experiences across devices. The platform can still expose its own purchases, party chat, friends or screen-time features, so use the same household rule in both places.
Fortnite Parental Controls questions
How do I set up Fortnite Parental Controls?
In Fortnite, select the Player Icon, open the menu icon, choose Parental Controls and select Set Up Parental Controls. Confirm a parent-controlled email and create the six-digit PIN.
Can the Parental Controls PIN be removed?
No. Epic says it cannot be removed after setup, but it can be changed or reset. Forgotten-PIN instructions for a minor account go to the parent or guardian email.
What is blocked in a Cabined Account?
The player can still play Fortnite and use previously earned or purchased content, but features such as voice chat, free text chat and real-money purchases are blocked until consent is completed.
Does the Epic payment PIN stop console-store payments?
No. Epic's Require a PIN for Epic Games Payments setting does not cover PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch or Steam store payments. Configure that platform's controls separately.
Can parents set a Fortnite time limit?
Yes. Time Limit Controls can set a daily total, play windows and extra-time requests. They cover total time in Fortnite and UEFN.
Decide who can speak, type and become a friend.
This layer is not just a switch. Epic lets parents choose audiences for voice and text chat, enable a Fortnite-only mature-language filter and require the PIN for Epic friend requests.
Available choices range from Everybody to Friends, team members and connections, Friends Only or Nobody. Age can set a stricter maximum.
Under 10, the maximum voice and text permission is Friends Only. Under 13, it is Friends, team members and connections.
When enabled, mature language in Fortnite text chat is replaced with heart symbols. It is always on for under-13 players and Game Channels.
With this setting on, the PIN is needed whenever the child sends or accepts an Epic friend request. It does not control platform-wide friends systems.