Fortnite Parental Controls

Fortnite is a popular online multiplayer game developed by EPIC games. Fortnite effortlessly eclipses most modern video games in popularity levels. It’s free to download and play and can be found on various platforms, including PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One. There is also an iOS app. The ‘Battle Royale’ style gameplay is a big reason for its current popularity.

Fortnite parental controls

Fortnite’s age rating is 12+, but children of all ages play Fortnite. That’s why Fortnite has some pretty extensive parental controls. Fortnite’s age rating considers the mild violence involved in the game and the weaponry used (including everything from axes to sniper rifles). Still, there aren’t any gory scenes to worry about. The violence is mild and cartoon-ish. But, it’s still an online game with all of the risks that it comes with. So, you’ll want to make use of Fortnite’s extensive parental controls. It’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the game functions and how it all works. In general, setting up parental controls is quite simple. We’ll guide you through each option step-by-step.

Setting up a PIN code

Before you do anything, you should set up a PIN, and the PIN will allow you to access the parental controls and make changes. Ensure that you write it down and keep it safe, as it’ll be challenging to make changes later without it.

1. Launch Fortnite on whatever platform you’re using
2. Open the ‘Main Menu’ in the upper right corner of the screen
3. Select ‘Parental Controls’
4. Confirm your email address and set up your PIN

Limit purchases

We’ve all heard the horror stories of children accidentally running up a massive bill on their parents’ cards. You can prevent this by setting purchase limits.

1. Go to the Epic Games website and sign in (using a browser)
2. Go to your Epic Games account settings area
3. Scroll to ‘Turn Parental Controls On’
4. Enter the unique six-digit PIN that you set up earlier

Filtering mature language

In different Fortnite game modes such as ‘Fortnite Battle Royale’ and ‘Save the World, ‘ gamers can chat with their teammates in the lobby. Cuss words will be censored from your child’s view by filtering mature language.

1. Launch Fortnite
2. Open the ‘Menu’ in the upper right corner of the screen
3. Select ‘Parental Controls’
4. Scroll down to ‘Filter Mature Language’ and turn the setting ‘On’

Hide username

You can hide your username from non-squad members, which prevents them from adding you outside of the game (i.e., via the PlayStation networks chat). To do this:

1. Launch Fortnite
2. Open the ‘Menu’ in the upper right corner of the screen
3. Select ‘Parental Controls’
4. Click ‘More Settings’
5. Scroll to ‘Anonymous Mode’ and activate the option

Turning off chats

You can turn off text chats or voice chats and prevent other players from contacting your child. Some parents opt only to deactivate one, but many deactivate both.

1. Launch Fortnite
2. Open the ‘Menu’ on the upper right
3. Open ‘Parental Controls’
4. Toggle the chat options ‘Off’

Reporting other players

If you need to report other players, there are several ways to do this.

If you’re already in a match, follow these steps:

1. Select the ‘Menu’ icon. To do this in-game, you can press ‘Esc’ (for PC) ‘Options’ (Playstation), or the ‘Menu’ button for Xbox
2. Select ‘Reporting’
3. On the ‘Feedback/Reporting Tab’, click to ‘Report the Player’
4. Select the player you wish to report. You’ll only be able to report players you’re currently playing against or a player you’ve recently played against
5. Submit your report and click the ‘Save’ button

Blocking other players

If another player is bothering your child but hasn’t done anything you can report them for, you can still block them. PSN, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch offer their own mechanisms for blocking, but you can also block from the Fortnite user interface:

On PC: 

1. Open your ‘Friends List’ (in the Epic Games Launcher)
2. Find the player you want to block
3. Open the three dots menu
4. Choose ‘Block’ from the menu

On Xbox: 

1. Press the Xbox to go to the main menu
2. Open your chats
3. Select the chat with the player you want to block
4. Click ‘More’, then ‘View Profile’ and ‘Block’

From the Fortnite user interface: 

1. Open the ‘Social Tab’
2. Find the player you want to block
3. Click on the player to display a small options menu
4. Confirm your selection. Find and click the ‘Block’ button

Managing time limits

There are several tools at your disposal if you want to monitor and manage your child’s screen time by using parental control settings. The exact method you’ll use depend on the platform that you’re using to play Fortnite.

Restricting playtime on the PS4: 

1. Open up ‘Settings’
2. Go to ‘ParentalControls/Family Management’, then continue to ‘Family Management’
3. Select your child’s account
4. Ensure that the timezone is correct, then set the restrictions you want
5. ‘Save’ to apply changes

Restricting playtime on the Xbox One: 

1. Go to account.microsoft.com/family and sign in to your account
2. Open up ‘Settings’, then go to ‘All Settings > Account > Family’
3. Select your child’s account
4. Select ‘Screen Time Settings’
5. Click ‘Set Limits for When My Child Can Use Devices’
6. Set the maximum playtime per day. You can also set a playtime window (e.g., 5-6 pm). It’s at your discretion
7. When you’re happy with the settings, click ‘Save’

Restricting playtime on Apple Devices/iPhone: 

1. Open ‘Settings’
2. Scroll to ‘Screen Time’
3. Open ‘App Limits’ and select ‘Add Limit’
4. Select ‘Games’, then ‘Add’
5. Tap customize days to tailor the time limits for specified weekdays. When you’re finished, just close the settings app

Weekly playtime reports

Further to restricting playtime to a specified time, you can also get weekly playtime reports. You can monitor your child’s usage with this feature. Fortnite will send you an email every week with a report detailing your child’s playtime. Turning this feature on is simple.

1. Within the game, open your ‘Account Settings’ in the upper-right of the screen
2. Scroll to ‘Parental Control’
3. Toggle weekly playtime reports to ‘On’

Check out the rest of our parental control guides 

Summing up

Fortnite is a popular online game with excellent parental control options. You can use it on a variety of devices, including mobile devices and iPads. It’s relatively tame and cartoon-ish in terms of violence, with minimal risk. However, it’s still an online game with all of the risks that that entails, so it’s a good idea to use the in-game settings to set up parental controls.

This article has been reviewed and approved by Officer Banta.

Officer Banta is the official SecurityNerd home security and safety expert. A member of the Biloxi Police Department for over 24 years, Officer Banta reviews all articles before lending his stamp of approval. Click here for more information on Officer Banta and the rest of our team.