With over 79 million global subscribers, Paramount+ has become one of the most content-rich streaming platforms available, offering something for just about everyone in the household. From cherished Nickelodeon classics and PBS Kids programming to CBS dramas, live sports, and blockbuster movies, there’s no shortage of entertainment to watch. And with that comes the importance of parental controls.
While Paramount+ is home to plenty of kid-friendly options, it also carries TV-MA series, R-rated films, mature-themed originals, and an unfiltered live CBS network feed. In other words, the shows your kids love, and the content you’d rather shield your children from, all live on the same platform just a few clicks away.
To help protect young eyes from viewing inappropriate content, Paramount+ has several tools and features in place to help manage what kids can and can’t access. Keep reading as we walk you through how to set up parental controls so your family can enjoy Paramount+ with a little more peace of mind.
What Inappropriate Content Might Be on Paramount+?
Before you go in and start tinkering with settings, it’s worth knowing what kinds of content your child could come across on Paramount+. Here’s what to be conscious of:
- TV-MA and R-Rated Content: These titles can include graphic violence, strong language, and sexual content. They don’t live in a separate section of the app, but show up in search results, on the home screen, and in recommendation rows right alongside everything else.
- The Live CBS Network Feed: This might sound like a great perk — and it is, for adults — but it also means a child browsing the app could land on live breaking news coverage of violent events or other sensitive topics with no filter.
- Content from MTV, Comedy Central, and BET: Shows from these networks often include strong language, adult humor, and mature themes — many of which carry TV-14 or TV-MA ratings.
- Animated Shows That Aren’t Actually for Kids: This one surprises a lot of parents. Some animated series on Paramount+ look harmless at first glance, but are made entirely for adult audiences. South Park is a good example — it’s a cartoon, but it contains content that’s far from appropriate for children.
- Autoplay Previews and Movie Trailers: As your child scrolls through the app, trailers and previews for mature content can start playing automatically. A few seconds of a trailer for an R-rated film or TV-MA series can pop up before there’s any chance to step in. It happens fast, and it happens often.
- Adult-Oriented Original Series: Shows like Yellowstone and its spinoffs are hugely popular, but they include significant violence, mature language, and adult themes that aren’t suitable for younger viewers.
How To Set Up Paramount+ Parental Controls
To set up parental controls, you have to use the web or mobile web browser, just not the Paramount+ app — visit www.paramountplus.com/account to activate these restrictions.
Keep in mind that none of these settings are complicated to find or adjust, but they do need to be turned on intentionally, since Paramount+ doesn’t apply any restrictions by default.
How To Create a Kids Profile on Paramount+
When a child logs into a Kids profile, their entire experience is different. The interface is simpler and designed with younger users in mind, and the content library is automatically filtered to show only age-appropriate programming from channels like Nickelodeon, PBS Kids, and Nick Jr.
To create a Kids profile on Paramount+:
- Open the Paramount+ app or website and sign in to your account
- Select your profile icon in the top right corner of the screen
- Select “Add Profile” from the dropdown menu
- Enter a name for the profile
- Toggle the Kids Profile option to the ON position
- Select either Younger Kids or Older Kids, depending on your child’s age and what content you’re comfortable with them accessing*
- Choose a profile avatar to personalize the experience for your child
- Select “Save” to create the profile
- Return to the main profile screen and check that the new Kids profile appears
*Younger Kids: The most restrictive option, designed for toddlers and early elementary-age children. This setting limits the content library to titles rated TV-Y (suitable for all children) and TV-Y7 (suitable for children aged 7 and older).
Older Kids: A slightly broader setting designed for tweens and older elementary-age children. In addition to TV-Y and TV-Y7 content, this option includes titles rated TV-G (general audiences) and TV-PG (parental guidance suggested).
How To Lock a Kid’s Profile with a PIN to Prevent Switching
Setting up a Kids profile is a great first step, but it only works if your child stays in it. Without a PIN requirement on profile switching, a curious kid can exit their Kids profile and navigate to the main account with just a couple of taps. Adding a PIN to the profile switch screen closes that gap and ensures that moving between profiles requires your approval.
To lock a Kids profile with a PIN on Paramount+:
- Scroll down to the Parental Controls section
- Toggle Parental Controls to the ON position if it isn’t already enabled
- Enter your account password when prompted
- If you haven’t already created a 4-digit PIN, you’ll be asked to create one now. This PIN will be required any time someone attempts to switch away from the Kids profile
- Locate the Profile Switching option and toggle it to the ON position to require a PIN when switching between profiles
- Select “Save” to activate the setting
Once this is in place, your child won’t be able to exit their Kids profile and access the main account without entering the PIN first.
How To Set Content Restrictions Based on Ratings
Once content restrictions are in place, any title rated above your chosen threshold will be locked behind a PIN, meaning your child can browse freely within the limits you’ve set, but can’t access anything beyond them without your approval. This is especially useful for households where kids and adults share the same profile or device.
To set content rating restrictions on Paramount+:
- Scroll down to the Parental Control settings
- Toggle Parental Controls to the ON position
- Enter your account password when prompted
- Create a 4-digit PIN. This will be required to unlock any content above your chosen rating threshold
- Under “Set Restrictions,” select the maximum content rating you want to allow without a PIN — options include TV-Y, TV-Y7, TV-G, TV-PG, TV-14, and TV-MA. Any rating you lock will display a blue lock icon, indicating that a PIN is required to watch that content
- Live TV: Optionally, check the box to lock Live TV access behind the same PIN as an added layer of protection
- Select “Save” to activate your restrictions
Once saved, any content rated above your selected threshold will require the PIN to play. Keep your PIN separate from any passwords your child might already know.
How To Turn Off Autoplay To Prevent Inappropriate Content Suggestions
Autoplay is one of those features that’s easy to overlook because it works quietly in the background, but it can quickly surface trailers, previews, and content that you don’t want your child to see. Turning it off means videos won’t automatically start playing the next episode or movie when the previous one finishes.
To turn off autoplay on Paramount+:
- Select your profile icon in the top right corner of the screen
- Select “Settings” from the dropdown menu
- Select “Playback Settings”
- Locate the Autoplay toggle
- Switch the toggle to the OFF position
- Select “Save” to confirm the change
How To Control Downloads and Offline Viewing
Paramount+ lets subscribers download content to watch offline — a handy feature for road trips, flights, or anywhere with spotty Internet. But on a shared device, downloads can create an unexpected loophole. Content that an adult downloaded for themselves stays on the device and remains accessible to anyone who picks it up, including children, regardless of what rating restrictions you have set up elsewhere in the account.
To control downloads and offline viewing on Paramount+:
- Select your profile icon in the top right corner of the screen
- Select “Settings” from the dropdown menu
- Navigate to Parental Controls and enter your account password or PIN
- Select “Download Settings”
- Toggle Restrict Downloads to the ON position — from this point on, any new downloads will require a PIN to initiate
- Go to “My Downloads” and review what’s already saved on the device — delete any titles that fall outside the rating limits you’ve set for your child
- Select “Save” to confirm your settings
It’s also a good habit to check the downloads folder periodically, particularly on devices that multiple family members use regularly. Content can accumulate over time, and a quick review every so often helps to make sure nothing slips through the cracks.
Additional Safety Tips for Kids Watching Paramount+
Parental controls are a solid starting point, but they work best when they’re part of a wider approach to how your child uses the platform. Here are a few extra steps that can make a real difference:
- Watch together when you can. Watching with your child is one of the simplest and most effective ways to stay connected to what they’re seeing. It gives you a chance to talk about the content, answer questions, and step in if something comes up that isn’t appropriate.
- Set clear screen time limits. Parental controls manage what your child watches, not how long they watch it. Setting firm time boundaries and following through on them helps prevent long, unsupervised viewing sessions that are harder to keep track of.
- Keep devices in shared spaces. Encourage your child to use Paramount+ in common areas of the home rather than in their bedroom or behind a closed door. When screens are out in the open, it’s much easier to stay aware of what’s playing without having to check in constantly.
- Keep the conversation going with your kids. Parental controls are most effective when they’re paired with honest communication. Checking in regularly about what your child is watching, what they enjoy, and whether they’ve come across anything that bothered them gives you a fuller picture than account settings alone ever could.
- Log out on shared or public devices. If your child watches Paramount+ on a school device, a friend’s tablet, or any shared screen, make sure they log out when they’re done.
How To Monitor and Adjust Paramount+ Parental Controls Over Time
The Paramount+ library changes regularly as new content is added, and your kids change too. Settings that were a good fit for a seven-year-old may be too restrictive for that same child at eleven. Checking in on your settings every few months makes sure they stay in line with your child’s age, maturity level, and your household’s expectations.
Here’s what to look at each time you review your parental controls:
- Adjust rating restrictions as your child gets older. A content limit you set a couple of years ago may no longer reflect where your child is now. As kids grow, it’s worth reassessing what’s appropriate and updating the rating threshold to match.
- Keep an eye on new content additions. Paramount+ regularly adds new series, movies, and original programming. Some of it may carry ratings that your current settings don’t fully account for. A quick look through new arrivals every month helps you stay ahead of anything unexpected.
- Revisit your Kids profile settings. If your child is currently on the Younger Kids setting, think about whether they’ve grown out of it and might be ready for the Older Kids tier, or if it’s time to move them to a standard profile with carefully chosen rating restrictions instead.
- Review the Recently Watched history. Make it a habit to look through what’s been watched on your account every few weeks. If something shows up that shouldn’t have gotten past your restrictions, it’s a sign your settings may need adjusting.
- Make sure your PIN is still secure. As kids get older and more comfortable with technology, the chances of them figuring out a PIN go up. Changing it every few months, or whenever you think it may have been seen, keeps your controls working as they should.
Other Ways StreamSafely Can Help
At StreamSafely, we know that streaming safety doesn’t stop with just one platform, which is why we’re here to help you create a safe viewing environment across every service and device your family uses. We’ve created easy-to-follow guides for all the major streaming platforms, including Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and more.
Whether you need help setting up kids’ profiles, managing content filters on Paramount+, or understanding parental controls on your smart TV or gaming console, we’ve got step-by-step instructions that make it simple.
Beyond streaming services, you’ll find resources to help keep kids safe on social media platforms, where they can legally stream their favorite shows and movies, as well as information about online safety. Our goal is to give you all the tools and knowledge you need in one trusted place, so you can feel confident about your family’s digital experience.
Visit StreamSafely’s resource library to explore guides tailored to exactly what your family needs!
