Choose a device that runs the child's intended games and gives an adult workable control over the child's account. A console may suit a household centred on one gaming platform; a tablet or computer can serve other uses too, but its app store, game accounts and communication settings need separate attention. No device setting replaces checking who the child can play and chat with.
The right setup depends on whether the child is starting online play, sharing a device or using it for activities beyond gaming.
Start with the games the child wants to play, then set up a separate child account with accurate age details. Check content, communication and purchase settings before online play begins. Ofcom identifies contact with strangers, violent content and bullying among parents' concerns.
Find out whether restrictions apply to each child or to everyone using the device. Nintendo UK says parental-control restrictions on Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 are set for the console, not for individual users.
A device used for games, schoolwork and other apps calls for checks beyond its child account. Review the operating system, app store and individual game services; PlayStation UK, for example, says several of its console controls do not apply to PlayStation games played on PC.
Confirm game access first, then check how the household will manage accounts, contact, purchases and play time on the chosen platform.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Games and friends | Check each intended game's device availability, online multiplayer requirements and support for playing with friends on other platforms. | I want the child to play the games they have in mind, with the friends they expect to join. A device choice should follow those checks, not just a preference for console, tablet or computer. |
| Accounts and content | Check how to create separate adult and child accounts, enter the child's correct age and restrict accessible games or content. Review each game's PEGI rating as well as account settings. | I need age settings that apply to the child's own account, including on a device adults also use. |
| Communication | Review platform and game settings for voice chat, messages, friend requests and player reporting. Check whether a game has communication features outside the device's family controls. | Before online multiplayer starts, I want to know who can contact the child and how they can report upsetting interactions. Ofcom identifies contact with strangers and bullying as concerns for parents of children who game. |
| Purchases | Check approval settings alongside stored balances, gift cards and the game's billing route. Xbox Support says a child account can use gift cards or existing Microsoft-account funds; Google Play Help limits its purchase approvals to Google Play billing. | I want to approve purchases where the chosen store allows it, without assuming that one setting covers every in-game transaction. |
| Play time | Check whether limits apply per child, per game or to the whole device, and whether an adult needs a companion app or connected family account. Nintendo UK says Switch restrictions apply to everyone using the console. | On a shared device, I need rules that work for every child who uses it, including when their routines differ. |
| More than one device | Check controls on each operating system, store and game account the child will use. PlayStation UK says several console controls, including play-time and monthly spending limits, do not apply to PlayStation games on PC. | If the child moves between a console and computer, I want to know which settings carry over and which must be set again. |
The intended game, online features or friends' platform may not match the device you choose. Game and service settings can also govern chat and purchases separately from hardware controls.
List the intended games and multiplayer needs. Check each game's current store page, supported platforms and account, chat and payment settings before settling on a device.
Family controls often rely on an adult organiser or family manager. PlayStation, Apple and Microsoft describe adult-managed account arrangements for their child controls.
Set up separate adult and child accounts, keep adult credentials private and review purchase permissions before adding a payment method. On a PlayStation console, also check guest access and console restrictions.
Xbox Support says a child account can purchase with gift cards or funds already in that account. Google Play Help says its approval setting applies to purchases through Google Play billing.
Review account balances, stored payment methods and any billing offered inside the child's games. Check the approval flow using the accounts and store the household will actually use.
PlayStation UK says several console parental controls do not apply to PlayStation games played on PC, including play-time and monthly spending limits.
For PC gaming, configure the computer's child account and the relevant game store, then check communication and purchase settings in each online game.
Compare the controls for the platform and account arrangement the child will actually use; a brand's family settings need not cover every game or payment route.
Relevant to households considering a shared Nintendo Switch or Switch 2.
Relevant when an adult family manager will administer a child account on a PlayStation console.
Relevant to Xbox or Windows households using a Microsoft family group.
Relevant to an iPad used for games alongside other apps.
Relevant when considering an Android tablet or Chromebook with a managed Google account.
These tablets and Windows computers represent options for a household considering portable app-based games or PC gaming alongside other uses. Check each child's intended games and the account controls needed for online play before choosing among them.
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A portable Windows gaming computer for a household prepared to set up child-account and game-specific controls. The listed configuration has a 14-inch WQXGA+ display, 32 GB RAM, a 2 TB SSD, Wi-Fi 7 and Windows 11 Home. Check the intended games and their chat and payment settings; confirm the supplied colour variant if it matters to you.
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An 11-inch tablet option for games and other apps, with 128 GB storage. Before choosing it for online play, check that it supports the child's intended games and find out exactly how its child mode handles communication, purchases and adult account setup.
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A Windows desktop option for a household planning a computer-gaming setup. Its listed configuration includes 16 GB DDR5, a 1 TB NVMe SSD and Windows 11 Home; the bundle lists a monitor, keyboard, mouse, headset and mousepad. Confirm the supplied monitor and peripheral details, then set up the child's Windows, store and game accounts separately.
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A smaller Android tablet option with Wi-Fi and an included protective case. Check compatibility with the intended games, Google Play and Family Link before relying on their controls; also review each game's chat and purchase settings. The listing says a charging adapter is not included.
No. Controls can restrict particular communication features, but you should check both the child's platform account and each game's voice chat, messages and friend settings. Ofcom identifies contact with strangers among parents' concerns; discuss with the child who they play with and how to report upsetting contact.
That depends on the platform. PlayStation UK describes an adult family manager for child accounts, Apple requires Family Sharing with individual accounts for its child controls, and Microsoft uses an adult family-group organiser. Nintendo allows some Switch restrictions on the console, while eShop restrictions are managed through Nintendo Account settings.
No. Xbox Support says a child account can still use gift cards or existing Microsoft-account funds, and Google Play Help says its approvals apply to Google Play billing-system purchases. Check the game's billing route, account balance and stored payment methods as well as the approval setting.
Nintendo UK says Switch and Switch 2 parental-control restrictions apply to the console rather than to individual users. For a shared console, choose restrictions that work for everyone using it and review Nintendo Account settings separately for eShop access and purchases.
Check the rating of each intended game, not just the device's content setting. The UK Government Kids Online Safety campaign says games rated PEGI 12, 16 or 18 cannot be sold or hired to someone below the stated age. A rating alone does not tell you which online communication features a game offers.