WhatsApp Parental Controls: 2025 Safety Guide for Parents
If you wonder, “Can parental controls see WhatsApp messages,” yes they can! Parental control app WhatsApp allows you to keep an eye on your child’s activity when they use WhatsApp around you, or even when they’re away. You can monitor their texts, calls, and media sent and received from their WhatsApp contacts.
Keep reading the article till the end to find out how to put parental control on WhatsApp to track your children’s whereabouts and online communication.
Part 1. Why Parents Need to Put Parental Controls On WhatsApp
- Inappropriate content
WhatsApp has introduced channels on the app, making children more vulnerable to contact they might not have been exposed to otherwise. Your child might come across channels with content inappropriate for their age and follow them, risking them to explicit and violent themes, inculcating harmful behaviors. Moreover, they might receive messages from their friends and in WhatsApp groups that may not be best-suited to their age.
- Cyberbullying
Cyberbullying may not be as common on WhatsApp as other social media apps where you can directly interact with unknown users, WhatsApp group messages may also be a possible platform for bullying. Often school friends or online WhatsApp buddies might target one person in the group and bully them. WhatsApp’s end-to-end encryption makes it hard for parents to learn about cyberbullying until their children share or if they have access to their phones.
- Molestation
Unlike many other social media apps, you do not require someone’s email or username to contact them on WhatsApp – only the number. So, if your child has mentioned their number anywhere, it can be accessed by potential predators and molesters who might cause harm to your child by asking for information, pictures, or meeting them.
- Scams
Other than predators and molesters, WhatsApp is also used for scams and frauds. It is quite common for scammers to send messages mentioning schemes that might initially seem like they benefit you. But they might ask you to send a specific amount for participation in the scheme, ask for online banking information, or share links that can lead to loss of card data on your phone.
- Addiction & anxiety
Though WhatsApp does not have a reels or posts section yet, sometimes people can get addicted and stay on their toes to reply to the messages immediately. It can negatively influence your child’s academic progress if they continue using WhatsApp at school. Moreover, they can develop anxiety and stress in an attempt to reply to all received messages at the earliest possible. Setting up WhatsApp parental control allows you to set a time limit for daily use, ensuring that your child engages in healthy outdoor activities and takes enough sleep while focusing on their studies.
Part 2. How to Setup Parental Control On WhatsApp: Step-by-Step Guide
Setting up parental control on WhatsApp is quite simple and parents can easily set up parental control to track their child’s WhatsApp activity for their safety. You can change numerous settings within the app to have better control over WhatsApp on your child’s phone.
#1. Block content
The most important part of parental control is ensuring that your child is protected from unsuitable content shared on the app. Here’s how to block unwanted content on the app:
Step 1. Open WhatsApp on your child’s phone.
Step 2. Go to Settings/ three dots at the top right corner
Step 3. Select Account and click Privacy.
Step 4. Tap Block and select all the contacts you want to block on your child’s phone.
You can also report a specific user sharing unsuitable content with your child, by following these steps:
Step 1. Open the particular chat in WhatsApp.
Step 2. Click on the user’s name to open Contact Info.
Step 3. Scroll down and select Block.
Step 4. Tap Block again in the confirmation pop-up to block them.
By blocking someone, you stop messages and calls from them. However, both users can still see each other’s messages in group chats, and they can be unblocked any time.
Similarly, you can also report them to WhatsApp and their account might be suspended or permanently banned if WhatsApp notices rule violations. Here’s how to report someone on your child’s WhatsApp:
Step 1. Open the chat in WhatsApp.
Step 2. Click the contact name to open Contact Info.
Step 3. Tap Report Contact and select Report and Block.
This will send the last five messages to WhatsApp to analyze for rule violations and action is taken if the person was sending hate speech or spam messages. Report and Block restricts the person from messaging or calling your child on WhatsApp.
#2. Turn off live location
Your child may be sharing their live location with their contacts and not even know about it. If your child’s live location is turned on, use parental controls for WhatsApp to hide it:
Step 1. Open WhatsApp on their phone and click Settings/ three dots in the top right corner.
Step 2. Go to Accounts and select Privacy.
Step 3. Tap Live Location and select contacts you do not want to see the Live Location.
This will ensure that no one except the allowed contacts can access your child’s live location to protect them from potential harm.
#3. Deactivate read receipts
Turning off read receipts is only a blessing for adults who wish to not respond to a message immediately after they view it, they also save your child from the anxiety of replying immediately after they have seen the messages. Turning off read receipts is quite straightforward.
Step 1. Open WhatsApp on their phone and select Settings.
Step 2. Choose Account.
Step 3. Tap Privacy and toggle the button next to read receipts.
#4. Hide profile picture & last seen
Like Live Location, you can also decide you can see your child’s profile picture and last seen and online status. It prevents potential predators from guessing their age through the profile picture.
When you want to hide your child’s profile picture and last seen and online status, you can choose from four options:
Everyone: All WhatsApp users can see their WhatsApp profile picture or last seen.
My contacts: Only the contacts saved in their phone can view the display picture or last seen.
My contacts except: You can select contacts that can see the profile picture or last seen.
Nobody: No one (whether they are a saved contact or not) can see your child’s WhatsApp profile picture or last seen.
Follow these steps to turn off visible information like your child’s profile picture and last seen and online status:
Step 1. Open WhatsApp on your child’s phone and go to Settings.
Step 2. Select Account from the menu.
Step 3. Choose Privacy and change the settings you want.
You can also manage other settings in the same section, such as About and Status; select who you want to see these details and restrict others.
#5. Disable media downloads
Often, we miss messages on WhatsApp and find a video or image in our gallery, making us wonder, “Where did this come from?” Your child might also come across inappropriate content via downloaded media in their phone. You can disable media downloads from WhatsApp to prevent exposure to unsuitable content.
Step 1. Go to Settings in WhatsApp.
Step 2. Open Chats.
Step 3. Toggle ‘Media Visibility’ for Android and ‘Save to Camera Roll’ for iOS devices.
#6. Disallow being added to group chats
If you have a curious child, you might find them talking to random people in a random WhatsApp group chat. They might not realize it, but this can be dangerous. To avoid being in this situation, it is best to disallow random people to add your child’s number to group chats. You can select who can add them to group chats and allow trusted contacts only.
Step 1. In WhatsApp, go to Settings.
Step 2. Select Privacy and tap Groups.
Step 3. Select from options like ‘Everyone,’ ‘My contacts,’ or ‘My contacts except.’
Part 3. Best Parental Control Apps for WhatsApp Monitoring (2025 Guide)
Have you already tried parental control in WhatsApp, and still not satisfied? We hear you!
Ensuring your child’s online safety can be challenging, especially when they do not want to hide their profile picture or know how to turn on media downloads on their device. In such situations, a WhatsApp parental control app is the best option. When looking for the best parental control for WhatsApp, you cannot go wrong with Msafely.
Msafely offers a comprehensive solution to all your parental control needs, covering more than just WhatsApp. With Msafely, you can monitor your child’s all phone activities from anywhere in the world. Just connect their phone to your Msafely account and monitor your child’s activity and whereabouts remotely.
Msafely WhatsApp monitoring
Msafely allows you to monitor numerous WhatsApp activities, such as:
- Monitor all WhatsApp chats including private and group messages.
- See photos, videos, messages, and documents shared via WhatsApp.
- Track WhatsApp calls, contact list, locations, and keystroke.
Msafely other features
With Msafely, you can monitor an extensive range of apps on your child’s phone distantly, including:
- Basic features: Text messages, Call logs, Contacts, GPS locations, Photos, Videos, WiFi networks, Browser history, Audio files, Live screenshots
- Social apps monitoring: Facebook, Messenger, Snapchat, Instagram, TikTok, LINE, Telegram, YouTube
You can also use this parental control app to see what your child types on their phone through the keylogger and remotely control the camera, apps, websites, and Wi-Fi on their phone. You can also record screens for future reference and set up screen time limits.
How to use Msafely
Downloading and using Msafely is incredibly safe, and everyone can use this app effortlessly. So, even if you’re not tech-savvy and second-guessing using a parental control app, check the simple three-step process here:
Step 1. Go to the Msafely website and register a free online account.
Step 2. Select a suitable subscription plan and connect your child’s phone to your account.
Step 3. Open the Msafely Control Panel on your device and monitor your child’s WhatsApp (and other apps).
Part 4. Tips for Parents to Keep Kids Safe on WhatsApp
Talk to them about Online Safety
When giving your child their personal smart phone with WhatsApp, it is important to tell them about online predators and possible scams to protect them. Talk to them about the dangers of sharing personal information to strangers online.
Encourage open communication
Children who do not shy away from sharing everything about their lives with their parents are less likely to fall into any online traps. Encourage your kids to talk to you, whether they are confused or scared about any situation. Tell them to not talk to strangers on WhatsApp and if they find something fishy, they should report it to you immediately.
Change settings accordingly
WhatsApp offers numerous settings for iOS and Android devices that you can use as parental controls. You can turn off read receipts, hide live location, and hide the profile picture to add an additional layer of safety.
Limit screen time
Use WhatsApp parental control apps like Msafely to limit screen time on your child’s phone. It ensures that your child does not spend too much time on WhatsApp, minimizing their online interactions and providing more time to focus on their studies.
Part 5. FAQs About WhatsApp Parental Controls
Q1. Can you put parental control on WhatsApp?
WhatsApp does not have a specific parental control option, but it allows you to change settings for your child’s safety. You can hide your child’s live location, profile picture, last seen and online status and disable media downloads on your child’s phone.
Q2. Can WhatsApp be monitored by parents?
Parents can monitor their child’s WhatsApp by using a parental control app that tracks the child’s all WhatsApp activities. You can track all WhatsApp chats on their phone along with media, voice messages, and documents sent and received.
Q3. Which parental control app is the best?
Msafely is one of the best parental control apps because of its easy to use interface and numerous monitoring features. Other than WhatsApp, you can also monitor the target phone’s location, Wi-Fi, call logs, text messages, images, videos, websites, and apps.
Q4. Why would a girl turn on disappearing messages on WhatsApp?
If your girl child has turned on disappearing messages on WhatsApp, they might not want anyone to see those conversations. Some people also do this to prevent chats from taking up too much space on the phone. Look for changes in their behavior to find out what could be the possible reason.
Part 6. Conclusion
Now that you know how to put parental control on WhatsApp, you can protect your child online even when you’re away. Block content on their phone, turn off live location, deactivate read receipts, hide profile picture and last seen, disable media downloads, and disallow being added to group chats with WhatsApp parental control to ensure your child’s online safety. If you want to stay a step ahead, connect your child’s phone to a parental control app like Msafely. It allows you to monitor your child’s’ all activities on their phone, including WhatsApp and other social media. Register online, connect the app to the target phone, and start monitoring their activity remotely.