Spotify announced Wednesday that it is introducing parent-managed accounts for children in a free tier. Families in the US, UK, Australia, France, Germany and the Netherlands can now create a ‘managed account’ for their children, a feature previously only available to paid subscribers.
Launched in 2024, ‘Managed Accounts’ is a shared account feature that allows parents to control the music their children listen to.
These accounts are separate, so children’s music choices don’t influence parents’ algorithms or appear in the annual Spotify Wrapped experience. Kids can add songs to their favorite songs, create their own playlists, and get their own personalized recommendations.
The expansion of managed accounts to free users reflects a broader effort by major tech companies to give parents greater control over how their children use online platforms and what features their children can use in response to regulatory pressure.
Managed accounts allow parents to control and limit playback of specific artists and songs. By default, children cannot listen to explicit music, and video playback is also disabled by default. Interaction capabilities are also limited in managed accounts. This means children won’t have access to age-restricted features like Messages.
Managed accounts give parents more control over the music their children can listen to without having to use the more limited Spotify Kids app.
To set up a managed account, Family Plan account holders must go to the app’s account page, select the “Add Member” option, and then tap the “Add Listener Under 13 (or Market Age Equivalent)” option. Here, parents will be guided through several steps to set up their child’s account, including choosing a display name and setting content preferences. Parents have the option to adjust at any time.
Spotify says it plans to offer managed accounts in more countries soon.
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