Roblox

What is Roblox?

Roblox is not one game — it is an app with millions of user-created games (“experiences”). Children can play, create their own games, chat and trade with virtual currency (Robux). It is one of the most popular apps for children under 13.

Age and account framing: Apple App Store rates Roblox 12+, while Google Play uses Teen. Roblox uses Kids accounts (5–8), Select accounts (9–15), and standard 16+ accounts, with features and experiences limited by age.

Why do kids like it?

• Creativity. Children can build their own worlds and games. It’s like Lego, but digital and social.
• Social. They play with friends and meet others. For many children, this is where their friend group hangs out.
• Free to start. The game is free, but Robux (the virtual currency) costs real money.
• Variety. Millions of games means there is always something new.

What are the real risks?

• Chat with strangers. Roblox Kids (5–8) and Roblox Select (9–15) have age-adjusted communication limits, while 16+ accounts get broader social access. Children can still meet unknown people within allowed experiences and contact surfaces.
• User-created content varies enormously. Experiences are labelled Minimal, Mild, Moderate and Restricted (18+), among others, but children can still encounter themes that do not suit them if settings are not adjusted.
• Voice chat is available for age-verified users 13 and older. Age groups are separated by default, but the system relies on age verification being accurate.
• Robux scams. Children are tricked into giving away login credentials or paying for fake Robux generators.
• Grooming. Adults may attempt to build trust with children through in-game chat or private messages, sometimes moving the conversation to other apps.

Settings to check

1. Link a parent account: Create your own Roblox account, verify your age, and link it to your child’s account via Settings → Parental Controls. This gives you control from your own device.
2. Choose content maturity: Open Parental Controls → Content Restrictions, and choose Minimal, Mild or Moderate; Restricted is for 18+.
3. Limit communication: Open Parental Controls → Communication, and choose who your child can chat with in experiences and via direct messages.
4. Set screen time: Open Parental Controls → Screen Time, and choose daily time limits and see which experiences your child plays most.
5. Set spending limits: Open Parental Controls → Spending Restrictions, and choose limits and notifications.

How to talk about it

“Can you show me what you’re playing in Roblox? I’d like to understand what you enjoy about it.”

“Do you talk to people you don’t know in the games? What do you chat about?”

“If someone in a game asks you to chat on another app or share personal information — what would you do?”

Last reviewed: July 2026