Age guide
What age is WhatsApp ok for?
WhatsApp’s minimum age is 13. It’s mostly messaging and has no native parental controls, so it suits teens who can manage contacts — limit last-seen and profile photo to contacts, and mind that group members see the phone number.
Minimum age
WhatsApp’s stated minimum age is 13.
Local rules to check
- Platform minimums are a baseline. Local privacy or online-safety law can still require parental consent or a higher access age.
- EU/UK digital-consent thresholds vary by country: UK and Portugal 13; Italy and Spain 14; France 15; Germany 16.
- United States: COPPA rules apply under 13, and state social-media laws may add stricter account rules.
- WhatsApp is generally 13+, or any higher age required by the user’s country.
Why age matters here
- Minimum age is 13 — below that, the app isn’t designed for a child that age.
- WhatsApp has no native parental controls; safety depends on contacts and group settings.
- Group members can see your child's phone number.
If they do use WhatsApp — set these
- Limit who can send direct messages to existing contacts only.
- Turn off precise location sharing and location tags in posts.
- Turn off account suggestions and find-by-phone/email so strangers can't discover the account.
- Remove full name, school, age and identifiable photos from the public profile.
- Turn off activity status and read receipts.
Check your child’s actual setup
Run the free scanner for a setup score on WhatsApp and the exact settings to change.