Spotify is expanding parent-managed accounts to include users in its free tier

Spotify Announce On Wednesday it will bring accounts managed by parents for children to its 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.

“Managed Accounts” which It was launched in 2024is a shared account feature that allows parents to control what their children listen to.

Since these are separate accounts, children’s music selections will not impact their parents’ algorithm and will not appear in their annual Spotify Wrapped experience. Kids can add songs to their favorites, create their own playlists, and get their own personal recommendations.

The expansion of managed accounts for free users reflects broader efforts by big tech companies to give parents greater control over how their children use online platforms, and what features are available to them in response to regulatory pressures.

With managed accounts, parents can control and restrict playback of specific artists and songs. By default, children cannot listen to music labeled as explicit, and video playback is also disabled by default. Interaction features are also limited in managed accounts, meaning kids can’t access age-related features like messaging.

Managed accounts give parents more granular control over the music their kids can listen to, without requiring them to use more restrictions Spotify Kids program.

To set up a managed account, Family Plan account holders need to go to their account pages in the app, select the “Add Member” option, and then click the “Add Listener Under 13 (or Market Equivalent)” option. From there, parents will be guided through some steps to set up their child’s account, including choosing a display name and setting content preferences. Parents have the option to make adjustments at any time.

Spotify says it plans to bring managed accounts to more countries soon.