Fortnite & Epic parental controls, step by step

What you need before touching Fortnite & Epic settings

• Your child's Epic Games account (use the SAME account the child plays on - check the Account ID matches on consoles)
• An email address you (the parent) control
• A 6-digit Parental Controls PIN you create
• For under-13s (or under the UK age of digital consent if higher): you complete parental consent from the 'Your Child Created an Epic Games Account' email to unlock features in a Cabined Account

Setting up Fortnite & Epic controls, step by step

1. Web: go to https://www.epicgames.com/account/parental-controls and sign in to your CHILD's Epic account.
2. Click Parental Controls in the left-hand menu; in the Set Parental Controls PIN window enter and confirm a 6-digit PIN.
3. Or in Fortnite: select the Player Icon (top right) > Menu icon (three lines, lower right) > Parental Controls > Set Up Parental Controls; confirm a parent email and create the 6-digit PIN.
4. Set Epic Voice Chat Permission and Epic Text Chat Permission (Everybody / Friends, team members, & connections / Friends Only / Nobody).
5. Turn on Require a PIN to Add Friends and Filter Mature Language as needed.
6. Turn on Require a PIN for Epic Games Payments; set Allow Paid Random Items.
7. Set Fortnite Content Ratings and Epic Games Store and Fab age ratings.
8. Set Time Limit Controls (daily limit or time windows; optional separate Play Time and Create Time), Request for More Time, Time Reports and Time Reports Email.
9. Also set the console's own parental controls - Epic's settings don't control platform voice chat or platform purchases.

Every Fortnite & Epic control, in plain English

Stopping surprise spending on Fortnite & Epic

• Turn on Require a PIN for Epic Games Payments.
• Turn off Allow Paid Random Items.
• Under-13s get an automatic daily limit of $100 on Epic payments (parent PIN to go over).
• These settings do NOT cover purchases made through PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo, Steam, Apple or Google - set spending limits on those platforms too - and do not limit spending of V-Bucks already owned.
• Cabined Accounts can't make real-money purchases until a parent gives consent (Fortnite gift cards can still be added since June 2025).

More on how money works inside games in Money in games.

Who can message your child on Fortnite & Epic

• Epic Voice Chat Permission and Epic Text Chat Permission: Everybody / Friends, team members, & connections / Friends Only / Nobody.
• Require a PIN to Add Friends.
• Cabined Accounts (under 13 or local age of digital consent): voice and free-text chat are off until a parent gives consent.
• Voice reporting and text reporting are always on for under-18s.
• Turning voice chat off in Fortnite doesn't stop console party chat - restrict it in the console's controls.

For the wider picture, see Chat & strangers.

Fortnite & Epic play-time limits and bedtimes

• Time Limit Controls: daily total, or specific time windows (good for bedtime), optionally split into Play Time and Create Time.
• In-game warning at 30 minutes left; blocked until the next day/window unless you add time.
• Add time from Fortnite: Sidebar > Time Limits & Reports > Add More Time (PIN needed).
• Time Reports and a weekly Time Reports Email.

Routines that make limits easier to keep are in Time & routines.

Where Fortnite & Epic set-ups usually go wrong

• Set controls on the account your child actually plays on - console players often have a separate Epic account; compare Account IDs.
• A child who enters a false (older) birthday won't get a Cabined Account or the age caps.
• Pick a PIN your child doesn't know and don't reuse it elsewhere.
• Epic settings don't control console voice/party chat or platform store purchases - set up the console's own controls too.
• Setting Epic Games Store rating to Everyone or Everyone 10+ still lets the child download Fortnite but blocks Teen-rated islands such as Battle Royale.