WhatsApp is developing a new parental control system that will allow parents to create and manage secondary accounts for their children. The feature is aimed at users under 18 and is designed to offer stronger safety and supervision while preserving message privacy.

Under the proposed system, a child’s WhatsApp account will be linked to the parent’s primary account using a QR code. Parents will control security settings directly from their own phones, ensuring tighter oversight. A six-digit primary PIN will be required to make any major changes to the child’s account, preventing unauthorised modifications.

The move reflects growing concerns about children accessing smartphones and messaging platforms at increasingly younger ages. WhatsApp says the new controls are intended to protect minors from inappropriate content, limit interactions with unknown users, and give parents visibility into account activity without compromising privacy.

To enhance safety, several features will be restricted on child accounts. The Updates tab, including Channels and broadcast content, will be disabled to reduce exposure to unverified or unsuitable material. Chat Lock will also be unavailable, ensuring conversations cannot be hidden from device-level review. In addition, children will only be able to message contacts saved in their address book, effectively blocking communication with strangers.

Importantly, WhatsApp has clarified that end-to-end encryption will remain unchanged. Parents will not be able to read messages or listen to calls. They will only see activity-related information, such as new contacts added, maintaining a balance between supervision and privacy.

The secondary account will remain active until a parent removes it or the child reaches WhatsApp’s official age requirement. At that point, it can be converted into a standard account.

The feature is currently under development and is expected to roll out globally in the near future.