Simturax

Kodi Parental Controls are built-in tools that let you create separate user profiles, lock settings and add-ons with a PIN, and restrict live TV channels—so you can keep your media center safe for every member of the family.

Status Disclaimer

Feature Status: FULLY AVAILABLE

Important Note: Kodi’s parental controls are designed to protect the interface from curious children—they will not prevent tech-savvy users from accessing Kodi’s content and settings files directly through the operating system. The feature may also be bypassed via the web interface or certain add-ons. In the default Estuary skin, direct access to “Recently Added” items from the main menu may still work without a PIN.

If you need stronger protection, consider operating system-level user accounts or third-party parental control software in addition to Kodi’s built-in features.

Privacy Reminder: If you use third-party add-ons, your IP address is exposed. A VPN is strongly recommended to protect your privacy and prevent ISP tracking. Compare the best VPN providers for Kodi.

What Are Kodi Parental Controls?

Kodi is a powerful, open-source media center that transforms any device into an all-in-one entertainment hub. It gives you access to your personal media library—movies, TV shows, music, photos, and even live TV—all from a single, customizable interface. For a complete introduction, check out our ultimate Kodi guide.

The Problem: With great content comes great responsibility. If you share your Kodi media center with children, you need a way to ensure they don’t accidentally stumble upon inappropriate content or change critical settings.

The Solution: Kodi comes with built-in parental control features that let you:

• Create separate profiles for each family member
• Lock specific sections of Kodi (settings, add-ons, file manager, etc.) with a PIN
• Restrict live TV channels with a PIN
• Limit daily viewing time with the Wellbeing add-on
• Filter content using tags and smart playlists based on ratings

Quick-Reference

For experienced users—skip the reading and set up now.

How to Set Up Kodi Parental Controls – Step-by-Step

Part 1: Create a Child Profile (The Foundation)

Profiles are the cornerstone of Kodi’s parental control system. They allow each user to have their own separate media library, settings, and add-ons without interfering with each other.

Step 1: Open Settings

• Launch Kodi and click the gear icon in the top-left corner to access the Settings page.

Step 2: Navigate to Profiles

• Click on “Profiles” in the settings menu.

Step 3: Enable Login Screen

• Click on “General” and make sure “Show login screen on startup” is enabled. This ensures that when Kodi starts, users must select their profile.

Step 4: Add a New Profile

• Select “Profiles” from the left menu. You’ll see the default “Master User” profile.
• Click “Add Profile” to create a new one.

Step 5: Name Your Profile

• Enter a name for your child’s profile (e.g., “Kids,” “Children,” or their name) and click OK.

Step 6: Choose Profile Directory

• You’ll see a “Browse for Folder” field:
  • Default – Settings are stored in the userdata/profiles/ folder with the profile name.
  • New Folder – Create a custom folder location for the profile.

Step 7: Configure Lock Preferences

In the Edit Profile window, you can lock specific sections:

• Lock Music Window – Prevents access to the music section
• Lock Videos Window – Blocks access to all videos (movies, TV shows)
• Lock Pictures Window – Locks the pictures section
• Lock Programs and Scripts – Prevents access to advanced Kodi features
• Lock File Manager – Stops users from adding new sources
• Lock Settings – Prevents changes to Kodi settings
• Lock Add-ons Manager – Prevents installing/uninstalling add-ons

Step 8: Configure Media Settings

• Media Info – Choose whether this profile has separate or shared media information.
• Media Sources – Choose whether this profile has separate or shared media sources.

Important: When copying settings files (like guisettings.xml) to a child profile, ensure Kodi is stopped or the master profile is the one running, otherwise the file will not be retained.

Part 2: Set Up Master Lock (The PIN Protection)

The Master Lock applies a PIN to specific areas of Kodi, adding an extra layer of security.

Important: Master Lock settings are profile-specific. To lock other profiles, you must repeat these steps while logged into each profile.

Step 1: Open Interface Settings

• Launch Kodi and click the gear icon to access Settings.
• Click on “Interface” .

Step 2: Switch to Expert Mode

• Click the little gear icon at the bottom of the left menu until it says “Expert” . This reveals advanced options.

Step 3: Select Master Lock

• Click on the “Master Lock” tab.

Step 4: Choose Lock Type

• Click on the top option “Master Lock” (initially shows “Disabled”).
• Choose your lock type:
  • Disabled – No lock
  • Digital password – Numeric PIN (recommended)
  • Gamepad Buttons Combo – Button combination
  • Full text password – Text password

Step 5: Set Your PIN

• Enter your chosen numeric password and click “Done” .
• Re-enter your password when prompted and click “Done” again.

Step 6: Choose What to Lock

In the Lock Preferences section, select which features to protect:

• Music Window
• Videos Window
• Pictures Window
• Programs and Scripts
• File Manager
• Settings
• Add-ons Manager

Step 7: Enable Startup Lock (Optional)

• Toggle “Request master lock code on startup” to ON if you want to prevent access to the entire Kodi program without a PIN.

Note: After enabling Master Lock, you may need to restart Kodi for all settings to take effect.

Part 3: Configure Your Child’s Media Library

Now that the profile and lock are set up, you need to log into the child profile and configure what content they can access. If you’re setting this up on a Firestick, check out our Kodi installation guide for Firestick. For Android TV, see our Android TV installation guide.

Step 1: Switch to Child Profile

• Restart Kodi or log out and select the child profile from the login screen.

Step 2: Add Approved Media Sources

• Go to Settings → Media → Library → Videos → Add Source.
• Only add folders that contain child-appropriate content.

Step 3: Install Kid-Friendly Add-ons

• In the child profile, only install add-ons that are suitable for children. Our best Kodi addons guide can help you find family-friendly options.

Step 4: Choose a Kid-Friendly Skin (Optional)

• Consider installing a simple, colorful skin that’s easy for children to navigate. Learn how to change and customize Kodi skins for a child-friendly interface.

Pro Tip: Some users set the child profile as the default profile on shared devices so that children don’t even see the login screen.

Part 4: Live TV Parental Controls (Optional)

If you use Kodi with a PVR backend for live TV, you can lock specific channels:

Step 1: Go to Settings → PVR & Live TV → Parental Controls

Step 2: Toggle “Enable” to ON and set a PIN.

Step 3: In the Channel Manager, mark individual channels as “locked.”

Note: This feature requires your PVR backend (e.g., Tvheadend, NextPVR) to support parental controls.

Part 5: Smart Playlists for Content Filtering (Advanced)

For even finer control, you can use Smart Playlists to filter content by rating:

Step 1: Go to Videos → Playlists.
Step 2: Select “New Smart Playlist” .
Step 3: Set rules based on MPAA rating (e.g., only G, PG, PG-13).

Part 6: Parental Controls Add-ons (Optional)

Kodi’s official repository and community sources offer additional parental control tools:

Wellbeing Add-on Details (v1.3.2 – January 6, 2026):

• Correct handling of paused media – paused time does not consume the time budget
• Auto-stop during rest periods
• Hourly notifications
• RPC calls to reset time budget or set today’s limit

Note on Manual Install Add-ons: The “Parental Controls,” “Movie Content Filter,” “PINSentry,” and “Suitability” add-ons are community-developed and must be installed manually from ZIP files. They are not available through the official Kodi add-on browser. Always download from trusted GitHub repositories and verify the source. Learn how to enable unknown sources for manual installations.

What to Expect – Post-Setup Walkthrough

After setting up parental controls, here’s what your Kodi experience will look like:

• Login Screen: When Kodi starts, users must select a profile. The child profile will only show approved content.
• Locked Sections: Attempting to access locked areas (Settings, Add-ons, File Manager) will prompt for the Master Lock PIN.
• Restricted Live TV: Locked channels won’t appear in the EPG or play without the PIN.
• Separate Watch History: Each profile maintains its own watch history, resume points, and favorites.
• Time Limits: If you installed Wellbeing, playback will automatically stop when the daily limit is reached.

Known Limitations:

• The Master Lock may be bypassed via the web interface or certain add-ons.
• In the default Estuary skin, direct access to “Recently Added” items from the main menu may still work without a PIN.
• The Master Lock protects the Kodi interface but will not protect content and settings files from being accessed via the operating system.

Troubleshooting – How to Fix Common Kodi Parental Control Errors

systemctl stop kodi
# edit/delete profiles.xml
systemctl start kodi

Safety & Privacy – What Else You Should Know

Kodi Itself Is Legal: Kodi is a legitimate, open-source media player. The legality concerns arise only when you install third-party add-ons that access copyrighted content without permission. Our best Kodi addons guide can help you identify reputable options.

Use a VPN: If you use third-party add-ons, your IP address is exposed to whoever hosts the streams. A VPN encrypts your traffic and hides your online activity from your ISP. Compare the best VPN providers for Kodi.

Stick to Official Sources: Only download add-ons from the official Kodi repository or trusted sources like the Kodi Community Forum. Unknown repositories may contain malware or trackers. Our best Kodi repositories guide lists trusted sources.

Kodi 21 “Omega” Improvements: Kodi 21.0 Omega added parental control screen support for skins, making it easier for skin developers to integrate parental controls into their interface.

Kodi 22 “Piers” Improvements: The upcoming Kodi 22 release adds parental rating icons for list items and the video player, making it easier to identify age-appropriate content at a glance.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Summary – Best Practices for Kodi Parental Controls

Recommended Setup Strategy:

1. Create a Child Profile – Only add approved media sources and kid-friendly add-ons.
2. Enable Master Lock – PIN-protect Settings, Add-ons Manager, and File Manager.
3. Enable Login Screen – Ensures users select their profile at startup.
4. (Optional) Use Smart Playlists – Filter by MPAA rating for extra safety.
5. (Optional) Install Wellbeing – Set daily time limits.
6. Use a VPN – If you use any third-party add-ons, protect your privacy. Compare the best VPN providers for Kodi.

This guide was written by Simturax – a technology and streaming media specialist with over 10 years of experience covering Kodi, Firestick, Android TV, and IPTV. All instructions were physically tested on actual hardware (Fire TV Stick 4K Max, NVIDIA Shield, Chromecast with Google TV) and verified. We prioritize accuracy, transparency, and user safety above all else.