To chat on Roblox, everyone now has to complete an age check: a quick face scan or, for teens 13 and older, a government ID. The result puts them in one of six age groups, and they can chat only with people in nearby groups. Here’s how it works, whether the scan is safe, and how to fix it if Roblox gets your child’s age wrong.
Fast Facts About Roblox Age Verification
- Since January 2026, every Roblox user has to complete an age check to chat, whatever their age.[1]
- The check places users in one of six age groups: under 9, 9 to 12, 13 to 15, 16 to 17, 18 to 20, or 21 and older.[2]
- By default, users can chat with their own group and the groups directly above and below it.[1]
- Roblox says face-scan images and video are deleted immediately after processing.[1]
- In independent testing, the face scan’s estimates were off by 1.4 years on average for users under 18.[6]
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What Is Roblox Age Verification?
Roblox calls it an age check. The result decides your child’s age group and account type, which control who they can chat with and which games they can play.[2][4] Roblox began requiring age checks for chat in Australia, New Zealand and the Netherlands in December 2025, then everywhere chat is available starting January 7, 2026.[1]
There are two ways to complete one:[6]
- Facial Age Estimation: a quick selfie video taken with your device’s camera in the Roblox app. Roblox calls it the fastest option. If your computer or console has no camera, Roblox shows a QR code so you can finish on a phone.
- ID verification: users 13 and older can scan a government-issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license or passport, then take a quick selfie so Roblox can confirm they’re the person on the ID.
Age checks are optional, but without one, chat stays locked whatever the user’s age.[2][6] Users who skip the check can still play. Roblox uses the birthday on the account to place them in a Roblox Kids account (ages 5 to 8) or a Roblox Select account (9 and older), with chat turned off.[4]
After an age check, users 5 to 8 get a Roblox Kids account and users 9 to 15 get Roblox Select. The full Roblox account is only for age-checked users 16 and older.[3] Social media links on profiles and game pages are also visible only to age-checked users 16 and older.[4]
Roblox Age Groups
After the check, Roblox tells each user which age group they’re in.[2] By default, users can chat with their own group and the groups directly above and below it. Roblox says the rule is designed to keep children younger than 16 from chatting with adults.[1]
| Age group | Can chat by default with |
|---|---|
| Under 9 | Under 9 and 9 to 12, only if a parent allows chat |
| 9 to 12 | Under 9, 9 to 12, and 13 to 15 |
| 13 to 15 | 9 to 12, 13 to 15, and 16 to 17 |
| 16 to 17 | 13 to 15, 16 to 17, and 18 to 20 |
| 18 to 20 | 16 to 17, 18 to 20, and 21 and older |
| 21 and older | 18 to 20, and 21 and older |
The table applies that default rule, and Roblox notes that age groups and settings can vary by region.[1] Roblox’s own example: a 12-year-old can chat in games with users 15 and younger, and users 16 and older can’t start or join a chat with her. For users under 13, chat outside of games stays restricted.[2]
Chatting With Family in a Different Age Group
Trusted friends are the exception to the age-group rule. They’re people your child knows and trusts in real life, such as parents and siblings, and age-checked users can chat with them outside their age group. Roblox’s earlier announcements called them Trusted Connections.[6] In Roblox’s example, an 18-year-old can add a 13-year-old sibling as a trusted friend, or an 8-year-old sibling with a parent’s verified consent.[6] Until a child turns 13, a linked parent can approve or decline their trusted friend requests.[4]
For children 5 to 8, chat is off by default, and a linked parent can turn on text chat in games.[4]
How to Verify Your Child’s Age on Roblox
Roblox suggests doing this together. These steps come from Roblox’s guide for parents:[6]
- Link your account to your child’s first. You’ll need the link if you ever have to correct their age.
- Complete your own age check first, so you know what your child will see.
- On your child’s account, open Settings. On a computer, it’s the gear icon at the top right. On a phone, tap More (…) at the bottom right, then Settings.
- Go to Account Info, then Age Group.
- Make sure your child, not you, is in front of the camera, then have them select “Continue with selfie.” You can talk them through it from outside the camera’s view.
- Follow the prompts until the check is done. Roblox will then show your child’s age group.
Roblox asks parents to stay out of view so they don’t age-check on their child’s behalf by mistake.[6] The scan estimates the age of whoever is in front of the camera, so a parent’s face could put a child’s account in an adult age group.
The steps are the same for your own account.
Is Roblox Age Verification Safe?
Roblox’s vendor for the face scan is Persona. Roblox says the images and video are deleted immediately after they’ve been securely processed, that Roblox does not and will not sell users’ image data, and that Persona doesn’t sell people’s data or give third parties access to it.[1][6]
- Accuracy: in testing by the UK’s Age Check Certification Scheme, Persona’s age estimates were off by 1.4 years on average for users under 18. Roblox calls the technology more accurate than self-declared age, but not perfect.[3][6]
- Bias: Roblox says separate evaluations by NIST and the Age Check Certification Scheme found no material bias across age or sex.[6]
- Scale: by August 2026, Roblox’s face-scan system had processed 338 million age-check records.[5]
- Limits: Roblox says no system is foolproof, and recommends pairing age checks with parental controls and talking often with your child about staying safe online.[6]
If your family would rather skip the face scan, teens 13 and older can verify with a government photo ID instead.[6] Younger children can still play without an age check, but chat stays off.[4]
If Roblox Gets the Age Wrong
Roblox offers three ways to correct an age check:[3][6]
- A parent can correct a child’s age once from a linked parent account. Log in to your parent account, go to Settings, then Parental Controls, and select the pencil icon next to your child’s birthdate.
- Users 13 and older can verify with a government ID. Go to Settings, then Account Info, then Verify My Age.
- Users estimated at 18 or older get a one-time reset in Account Settings that lets them redo the check.
Because parents can change the age only once, double-check the birthdate before you save.
Can Kids Get Around the Age Check?
Roblox itself names the weak spots: an account could be shared or handed down to a younger sibling, and bad actors could try to probe its defenses.[5] Roblox says the face scan checks for common fraud attempts, and that its vendor’s technology meets an international standard (ISO/IEC 30107-3) for detecting presentation attacks, such as a photo or mask held up to the camera.[6]
The selfie also isn’t the last word. Every day, a Roblox system checks whether accounts’ behavior still matches their estimated age, using patterns such as who a user connects with, when and how long they play, and the language they use in chat.[5] When someone seems significantly older or younger than their profile says, Roblox asks them to complete a new age check.[3]
The simplest protection is to do your child’s check with them, and to keep an eye on which age group their account shows.
Is Roblox Removing Age Verification?
Not according to Roblox. In May 2026, it said users who haven’t completed an age check can’t chat, and “that is not changing.” When it launched Roblox Kids and Roblox Select accounts worldwide in June 2026, age checks were still required to chat.[3][4]
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the Roblox age groups?
Under 9, 9 to 12, 13 to 15, 16 to 17, 18 to 20, and 21 and older. By default, users chat with their own group and the groups directly above and below it.[1][2]
How do I verify my child’s age on Roblox?
Link your parent account first. Then, on your child’s account, go to Settings, then Account Info, then Age Group, and have your child take the selfie scan while you stay out of the camera’s view.[6]
Is the Roblox face scan safe?
Roblox says the images and video are deleted immediately after processing, and that neither Roblox nor its vendor, Persona, sells the data. Teens 13 and older can use a government ID instead.[1][6]
Can I change my child’s age on Roblox?
Yes, once. From your linked parent account, go to Settings, then Parental Controls, and select the pencil icon next to your child’s birthdate.[3][6]
Can my child chat on Roblox without an age check?
No. Users who haven’t completed an age check can’t chat, whatever their age. They can still play, in a Roblox Kids or Roblox Select account based on the birthday on the account.[4]
What if our computer doesn’t have a camera?
Start the check anyway. Roblox shows a QR code that moves the face scan to a phone with a camera.[6]
Why is Roblox asking my child to verify again?
Roblox regularly checks whether accounts’ behavior matches their estimated age. It asks for a new check when a user seems significantly older or younger than their profile says, for example when an account is shared with a younger sibling.[3][5]
Related Guides
- Roblox Age Rating and Safety
- Roblox Parental Controls, Step by Step
- Roblox Predators: Warning Signs
- Safe Video Games for Kids by Age
- Signs of Online Grooming
Sources
- Kaufman, M., & Bhatia, R., Roblox. (2026, January 7). A New Era of Safety: Facial Age Checks Now Required to Chat on Roblox.
- Kaufman, M., & Bhatia, R., Roblox. (2025, November 19). Roblox Requires Age Checks for Communication, Ushering in New Safety Standard.
- Kaufman, M., & Milovidov, E., Roblox. (2026, May 20). What Families Need to Know About Roblox’s New Age-Based Protections.
- Kaufman, M., Roblox. (2026, June 16). Age-Based Roblox Kids and Select Accounts Now Globally Available.
- Wang, X., Roblox. (2026, August 4). Beyond the Selfie: How Roblox’s Age-Assurance System Helps Keep Age Checks Current.
- Roblox. (n.d.). About Our Secure Age Checks. Accessed October 2, 2026.