Set up Stadia for kids and families

If you're a parent who manages a Google family group, you can help your child create a Stadia account. Parents have special controls and privacy settings to help manage their child's Stadia experience, including which games they can play and who they can play with.

Parents can set up a family payment method so any supervised members of the group (such as their children) can send requests to play games or make purchases. To manage these settings, go to the Stadia family dashboard or open the Family Link app on your Android mobile device.

How to use family payment methods on Android

Before your family members can use a family payment method in the Stadia app on Android, you (the family group manager) must set up a Google Play Family Library. After the Family Library is enabled, family members (including children) can send you purchase requests from the Stadia store on Android.

Note: Family group managers can add supervision to any family group member's account after the account is created. The family manager must approve every purchase on Stadia made by each supervised family group member with the family payment method. However, when family members use the Stadia app on Android to make a purchase, the family manager's Google Play purchase approval settings will apply instead.

Get started

First, as the family group manager you'll need to set up a Google Account for your child and add the child to your Google family group. After your child creates their Stadia account, an approval request will be emailed to you, the family group manager.

To help your child set up their Stadia account, follow the instructions below. During setup, you'll need:

• A computer with access to the internet from a Chrome browser.
• Your preferred payment information.

Kids profiles on Google TV

If you created a kids profile for your child on Google TV, you'll need to create a Gmail account and password for your child before they can use Stadia. Go to https://g.co/yourfamily and click your child's profile to learn how to create a Gmail account.

Set up your child's account

During setup, you and the child will need to perform some setup steps together:

1. Create a Google account for your child if you haven't done it yet.
2. Set up your child's account in the Stadia app on their mobile device or at stadia.com. Just follow the instructions to complete setup.
   • Optional (1): If you have a Stadia Pro code, redeem it during the setup process. Some codes can be redeemed after the account has been created, with the family manager's permission.
   • Optional (2): At the end of the account setup process, you have the option to request a Stadia Pro trial subscription for your child. If this request is made, you'll receive a purchase request email. You can approve the request on the Stadia family dashboard or in the Family Link app .
3. As the family manager, you'll receive an email letting you know that your child wants to create a Stadia account. Follow the instructions in the email.
4. After your child is signed into their account in the Stadia app or on stadia.com, help them claim or purchase a game select the game select Play .
5. You'll receive a play request email. Open it and select Review play request. You can approve the request on the Stadia family dashboard or in the Family Link app .
6. If your child uses the Stadia app on their mobile device, wait for the app to update.
   • If your child wants to play games on a compatible mobile device, ask them to sign into their account on the Stadia app select a game select Play .
   • If your child doesn't have a compatible mobile device or gamepad, they can sign into their account on stadia.com to play on a computer.
   • If your child wants to play games on a TV, go to the next step.
7. To play on a TV, set up Stadia on your Chromecast Ultra or Google TV device. Note that your child can use compatible Bluetooth® gamepads to play games on Google TV.
8. To link your child's Stadia Controller wirelessly to a mobile device, open the Stadia app tap the controller icon follow the on-screen instructions.

Cast a game to your TV

1. On the child's mobile device, open the Stadia app .
2. Tap the game they want to play.
3. Under Play , select the Chromecast they want to play on.

Set gameplay limits

When you set up a Stadia account for your child, you can set limits on the game content they can access, as well as their ability to connect with other players. After their account is set up, manage these settings on the Stadia family dashboard.

Note: Any restrictions you set while your child is playing a game won't take effect until the next time they launch a game.

• Games restrictions by rating: You can set content restrictions based on game ratings. Your child can access every game at the rating you choose and below. Your child won't be able to access games in the Stadia Store that have a rating above the one you've chosen.
  • To set game rating restrictions on the Stadia family dashboard, tap Edit.
• How your child connects with other players: You can choose if you want your child to be able to play multiplayer games or voice chat with other players online.
  • To manage your child's settings on the Stadia family dashboard, tap the slider next to each setting.

Privacy settings

Your child has the same privacy options as other players. You can choose the privacy options for your child. Your child can access the privacy settings you've chosen, but won't be able to change them. After setup, you can manage these settings on the Stadia family dashboard.

Parent purchase and play approvals

If you're the manager of a Google family group, approval requests are sent to you whenever your children (or supervised family members) try to:

• Make a purchase on stadia.com or Chromecast Ultra.
• Try to play games they claimed for free as part of their Stadia Pro subscription.

Important: You won't receive requests for purchases made in the Stadia app on Android if you've disabled approvals in your Google Play purchase approval settings.

Purchase approvals

Your child can make Stadia purchases on their mobile device or computer. A family payment method must be set up before supervised members of the group (such as children) can request a purchase.

Step-by-step instructions

1. After your child (or a supervised family group member) signs into their Stadia account on their computer or mobile device, ask them to go to the Stadia store select a game tap Buy.
2. You (the family group manager) will receive an email asking you to review the purchase. Open the email and approve or decline the request.
   • Note: You can approve or decline requests on the Stadia family dashboard or directly on your mobile device with the Family link app .
3. If you approve a purchase, the game will be added to the family member's Stadia game library.

Important: For purchases in the Stadia app on Android, you won't receive requests if you've disabled approvals in your Google Play purchase approval settings.

Play approvals

A Stadia Pro subscription allows players to claim games as part of their subscription benefits. When new games are offered, and if the game is at a rating level you've approved, your child will see the game in the Stadia store under "Stadia Pro games". They can claim the game, but they must send an approval request to the family group manager (the parent), who must approve the request before the child can play.

Parents and children can sign into Stadia on their own devices and perform Play Approval steps together:

Step-by-step instructions

1. Ask your child (or supervised group member) to sign into their account on stadia.com or in the Stadia app .
2. Ask your child to select the game they want to add to their library select Claim . If they're signed into stadia.com, they can click Claim all in the “Stadia Pro” section of the home page.
3. Ask your child to select the game they want to play select Play select Play request .
4. Check your email for the address associated with your Stadia account. After you receive a play request, approve or decline it on the Stadia family dashboard or on your mobile device using the Family Link app .
5. After you approve the request, the game will be added to the child's Stadia game library. If you decline the request, the game will not be added to the child's library.

Note: Sometimes a child won't receive a confirmation that a request was sent after they select Play request . If you encounter this issue, contact Stadia support.

Publisher consent

When your child makes a request to buy or play a game from a new publisher for the first time, you'll have the option to give "Publisher data use consent." If you provide your consent, publishers can access your child's Stadia friends list during multiplayer games to enable features like game invites or matchmaking. You can revoke or renew your consent for individual publishers on the Stadia family dashboard at g.co/stadia/families.

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