How can parents supervise Facebook and Messenger — and what do they see?
Through supervision in Meta’s Family Center — not a hidden app. A parent can see a teen’s Facebook friends, Messenger contact list and who they’ve blocked, manage daily limits and sleep mode, and approve or deny requests to make settings less protective. The teen can see the same information the parent sees. Supervision is for ages 13–17 (14–17 in some regions) and isn’t available in all regions.
- Facebook friendsThe parent can see them
- Messenger contact listThe parent can see it
- Who the teen has blockedThe parent can see it
- Time on FacebookDaily limit and sleep mode, set by the parent
- Settings made less protectiveThe parent approves or denies — unless the teen may change settings alone
- Topics asked of Meta AIThe parent can see them for the last seven days
- Content of end-to-end encrypted chatsNot on the supervision list; the people in the chat — who may still share a message
FbSpy is independent and not affiliated with Facebook or Meta. We help you with your own account only.
Set up supervision
- 1Open Family CenterGo to familycenter.facebook.com/dashboard and log in. It’s where you view the profiles you supervise on Facebook and Messenger and change supervision settings.
- 2Send the invitationOne invitation covers all your teen’s Meta accounts in one place.
- 3Set a daily limit and sleep modeTeen Accounts start with a reminder to close Facebook after 60 minutes a day and sleep mode from 10 PM to 7 AM. With supervision you manage your teen’s time and can make these settings even more protective.
- 4Answer requests to loosen settingsWith supervision on a Teen Account, changes that make settings less protective need your approval, unless you’ve let your teen change them alone.
- 5Tell your teen how you’ll use itMeta’s advice to parents: be clear with your teen about how you will use supervision to set limits and look at their activity.
- Facebook friendsNot shared via supervision
- Messenger contact listNot shared via supervision
- Who they blockedNot shared via supervision
- Encrypted message contentNot on the list
No supervision: Teen Account defaults apply; nothing is shared with a parent through supervision.
Teen Account defaults, before any supervision
Facebook and Messenger users aged 13 to 17 get these automatically:
- Posts, stories, reels and the friends list are seen by Friends.
- Only Facebook friends or people they’ve messaged before can chat with them; people with their phone number can send message requests.
- A reminder to close Facebook after 60 minutes each day.
- Sleep mode from 10 PM to 7 AM, muting notifications overnight.
Why not a “spy app”
An app built to get into a device or account in secret fits Facebook Help’s description of malicious software: it can collect information and take unwanted actions on the account. Supervision works inside the account instead, and the teen can see what the parent sees. The guide to “Facebook spy apps” covers the signs and how to remove one.
Related: “Spy app” (claim)
Supervision works best as a conversation
Meta calls open and honest conversations about your teen’s online use the most impactful way to keep it positive — supervision is a tool for that, not a replacement. In practice:
- Talk about online safety: encourage your teen to think about what they create and share with others.
- Say how you’ll use supervision — the limits you’ll set and what you’ll look at.
- Stay involved: take an interest in their online life and ask about their experiences regularly.
Teen Accounts also have protections of their own: tagged posts need the teen’s review before they appear on the profile, and live broadcasting is off for everyone under 18 — under 16, turning it on needs a parent’s supervision.
Limits: who and where supervision covers
Supervision is for teens aged 13 to 17 — 14 to 17 in some regions — and it is not currently available in all regions. Meta describes the Teen Account protections above for Facebook and Messenger users aged 13 to 17; its 13+ content settings are rolling out in phases.
Questions
01Can I read my teen’s Messenger messages with supervision?
Supervision shows friends, Messenger contacts, blocks, time and settings — message content isn’t on the list. The content of end-to-end encrypted chats is readable by the people in them, not by Meta — though anyone in a chat can share a message on.
02Will my teen know they are supervised?
Yes. A supervised teen can open Family Center and see the information their parent sees.
03What ages does supervision cover?
Teens aged 13 to 17, or 14 to 17 in some regions.
04Who can message my teen by default?
Facebook friends or other connections, such as people they’ve messaged before. People with their phone number can send message requests.
05Can my teen change a setting back without me?
With supervision on a Teen Account, making a setting less protective needs your approval — unless you’ve allowed them to change settings on their own.
06Where is Family Center?
At familycenter.facebook.com/dashboard, after you log in.
Continue with your account
Sources for this guide
Facts on this page come from the Help pages listed here, checked on 9 November 2026.