HBO Now no longer exists. Its replacement is HBO Max, and parental controls there work through Kids profiles. In the HBO Max app on your iPhone, choose your profile, tap + New Profile, turn on Kids Mode, and pick a Ratings group. Then turn on Kid-Proof Exit so a 4-digit Parent Code is needed to leave the profile, and lock your own profile with a Profile PIN.
This guide covers the HBO Max app on iPhone and iPad. It shows how to set up a Kids profile, choose content ratings, stop a child from leaving their profile, lock adult profiles, and use iPhone Screen Time alongside HBO Max. The steps come from HBO Max Help, checked in October 2026. The older HBO Now steps in this article no longer apply, so we’ve replaced them.
How HBO Max Parental Controls Work
HBO Max doesn’t have one switch for parental controls. Instead, it uses profiles. HBO Max Help explains:
- Two kinds of profiles. Your account can have up to 5 profiles, and each one is either an Adult or a Kids profile.
- Kids profiles limit ratings. You choose which content ratings the child can watch. The Home screen and search results only show titles they’re allowed to watch.
- Kids profiles can’t manage the account. They can’t reach your password or subscription details.
- A default Kids profile. New HBO Max accounts include a Kids profile set to TV-PG and PG titles. You can edit or delete it.
To make this work, you need two locks: one to keep your child in their Kids profile, and one to keep them out of yours.
How to Add a Kids Profile on iPhone
- Open the HBO Max app, choose your profile, then tap + New Profile. You may need to scroll if you have more than 3 profiles. Result: the new profile screen opens.
- Pick an avatar, or tap Skip. Result: you can name the profile.
- Enter your child’s name (1 to 14 characters). Result: the name is set.
- Turn on Kids Mode. Result: the profile becomes a Kids profile.
- Choose a Ratings group. By default, it’s PG / TV-PG. Result: the profile only shows titles at or below that rating.
- Turn on Kid-Proof Exit if you want to stop your child from leaving the profile. Result: a Parent Code will be needed to switch profiles.
- Add your child’s birthdate and tap Save. Result: the Kids profile is ready.
Change or Delete a Kids Profile
In the app, choose your profile, then Manage Profiles. Choose the Kids profile to change its ratings or Kid-Proof Exit, or to delete it, then tap Done. HBO Max Help says you need to contact HBO Max to change a birthdate, and you can’t turn off Kids Mode if the profile’s birthdate is under 18.
Keep Your Child in Their Profile: Kid-Proof Exit
HBO Max’s Kid-Proof Exit article explains that when this option is on, a 4-digit Parent Code is needed to exit the Kids profile. Your account has one Parent Code, and it applies to every Kids profile with Kid-Proof Exit turned on.
- To set or reset the code on a phone, tablet or computer, go to play.hbomax.com/parent-code and sign in if asked. Result: the Parent Code page opens.
- Enter a new 4-digit Parent Code and choose Save. Result: the code is saved for your account.
- To turn Kid-Proof Exit on or off, go to HBOMax.com/editprofiles, choose the Kids profile, and change the setting. Result: the setting updates for that profile.
HBO Max also notes that on a phone or tablet, the app opens with the last profile used. If your child was last in their Kids profile, that’s where the app opens.
Keep Your Child Out of Your Profile: Profile PIN
An Adult profile without a lock is a back door to everything on HBO Max. The Profile PIN article explains how to lock it:
- In HBO Max, choose your profile, then Manage Profiles. Result: your profiles are listed.
- Choose an Adult profile (one with Kids Mode turned off). Result: its settings open.
- Choose Lock Profile. Enter your account password if asked and choose Submit. Result: you are asked for a PIN.
- Enter a 4-digit Profile PIN and choose Save, then choose Done. Result: a Lock icon appears beside the profile avatar.
Lock every Adult profile on the account, not just yours. Use a different code from your Parent Code if you want extra protection.
Use iPhone Screen Time Too
HBO Max’s settings only control what plays inside HBO Max. Apple’s parental controls guide explains that Screen Time can help you manage which apps and websites your child can access and when they use their devices. If your child has their own iPhone, use both together. Learn more in our guide to what restrictions are on an iPhone.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened to HBO Now?
HBO Now was HBO’s standalone streaming app. It has been replaced by HBO Max, which uses the profile-based controls above.
What ratings can I choose for a Kids profile?
HBO Max lets you pick a Ratings group when you create or edit the Kids profile. New Kids profiles start at PG / TV-PG.
I forgot my Parent Code. What do I do?
Go to play.hbomax.com/parent-code on a phone, tablet or computer, sign in, and enter a new 4-digit code.
Do these settings apply on my TV too?
Profiles belong to your HBO Max account, so they appear on every device you sign in to. HBO Max Help says a TV opens with the Kids profile if it was the last one used.
Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read hundreds of millions of times.
After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.
His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.