Recent updates mean that age settings now play a bigger role in how chat and other social features work, particularly for players based in the UK. Some families have noticed changes to chat access or permissions, even if they haven’t actively changed any settings themselves.

This guide explains what’s changed, how it may affect different ways children play Minecraft, and what it means in practice for families and mentoring sessions.

What’s Changed in Minecraft?

Minecraft has used age-based account settings for a long time. What’s changed is how strictly those settings are now enforced, especially around chat and social features.

In the UK, these changes are linked to wider online safety requirements and are now active across Minecraft’s online services.

In practical terms, this means:

• Age settings directly affect whether chat and social features are available
• Parents or carers may need to review or approve communication permissions for child accounts
• Adults using accounts marked as 18 and over may be asked to complete age verification to keep full access to social features

How Age Settings Affect Chat and Communication

For players based in the UK, age verification may be required to access full chat and certain social features.

If age verification is not completed:

• The game itself still works as normal
• Existing worlds, purchases, and gameplay are unaffected
• Chat and some social features may be restricted or unavailable

For players outside the UK, chat access remains linked to age settings and parental controls, although the verification process may differ depending on region.

Two Different Layers of Control

It helps to understand that there are two separate layers affecting how accounts work.

1. Child Communication Controls

These apply to accounts registered as under 18.

They determine:

• Whether text chat is enabled
• Whether multiplayer communication is allowed
• Whether party and invite features function

Parents can adjust these settings within family account controls. Communication can usually be made more restrictive or enabled within the limits set for child accounts.

2. Adult Age Verification Requirements

Separate from child communication settings, there are adult age verification requirements in the UK.

These are not about unlocking mature gameplay content. Minecraft does not contain official adult-only game modes. Instead, age verification relates to confirming adult status for certain platform-level social permissions.

If age verification is required and not completed, some social features may remain limited. Parental controls cannot override adult verification requirements.

In simple terms:

• Communication settings control who a child can talk to
• Age verification confirms whether an account qualifies for unrestricted adult social features

What Parents Might Notice

Because of these changes, parents may find that:

• In-game chat no longer works as expected
• Requests appear asking for age verification or permission approval
• Multiplayer communication feels more limited

In most cases, this simply means reviewing account settings and deciding what level of communication feels right for your child.

Choosing not to enable chat does not stop a child playing Minecraft, but it can change how they communicate during online play.

How These Changes May Feel Different Depending on How Your Child Plays

How noticeable these updates feel often depends on how your child uses Minecraft.

Playing with Friends in Private Worlds or Realms

Many children play Minecraft with friends they already know, either in their own worlds or on private Realms.

In these situations:

• Players are interacting with a small, familiar group
• Chat restrictions may feel disruptive if children are used to typing messages to friends
• Parents may notice chat switching off or requiring approval where it previously worked

For families using Minecraft mainly as a way for children to stay connected with friends, this can feel like a bigger shift.

Playing on Public or Hosted Servers

Some children prefer larger, hosted servers that are open to many players.

A practical point here is that on many public servers, party systems and coordination tools rely on text chat commands. If chat access is restricted due to age settings or account permissions, certain features such as party invites or group commands may not function as expected.

This can be especially relevant when children are joining organised groups, or when mentors and mentees are playing on servers where party tools are part of the gameplay.

For children who focus mainly on building or mini-games, reduced chat access may have little impact on their overall experience.

How Parents Can Check and Change Chat Settings

Minecraft Bedrock uses Microsoft’s Xbox privacy and online safety system to manage multiplayer and communication permissions. This applies even if your child is playing on PC, PlayStation or Nintendo Switch.

Chat permissions are not controlled through minecraft.net account pages. They are managed through your child’s Microsoft account privacy settings.

To review or adjust chat permissions:

• Sign in to the parent or carer Microsoft account that manages your child’s account
• Visit the Xbox privacy settings page here: https://account.xbox.com/settings
• Select your child’s profile
• Open the “Xbox privacy” tab
• Under “Communication & multiplayer,” review settings such as:
• “You can join multiplayer games”
• “You can communicate outside of Xbox with voice & text”

If communication settings are set to “Block,” in-game chat will not function. If set to “Friends only,” communication may also be restricted depending on account configuration.

In some cases, chat access may also be affected by:

• Console-level parental controls on PlayStation or Nintendo Switch
• In-game chat settings within Minecraft itself

If chat is still not working after checking Microsoft privacy settings, it is worth reviewing console parental controls and in-game settings as well.

How This May Affect Mentoring Sessions

In some mentoring sessions, a young person may previously have used Minecraft text chat as part of collaboration.

With the current age-based restrictions:

• Chat may be limited or unavailable depending on account setup
• Party features on public servers may require chat access
• Mentors may need to adapt how they coordinate play

Where chat access is restricted, mentors can use other appropriate methods such as voice communication, gameplay cues, or agreed alternatives.

If you have any questions or concerns about the recent Minecraft updates, or how they may affect your child’s sessions, please reach out to your mentor who will always be happy to talk things through.

How MindJam Supports Young People Using Minecraft

At MindJam, we support young people using a wide range of platforms, including Minecraft. Our focus is on age-appropriate play, clear boundaries, and calm, structured online spaces.

Mentors adapt sessions to suit each child’s needs and the tools available, working alongside families as platforms evolve.

For more gaming safety tips, guides, and resources, visit:
https://mindjam.org.uk/discover/gaming-safety/