Roblox Age Check for Chat: How the Face Scan and ID Option Work
By Vini Gürk · Editor
Published Oct 10, 2026 · 3 min read
In this guide
To use chat on Roblox, a player first has to complete an age check. Most people do it with a short face scan on their phone or computer camera; teens 13 and up can use a government ID instead. Here is what the check is, what Roblox says happens to the images, and what a parent can do if the age comes out wrong.
When the age check became required
| Date | What Roblox did |
|---|---|
| November 19, 2025 | Announced the rule; age checks became voluntary |
| Early December 2025 | Required for chat in Australia, New Zealand and the Netherlands |
| January 7, 2026 | Rollout started worldwide, wherever chat is available |
Roblox says that in the first three countries, more than half of daily users had completed the check by early January. Without an age check, a player cannot chat on Roblox, regardless of age. They can still play.
How the face scan works
The face scan is called Facial Age Estimation. It estimates an age range from a short selfie video; it does not identify who the person is.
- Open Settings, then Account info.
- Under Age Group, choose Continue with selfie.
- Follow the prompts on screen. The device needs a working camera; if it has none, a QR code moves the scan to a phone.
- Wait for the result. It can take a few minutes.
Roblox reports that the age models have a mean absolute error of 1.4 years for users under 18, based on testing by the UK’s Age Check Certification Scheme. That means a 10-year-old could still be estimated a year or so off, which is why the correction options below matter.
Who sees the images, according to Roblox
Roblox’s vendor for the scan is Persona. Roblox’s own pages make these statements:
- Images and videos used for the face scan are deleted after they have been securely processed.
- Roblox says it does not and will not sell users’ image data.
- Persona does not sell the data or give third parties access, according to Roblox.
These are the company’s statements, not an independent audit. If you want the full retention terms, Roblox publishes a Facial Media Capture Privacy Notice in its Help Center, and it is worth reading before your child scans.
The ID option for teens
Users 13 or older can verify with a government-issued photo ID instead of the face scan. The teen photographs the ID and takes a selfie so the system can confirm the two match. Kids under 13 cannot use the ID route; their age is set by the face scan or by a linked parent.
Who your child can chat with after the check
The check puts each user into an age group: under 9, 9-12, 13-15, 16-17, 18-20 and 21+. By default, players chat with their own group and the groups next to it. Roblox gives this example: a 12-year-old can chat in games with users 15 or younger, and users 16 or older cannot start a chat with them.
Two more rules from Roblox:
- Chat in games is off by default for users under 9 unless a parent consents after an age check.
- Age-checked users 13 and older can chat with people they know outside their group through Trusted Friends.
These groups also feed the new account types for kids. See Roblox Kids and Roblox Select for what each one shows.
If the age comes out wrong
- Child estimated under 13: a verified, linked parent can change the birthdate in Parental Controls. Roblox allows this once.
- Teen 13 or older: can correct the age with ID verification.
- Estimated 18 or older: can use a one-time reset in Account Settings to redo the check.
Roblox also says it watches behavior signals and may ask a user to repeat the check if they seem much older or younger than their profile says.
Parent note: the scan starts from Settings inside the Roblox app or on roblox.com. If a message, another player or an outside website asks your child for a face scan or an ID photo, treat it as a scam and stop; our account security checklist covers what to do.
Sources checked October 2026: Roblox newsroom: age checks required for communication (Nov 19, 2025), Roblox newsroom: facial age checks now required to chat (Jan 7, 2026), Roblox: Facial Age Estimation, Roblox newsroom: what families need to know (May 20, 2026).
Frequently asked questions
Does my child have to do a face scan to play Roblox?
No. Roblox says age checks are optional and only needed to unlock some features. Without one, a player cannot chat on Roblox at any age.
Who processes the Roblox face scan?
Roblox says its vendor Persona processes the images and video, and that they are deleted after they have been securely processed.
Can my child use an ID instead of a face scan?
Only if they are 13 or older. ID verification uses a government-issued photo ID plus a selfie to confirm the two match.
What if Roblox guesses the wrong age?
If a child is estimated under 13, a verified linked parent can correct the birthdate once in Parental Controls. Users 13 and up can also correct it with ID verification.
When did the chat age check start?
Roblox started it in Australia, New Zealand and the Netherlands in early December 2025 and rolled it out worldwide from January 7, 2026.
