Is Lichess Safe for Kids? Yes — But Kid Mode Is Off by Default

Yes — Lichess is safe for children, but only after you turn Kid Mode on. Kid Mode stops other users sending your child anything at all and blocks forums, blogs, live streams and videos. It is off by default. Nobody enables it for you, and a child who signs up alone will not have it.

I get asked this question more than almost any other, and the honest answer is not “yes” or “no” — it is “yes, after a two-minute setup you have probably not done yet.” Below is exactly what Kid Mode does, how to switch it on, how to verify it is actually working, and the one part of the safety model most parents get wrong.

What Kid Mode actually blocks#

Direct answer: With Kid Mode on, your child can still play chess against anyone, but other users cannot send them anything. Messaging is restricted to classmates within a Lichess class and that class’s teacher. Forums, blogs, live streams and videos are all inaccessible.

That is the whole point, and it is a genuinely strict model. Per Lichess’s own Kid Mode page:

• Your child can play games against other users, but those users cannot send them anything.
• The account can message only classmates in a Lichess class, and the teacher account that created the class.
• It cannot send or receive messages from any other accounts.
• It cannot access forums, blogs, live streams, or videos.

Notice what is not restricted: playing. Your child still gets the full playing, puzzle and analysis experience against the global player base. Kid Mode removes the social surface, not the chess.

Kid Mode is off by default — this is the part parents miss#

Direct answer: Lichess does not ask a child’s age at signup and does not enable Kid Mode automatically. An account made by a ten-year-old on their own has the same community access as an adult’s until a parent changes it.

This single fact is why “is Lichess safe” is such a common search. The platform is safe when configured. It ships unconfigured.

If your child already has a Lichess account they made themselves, assume Kid Mode is off until you have visually confirmed otherwise.

How to turn Kid Mode on, and verify it#

Direct answer: Enable it in the account settings, then confirm the smiley face appears in the upper left of every Lichess page. No smiley, no Kid Mode.

1. Log into your child’s account yourself.
2. Open the account settings and switch Kid Mode on.
3. Look at the upper left of the page. Lichess displays a signature smiley face on every page while Kid Mode is active — that is your confirmation, and it is worth teaching yourself to glance at it.
4. Change the password to one only you know, then keep it.

Step 4 is not optional housekeeping. It is the security model.

The password is the whole lock#

Direct answer: Kid Mode cannot be switched off without the account password. Lichess explicitly recommends that parents and teachers keep control of the password themselves — so if your child knows it, Kid Mode is a suggestion rather than a restriction.

I have had this conversation with a lot of families. A parent enables Kid Mode, feels satisfied, and the child — who chose the password when they signed up — turns it off within a week because a friend wanted to send them a message.

If you take one action from this page: log in, enable Kid Mode, and reset the password to something your child does not know. A ten-year-old who wants community features back has to come and ask you. That conversation is the actual safeguard.

What Kid Mode does not solve#

Direct answer: Kid Mode controls the platform’s social surface. It does not vet who your child plays, and it does not teach them anything — a moderated playground is not a coach.

Being honest about the limits:

• Opponents are still strangers. Kid Mode prevents them contacting your child, which is the risk that matters, but your child is still matched against unknown adults. That is fine for chess. It is worth knowing.
• It does not review the games. Nobody is checking whether your child is learning bad habits, tilting after losses, or grinding blitz instead of thinking.
• It is not supervision. A blocked chat box is not an adult watching your child play.

For what a supervised alternative looks like, see is online chess coaching safe for kids.

One thing Lichess does better than nearly everyone#

Direct answer: Lichess carries no ads and no trackers at all.

This deserves saying plainly, because it is rare. Lichess is free open-source software published by a registered French charitable association, funded by donations rather than advertising. There is no ad network profiling your child and no engagement machine tuned to keep them playing.

Compared with the average free game aimed at children, that is a meaningful advantage — and it is why I am comfortable recommending Lichess for practice once Kid Mode is on.

So should your child use Lichess?#

Direct answer: Yes, for practice, with Kid Mode on and the password in your hands. Pair it with real instruction, because a safe place to play is not the same as somebody teaching your child to play well.

Lichess is an excellent free practice environment: unlimited puzzles, a strong analysis board, no ads, no cost. Configure it properly and it is one of the safer places a child can play chess online.

What it will not do is tell your child why they lost. That is what a coach is for. At ChessWize our students practise on platforms like Lichess between lessons, then bring those games to a FIDE-rated coach who reviews them live — the free platform for volume, a named adult for judgement.

If you are choosing between platforms, read Chess.com vs Lichess for kids and is Chess.com safe for kids. If you want the coached option explained, book a free 30-minute demo and ask us the safety questions directly.

Frequently asked questions#

Is Lichess safe for kids?#

Yes, once Kid Mode is enabled. Kid Mode stops other users sending your child anything and blocks forums, blogs, live streams and videos. It is off by default, so a parent has to turn it on in account settings and keep the password.

Is Lichess Kid Mode on by default?#

No. Kid Mode is a voluntary setting a parent or teacher must switch on in the account settings. A new Lichess account created by a child has full access to community features until someone changes it.

How do I know Kid Mode is actually working?#

Lichess shows a signature smiley face in the upper left of every page while Kid Mode is active. If you do not see it, Kid Mode is off.

Can my child turn Kid Mode off?#

Not without the account password. Lichess recommends parents and teachers keep control of the password themselves, which is exactly why you should not let your child set it.

Does Lichess show ads or track my child?#

No. Lichess has no ads and no trackers. It is free open-source software run by a registered French charitable association, funded by donations rather than advertising.