What age can my child use Copilot? 13 in the UK, 18 in Australia
Copilot sets a floor of 13, but where the statutory account age is higher, that one wins. The UK and the US are 13, Canada 14, most of the EU 16, Australia 18.
The book behind this articleWhile You Sleepfor the whole family Microsoft answers this question across two different pages, and neither is any use on its own. The Copilot page says 13 and adds that in some countries it may be higher. The number that actually applies to you sits on the other page, the one listing statutory age limits for Microsoft accounts.
The floor is 13, but that is rarely your number
Copilot runs on a Microsoft account, and that account carries a statutory age per country. Below it, an adult has to manage the account. Copilot inherits that number whenever it is higher than 13.
The age, country by country
- United Kingdom and United States: 13
- Canada: 14
- Ireland and most other EU countries: 16
- Belgium: 13
- Australia: 18
- South Africa: 18
The spread is wider than most parents expect. A fifteen-year-old manages their own account in London or Chicago, and cannot in Dublin or Sydney. Between the UK and Australia there are five years for the same service.
What applies below the age
Microsoft's page says the account must then be managed by a parent or guardian. What it does not say, and nor does the Copilot page, is whether a managed account lets the child use Copilot after all. We would rather flag that than invent it: it is an open question worth checking on the account itself.
What you can actually control
Microsoft describes concrete controls through Family Safety, or through Google or Apple settings on the device: block the app and browser access, set time windows, and choose which features stay available, among them image generation, voice mode, group chat and AI companions. That last one deserves a second look, because it resembles a relationship more than a tool.
Why every assistant gives a different answer
Because each company sets its rule on its own criteria. Gemini follows the age of the Google account in your country, Claude asks for 18 worldwide, and Copilot mixes a floor of 13 with the local statutory age. Three services doing much the same thing, three rules. Which is why the conversation at home has to run service by service, not as one house rule.
Sources
FAQ
What is the minimum age for Copilot in the UK?
13, which matches the general floor because the statutory account age in the UK is also 13. Checked on 1 August 2026.
Why is Australia 18 and the UK 13?
Because Microsoft applies each country's statutory account age. Australia is listed at 18 and the UK at 13, and Copilot inherits the number whenever it exceeds 13.
Can a child use it on a parent-managed account?
Microsoft states that below the statutory age a parent or guardian must manage the account, but neither page says whether that unlocks Copilot. Worth checking on the account itself.
What can I restrict as a parent?
According to Microsoft: block the app or browser access, set time limits, and choose which features are available, including image generation, voice mode, group chat and AI companions.