In this tutorial, we’ll go over simple instructions to restrict or block YouTube from your child’s iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV.
Over the last year or so, my kids have spent an unhealthy amount of time on YouTube on their iPad or the family Apple TV. It’s not so much about the time they spend on YouTube; it’s more about the quality of what they watch on YouTube, which I can’t always control or oversee.
So what may start as a couple of educational videos about the solar system can easily end up being an hour watching Preston and Briana play Minecraft! And don’t get me started about the vlogs of Sofie Dossi and her prankster friends. But I digress!
This post aims to give concerned parents like myself ways to block, lock, and restrict YouTube access on iPhone, iPad, and Mac, whether it is through the YouTube app itself or via a web browser.
YouTube parental controls
YouTube does offer a very basic setting for parental controls, but I see two issues with this.
First, it’s not a foolproof system, as it mostly relies on a video’s metadata to filter out the content. This can lead to content seeping through the net of what you want to be restricted.
Second, I just want to restrict YouTube access altogether. I don’t want my kids to ever access YouTube because even content that is deemed safe for them can be just plain dumb (see Sofie Dossi’s reference above).
What are your options?
On iPhone and iPad:
- App Limit: Set an app limit of just one minute (which is the minimum). After one minute, YouTube will be blocked on your child’s iOS device. It can only be unlocked by entering the Screen Time password, which you know but your child doesn’t.
- App Store age limit: You can set the App Store to only allow installing those apps that are rated for 12 and under. Since the YouTube app is rated for 12 and older, they won’t be able to download it on their device. The downside to this approach is that several apps like Netflix, Prime Video, news apps, and more are also rated 12+. So, your child won’t be able to use those apps as well.
- Block YouTube from web browsers: This ensures my daughter cannot access YouTube in Safari and other web browsers.
On Apple TV: You’ll have to set up restrictions in tvOS. After this, every time your kid opens YouTube on Apple TV, it will require the restrictions password, which only you would know. And when you want to watch YouTube on Apple TV, you can enter the restrictions passcode or authenticate with your iPhone.
Block YouTube on your kid’s iPhone or iPad
These methods require you to set up a Screen Time password for your kid’s device and enter it when prompted. Make sure this Screen Time passcode is different from the passcode they use to unlock their iPhone or iPad. And most importantly, do not share this password with your kids.
Secondly, you can follow all three methods mentioned below directly on your child’s device or on your iPhone and iPad if you have added your child to your Apple digital Family setup.
Set app limit for YouTube
We already have a dedicated tutorial explaining how to set time limits for iPhone and iPad apps, but here’s a recap for limiting YouTube.
1) Open the Settings app on your child’s iPhone or iPad. If you have added your child to your Apple Family setup, you can follow these steps on your iPhone to set the time limit on your kid’s device.
2) Go to Screen Time.
3) Tap App Limits if you’re following these steps directly on your child’s device. If you are managing this setting from your iPhone, select your child’s name under the Family section and then tap App Limits.
4) Tap Add Limit.
5) Tap the arrow next to Entertainment, select YouTube, and hit Next.
6) Set the limit to just 1 minute, which is the minimum you can go. After that, make sure Block at End of Limit is enabled and tap Add.
YouTube is now behind a time limit on your kid’s iPhone or iPad. They can use it for 1 minute plus an extra grace minute, but after that, the app will be blocked (see the screenshot below). It can only be unblocked after entering the Screen Time passcode.
Block YouTube using App Store age limit
The basics for this are similar to the app limit method explained above. You can follow these steps directly on your child’s device or on your iPhone and select their name under the Family section.
1) Delete the YouTube app from your child’s iPhone or iPad. Even if you do not delete it, the installed YouTube app (and other apps that are rated for 12+) will be hidden and become inaccessible.
2) Now, go to the Settings app and select Screen Time.
3) Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions and turn it on from the next screen.
4) Now, tap Store, Web, Siri & Game Center Content.
5) Tap Apps and select 9+ from the next screen.
Wait for about 15 seconds, and then lock the iPhone or iPad and unlock it. The restrictions are in place now and this will ensure your child can’t even install the YouTube app to begin with since the app is rated for the 12 and higher age group. This is what your child will see if they try to download the YouTube app.
If you had not deleted the app in Step 1 above, YouTube and other apps rated 12+ will be hidden, and you cannot see them until you change the Apps age limit to 12+ or 17+ in Screen Time settings.
Block youtube.com in web browsers
1) Open Settings and go to Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions > Store, Web, Siri & Game Center Content.
2) Tap Web Content.
3) Select Limit Adult Websites.
4) Tap Add Website under the Never Allow section and enter youtube.com.
From now on, when your child tries to access YouTube in Safari or another web browser, it will block them from doing so (screenshot below). Bypassing it will require the Screen Time passcode, which only you know.
Lock YouTube on Apple TV
As mentioned above, while I don’t want my kids to ever access YouTube, I do want to be able to use the app on the family room’s Apple TV. To do so, I simply put it behind a passcode.
1) Open the Settings app on Apple TV and go to General > Restrictions. Make sure Restrictions is on and you have not shared this passcode with your child.
2) Scroll down to Apps and set it to 9+.
3) Optional: After you follow step 2, you will return to the Restriction screen. Scroll up to the Bypass Restrictions With Device section and make sure it says Allow next to your name or your spouse’s name but not your child’s name. This setting basically allows you to approve restriction requests on your Apple TV using your iPhone or iPad. Even if you block this feature, entering the 4-digit Apple TV Restrictions password is no big deal.
From now on, when you or your child try to open YouTube, Netflix, Prime Video, or other apps on your Apple TV that are rated for 12+ ages, it will require the four-digit restrictions password or approval from your iPhone or iPad (if you allowed it in Step 3). Since you have not shared this passcode with your child, they won’t be able to enter the YouTube app. But when you want to watch YouTube on your Apple TV, you simply have to enter the 4-digit Restrictions passcode or approve with your iPhone or iPad.
All in all, while Screen Time allows parents to have a bit of control over their children’s devices, I still find it to be lacking the very basic functionality of being able to password-protect individual applications without jumping through the hoops described above.
Additional notes:
- I am aware of the YouTube Kids app
- Please refrain from judging my parenting
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