Internet, Networking, & Security > Family Tech How to Use YouTube's Parental Controls In case your child's search for funny cat videos takes a wrong turn By Andy O'Donnell Andy O'Donnell Writer Auburn University Andy O'Donnell, MA, is a former freelance contributor to Lifewire and a senior security engineer who is active in internet and network security. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on December 14, 2021 Reviewed by Ryan Perian Reviewed by Ryan Perian Western Governors University Ryan Perian is a certified IT specialist who holds numerous IT certifications and has 12+ years' experience working in the IT industry support and management positions. lifewire's editorial guidelines Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email The Ultimate Guide to Parental Controls The Ultimate Guide to Parental Controls Introduction Set Boundaries for Gaming How to Use Fortnite Parental Controls (Subtitle: Make the popular game Fortnite safe for kids) How to Set up the Nintendo Switch Parental Controls How to Use PS4 Parental Controls How to Use Xbox One Parental Controls How to Set Up Nintendo 3DS Parental Controls How to Turn Off Parental Controls on Nintendo 3DS How to Use Roblox Parental Controls Control Internet & Social Media Activities How to Set Up Internet Parental Controls Instagram Safety Tips for Parents How to Make Google Safer for Your Kids The Best Parental Control Apps to Try How to Use YouTube's Parental Controls How to Configure Parental Controls in Google Chrome How to Use Safari Parental Controls How to Use Amazon Parental Controls Limit Computer & Phone Use How to Use Mac Parental Controls How to Set Up and Use iOS Screen Time How to Set up Parental Controls on iOS How to Set up and Use Restrictions on an iPhone How to Childproof Your Android How to Turn on iPad Restrictions How to Set up Parental Controls in Windows 10 How to Set Up and Use Parental Controls on your Router How to Use Samsung Parental Controls Manage Movies and Music How to Use Netflix Parental Controls How to Set Up and Use Apple TV Parental Controls How to Set Parental Controls on Fire TV, Roku, & Chromecast How to Use Spotify Parental Controls How to Block Explicit Songs on Apple Music What to Know Web: Choose your YouTube profile image, select Restricted Mode, and toggle it to On. Select Lock Restricted Mode on this browser.App: Tap your profile image, tap Settings, toggle on Restricted Mode, and tap X. This article explains how to use YouTube’s parental controls. Instructions apply to both the browser and mobile versions. Enable YouTube Restricted Mode in Your Web Browser Restricted Mode is part of YouTube's current parental control offerings. Restricted Mode attempts to filter YouTube search results so that mature content is weeded out. It also prevents your child from viewing material that has been flagged as inappropriate by the YouTube community or has been marked "for mature audiences only" by the content's creator. Restricted Mode is meant to limit the content of an explicit nature. YouTube makes no guarantees that it is 100 percent effective. In addition to the Parental Control tips listed here, if you have a child under 13 years of age, consider using YouTube Kids for them. It's specifically designed with young children in mind. To enable YouTube Restricted Mode: Log in to YouTube and open the home screen. Click your face (or the blank face if you didn't add an image to your account) in the upper-right corner of the screen. Select Restricted Mode at the bottom of the menu. Toggle Restricted Mode to On by clicking the slider to the right of the line that reads Activate Restricted Mode. Click Lock Restricted Mode on this browser to prevent your child from turning safety mode off. The page you were on reloads, and YouTube is restricted from delivering inappropriate content. You need to repeat this process for every web browser on your computer. Google offers additional parental controls you can set for YouTube. Enable YouTube Restricted Mode on Your Mobile Device Restricted Mode is available on most YouTube mobile apps. The process for locking the feature is similar on these devices. Here's how to enable Restricted Mode on an iOS device. Open the YouTube mobile app and sign in to your account. Tap your profile picture at the top of the screen. Choose Settings. Use the slider next to Restricted Mode to turn on the feature. Tap the X at the top of the screen to close the screen and confirm the setting change. YouTube Restricted Mode weeds out content that is inappropriate for children, but you should not rely on it entirely. Coming Soon: YouTube Supervised Experiences In 2015, YouTube launched the YouTube Kids app for iOS and Android devices to provide a safe place for young children to view YouTube videos. Next up is a new experience for tweens and young teens: YouTube Supervised Experiences. Scheduled for beta release in 2021, it is designed for older children who are ready to explore more than the YouTube Kids app offers. Supervised Experiences will give parents three exposure levels they can choose for their children: 9+, 13+, and almost everything. Stay tuned! Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! 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