Parents' Ultimate Guide: How to Set Parent Controls on YouTube

YouTube is a comprehensive video hosting site and app where visitors can search and find videos on any topic. The library includes a range of user-generated material, from educational media, music, and homemade clips to far more disturbing content. Parents will want to monitor kids' use, particularly because age-inappropriate content can surface even when you type in innocent search terms. To limit content that kids can view on YouTube, parents have access to minimal controls through YouTube's supervised Google Account. Parents can also enact "restricted" mode. Then there's YouTube Kids, which offers an experience that is tailored for young kids specifically and has additional options for parents to safeguard what their kids are viewing. None of the parental controls are guaranteed to filter out all inappropriate content, and parent oversight is required for young kids regardless of control settings. Read the privacy policy to find out about the types of information collected and shared. Under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), you have the right to protect your personal information. To limit the usage of your data, make a Do Not Sell request to YouTube. Check out our full review of YouTube for more information.

Content in videos: Videos may include racist language and sexual, violent, or otherwise mature themes regardless of the safeguards. YouTube claims to have banned violent and emotionally distressing pranks and stunts, and no longer promotes conspiracy or disinformation videos in search results, yet the expansive search leaves kids vulnerable to just as much content as Googling. You can take a look at kids' watch history or subscriptions to stay up to date on what they're viewing. 

Livestreams, messaging, and comments: YouTube livestreams let creators broadcast video in real time to their audience. Viewers can interact by sending text, GIFs, and images, and they can sign up to get notifications whenever a host goes live or posts new content. Kids under 13 can watch livestreams that are approved for YouTube Kids, and cannot participate in live chats. Teens 13–17 can watch most livestreams and can typically participate in the chats. Kids under 13 cannot see comments on videos, but teens age 13–17 can see and respond to comments. If kids have signed up with their real birthdays, they will not be able to send messages between accounts.

Content creation: For teens 13–17 who have created accounts with their real birthdays, videos they upload are private by default. With restricted accounts (regular YouTube accounts with the restricted mode turned on), uploads are also private. Kids who post their own content may be at risk of cyberbullying through the comments, and they can overfocus on getting likes and followers, which can be harmful to self-esteem.

Continuous viewing and screen time: YouTube recommends videos and channels based on content that kids have already watched. We recommend turning off autoplay to limit continuous viewing, and so kids don't get recommendations for related videos that might include content you don't approve of. YouTube Shorts are brief TikTok-style videos, which are also easy to come across and keep kids watching. We recommend setting daily limits for YouTube Shorts specifically. To help with this, accounts for teens 13–17 have bedtime reminders that tell them when to close the app.

Misleading videos that trick parents and filters: Many YouTube videos look like popular cartoons but actually contain hidden content that is not suitable for children. Dark twists in the videos can slip through filters and parents' oversight, which can lead to kids watching disturbing variations on characters like Peppa Pig or Barney.

Commercial influence: Ads and influencer promotions can blend seamlessly into videos, influencing kids' buying habits or promoting unhealthy ideals. Ads cannot be turned off unless you subscribe to YouTube Premium.

1. Google Family Link: Download this free app to monitor activity, manage screen time, approve apps, and track YouTube use. It's a helpful way to stay informed while giving kids more guided independence. Once a parent has set up a supervised Google account for their child on Family Link, they can manage the following for YouTube:

• What they can watch. Choose between YouTube Kids and YouTube, set content filters for YouTube, and disable search and autoplay. 
• Time management. Set a prompt to remind your child to take a break at regular intervals and enable bedtime settings to turn off app access.
• YouTube Shorts feed limit. Limit your child's ability to view the YouTube Shorts feed by setting limits of zero to two hours daily following Google's step-by-step instructions.
• Privacy settings. Pause watch history or search history.
   

2. YouTube (main platform): YouTube's main platform can be accessed within the app or on the website itself. If your kids use multiple devices, the settings have to be enabled on each device, and on both the website and app.

• Parents can link their kids' accounts to their own YouTube account, and then supervise them by picking "Explore," "Explore more," and "Most of YouTube" settings for older kids and teens. "Explore" displays mostly content meant for age 9+, "Explore more" displays content for age 13+, and "Most of YouTube" only excludes content that's 18+. The filters are not comprehensive, and inappropriate content can still come through. YouTube Premium does not include additional safety features, but is free from ads that may be inappropriate.
• Parents can manage supervised accounts through Family Link, a free app that manages parental controls across the Google suite of products (YouTube, Chrome, Android Devices, etc.). In Family Link, parents can set content levels, disable autoplay, and review search history.

3. Restricted mode (also called safety mode): Restricted mode makes it so that flagged videos are less likely to appear in search results, and recommendations, playlists, and offensive comments are typically hidden. If your kids use multiple devices, the settings have to be enabled on each device, and on both the website and app.

• To turn on restricted mode, open YouTube in the app or website, and select your profile picture icon to go to your settings. Tap on general and go to restricted mode. While restricted mode helps hide potentially mature videos, no filter is totally accurate. For example, kids' accounts can still reach inappropriate content like racist jokes, profanity, and other mature themes.

4. YouTube Kids: YouTube Kids is a better option for younger kids 12 and under. You can set up YouTube Kids with a parent account by going to YouTube Kids, selecting parent, and setting up a pin. Then you can create a profile for each kid, and pick whether the kid is in Preschool (age 4 and under), Younger (age 5–8), or Older (age 9–12) to tailor video results.

• YouTube Kids allows parents to block certain videos and channels.
• It also allows parents to turn search on or off entirely. When you turn search off, you limit your child to videos from a set of channels that have been verified by YouTube Kids. Either way, your child may still come across videos you don't want them to watch.

• Kids can create a new account or turn off the settings.
• There is no way to fully disable YouTube Shorts. While Family Link helps parents limit the YouTube Shorts Feed, Shorts are still accessible:
  • If your child is viewing YouTube outside of their supervised account
  • If your child is viewing YouTube on a smart TV or video game console
  • Through YouTube search
  • Through YouTube homepage recommendations
• Content: Inappropriate content can still pass through the filters. In addition to the built-in controls, users can engage third-party software to catch inappropriate content in videos. User-reported content relies on the community to flag videos that violate YouTube's terms of service. If your child is posting content from their account, you cannot disable comments for their content.
• No algorithm controls: Explain to kids that YouTube's recommendations are based on what they watch, like, and search for. Encourage them to actively shape their feed by using tools like "Not Interested" and favoriting positive videos. By making intentional choices, kids can influence what shows up on their feed and feel more in control of their viewing experience.
• Browser access: Some kids may try to access YouTube outside of their Google account by going through a browser to the YouTube website.

This article was created in collaboration with Sarah Gallagher Trombley, founder of Digital Mom Media. This education platform teaches parents how to navigate technology safely with and for their children through workshops, courses, and personal coaching.