Turn Restricted mode on or off on YouTube

Restricted mode is an optional setting that you can use on YouTube. This feature can help screen out potentially mature content that you or others using your devices may prefer not to view. 

Computers in libraries, universities and other public institutions may have Restricted mode turned on by a network administrator.

Note: Turning Restricted mode on isn't the same as age restricting videos. Learn more about age-restricted content.

How to turn Restricted mode on and off

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Turn Restricted mode on or off

Android app

1. Sign in to your account.
2. At the top right, tap your profile photo .
3. Tap Settings   General.
4. Turn Restricted mode on or off.

Mobile site

1. Go to m.youtube.com.
2. At the top right, tap your profile photo .
3. Tap Settings   Account.
4. Turn Restricted mode on or off.

Android TV

Note: This only controls Restricted mode on your Android TV.

1. Sign in to your account.
2. From the Home screen, scroll to the Apps row.
3. Select YouTube.
4. Scroll and select Settings.
5. Select Restricted mode or Safe mode.
6. Select On or Off.

Troubleshoot problems with turning Restricted mode off

If you've entered your username and password and Restricted mode remains on, you can check your settings on the YouTube content restrictions page for more info. The tool will assess whether an administrator set up these restrictions or if they are on your personal account. A tick will display beside the relevant restriction. If more help is needed, the tool will guide you towards the next step for troubleshooting.

Note: Some mobile network providers offer content filters. These filters restrict the type of web content that you can access when your device is connected to their mobile network. Check the YouTube content restrictions page to see if you have any network or account-level restrictions. A tick will display beside the relevant restriction and the text below will indicate the restriction level. If your DNS restrictions are on and the level is set to 'moderate' or 'strict', you have content filtering turned on. Try contacting your mobile network provider to find out how to manage or turn off this setting.

Control Restricted mode for your family

If you're a parent using the Family Link app, you can turn on Restricted mode for your child's account if they're not eligible for a supervised experience on YouTube. Learn how to turn on Restricted mode in the Family Link app's settings.

When Restricted mode is turned on in Family Link, your child can't change the Restricted mode settings on any device that they're signed in to.

Note: You can't set up Restricted mode for your child if they:

• Are over 13 (or the relevant age in your country/region), unless you created their supervised Google Account before they reached this age.
• Are over 13 (or the relevant age in your country/region) and have taken over management of their account.
• Live in the European Union, you set up supervision for them before April 2021 and they were under the relevant age then.

Learn more about Restricted mode

• We use many signals, like video title, description, metadata, Community Guidelines reviews and age restrictions, to identify and filter out potentially mature content.
• Music and videos in YouTube Music are also filtered in Restricted mode. You will still see content marked as 'Explicit', but it's skipped if you try to play it. Artists and labels mark albums and songs as 'Explicit' based on their own guidelines.
• Restricted mode is available in every language, but due to differences in cultural norms and sensitivities, the quality may vary.
• When Restricted mode is turned on, you can't view comments on the videos that you watch.
• Restricted mode works at the browser or device level, so you must turn it on for each browser that you use. If your browser or device supports multiple profiles, you must turn on this mode for each profile.
• Creators: Learn about how Restricted mode impacts your content.

Assistant speakers and smart displays

1. Open the Home app on your mobile device.
2. Tap the speaker or smart display that you would like to modify.
3. Tap Settings.
4. Tap Notifications and digital wellbeing.
5. Tap YouTube Settings.
6. There are two ways that you can control Restricted mode settings for your smart display:
   1. You can turn Restricted mode on or off for yourself, and
   2. If you're a device manager, you can turn Restricted mode on or off for all other users.

Note: Restricted mode is set at the device level. If content isn't playing through your device, check your Restricted mode settings.