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.
How to turn Restricted Mode on and off
Subscribe to the YouTube Viewers channel for the latest news, updates, and tips.
Turn Restricted Mode on or off
- Sign in to your account.
- At the top right, click your profile photo
.
- At the bottom, click Restricted Mode.
- In the top-right box that opens, to turn Restricted Mode on or off, click Activate Restricted Mode.
Troubleshoot problems with turning off Restricted Mode
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 check mark will display beside the relevant restriction. If more help is needed, the tool will guide you toward 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 check mark 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 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 Explicit, but it’s skipped if you try to play it. Artists and labels mark albums and songs 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 you watch.
- Restricted Mode works on the browser or device level, so you must turn it on for each browser 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 & Smart Displays
- Open the Home app on your mobile device.
- Tap the Speaker or Smart Display you would like to modify.
- Tap Settings.
- Tap Notifications & digital wellbeing.
- Tap YouTube Settings.
- There are two ways you can control Restricted Mode settings for your Smart Display:
- You can turn on or off Restricted Mode for yourself, and
- If you’re a device manager, you can turn on or off Restricted Mode for all other users.