You can turn on the iPhone YouTube app’s Restricted mode by opening YouTube, tapping your profile icon, selecting Settings, choosing General, and then turning on Restricted Mode.
Mobile devices like the iPhone and the iPad are able to access most of the same apps and features found on computers.
If you have a child who has one of these devices, and that child often watches content on YouTube, then you might be curious about how to enable or disable Restricted Mode in the YouTube app on an iPhone.
YouTube is the largest online source for user-created videos, as well as professionally-created videos uploaded by companies and professional content creators.
It is an excellent way to entertain yourself or to learn how to do certain tasks. It is also very popular among both children and adults.
If you have a child with an iPhone, you might be concerned about the content in some of the videos that they are watching.
While YouTube tries its best to prevent videos with questionable material from making their way onto the platform, even some of the videos that they might have approved may be inappropriate for children.
Fortunately, there is something called “Restricted Mode” that you can enable in the app on your device. This will enable a mode that will not allow certain content to be viewed. Our tutorial below will show you how to activate that setting.
Find out how to clear your YouTube search history if you find that it is affecting the recommendations and other things you are seeing in the app.
How to Turn On or Turn Off Restricted Mode in YouTube on iPhone
- Open YouTube.
- Touch your profile icon.
- Choose Settings.
- Select General.
- Tap the button next to Restricted Mode.
Our article continues below with additional information on enabling or disabling Restricted Mode in YouTube on an iPhone, including pictures of these steps.
How to Turn on Restricted Mode in YouTube on an iPhone (Guide with Pictures)
The steps in this article were performed on an iPhone 7 Plus in iOS 10.3.3. Enabling restricted mode in YouTube will hide videos that might contain inappropriate content. The filter may not be 100% effective, as it relies upon users and other signals to flag inappropriate content.
Step 1: Open the YouTube app.
Step 2: Touch the circle with the letter inside of it at the top-right corner of the screen.
Step 3: Select the Settings option.
In newer versions of the YouTube app, you will need to choose the General option after selecting Settings.
Step 4: Tap the button to the right of Restricted Mode to turn it on.
You will know that it is enabled when the button is blue. I have turned on Restricted Mode in the picture below.
Now that you know how to enable restricted mode in the iPhone YouTube app, you can ensure that a child watching content in the app doesn’t see a video that might be inappropriate for them.
As indicated by the text underneath the Restricted Mode setting, it will hide videos that contain content that may be inappropriate for children. This content is identified by YouTube users, as well as other signals that YouTube uses to identify content. While some unwanted content can slip through these tools, it is usually very effective at blocking videos.
Do you upload videos to YouTube, but they seem to be of reduced quality when compared to watching the videos on your device? Learn how to enable full quality uploads to YouTube from your iPhone and start uploading videos in their full quality resolution.
What Are Some Reasons to Use Restricted Mode in the YouTube App?
The Restricted Mode in the YouTube iPhone app has various advantages for users of all ages. This tool is intended to filter out potentially mature or unsuitable content, giving YouTube a more secure and controlled environment, particularly for young users. Here are several strong reasons to use the YouTube iPhone app’s Restricted Mode:
Child Safety: The major goal of Restricted Mode is to make browsing safer for children and teenagers. It aids in the filtering of materials that may not be appropriate for younger audiences, lowering the danger of exposure to explicit or hazardous material.
Age-Related Content: The content is tailored to be more age-appropriate in Restricted Mode. It filters out videos that contain violence, nudity, strong language, or other mature themes, ensuring that the content is appropriate for the target audience.
Restricted Mode: As a type of parental control, parents can utilize Restricted Mode to govern what their children can access on YouTube. It provides parents with peace of mind, knowing that their children are less likely to come across improper or unpleasant content.
Restricted Mode can be used in the classroom and by educators to make YouTube a more secure platform for educational purposes. It aids in ensuring that pupils are exposed to relevant and safe content while minimizing distractions.
Restricted Mode can assist filter out potentially distracting or non-work-related movies in professional contexts, such as workplaces or offices, letting employees to focus on duties without unwanted interruptions.
Regulation Compliance: Some schools, companies, and institutions have policies in place addressing internet content access. Restricted Mode can assist these organizations in adhering to their regulations by restricting access to specific sorts of content.
Users and parents can enjoy peace of mind when browsing YouTube by enabling Restricted Mode. It adds an additional layer of content filtering, lowering the likelihood of encountering unsuitable or offensive content.
Avoiding Sensitive issues: Restricted Mode can filter out content relating to sensitive issues like violence, self-harm, or contentious political debates. This is especially crucial for people who do not want to interact with such stuff.
Maintaining a Pleasant Online Environment: YouTube viewers can contribute to a more pleasant and courteous online environment by using Restricted Mode. It lessens exposure to hate speech, harassment, and stuff that divides people.
Restricted Mode can be used as a content screening tool by parents, educators, or guardians. It enables them to assess and approve content that is consistent with their beliefs and educational objectives before enabling children to view it.
Customization: Restricted Mode is quite adjustable. Users can fine-tune the filtering depending on their tastes or the specific demands of their audience by adjusting the strictness level.
Restricted Mode is available in several languages, making it a handy tool for people all around the world who wish to enjoy YouTube video while limiting their exposure to inappropriate material.
Finally, using the Restricted Mode in the YouTube iPhone app has a variety of benefits, ranging from child safety and parental control to preserving a positive online environment. It’s a useful feature that allows viewers to personalize their YouTube experience by ensuring that the material matches their age, preferences, and beliefs. Enabling Restricted Mode, whether you’re a parent, educator, or individual user, can improve your YouTube experience by establishing a safer and more controlled digital environment.
Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read over 50 million times.
After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.
His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.