To block YouTube on your child’s iPhone, open Settings on your iPhone, tap Family, tap your child’s name, tap Apps & Websites, select YouTube, and tap Block App. Block youtube.com the same way with Block Website. To block YouTube on your own iPhone, delete the app and turn off app installs in Screen Time so it can’t come back.
This guide covers blocking the YouTube app and website on a child’s iPhone, locking down your own iPhone, limiting YouTube with Time Allowances instead of blocking it, and keeping the settings from being changed. The child steps follow Apple’s parental controls guide, which describes the Screen Time controls in iOS 27. Apple notes that every device in your Family Sharing group needs iOS 27 or later for these controls; otherwise use the previous Screen Time settings on the child’s device.
How to Block YouTube on Your Child’s iPhone
- On your iPhone, open Settings and tap Family.
- Tap your child’s name.
- Tap Apps & Websites. Enter your Screen Time passcode if asked.
- Select YouTube, tap Block App, then tap it again to confirm.
- Select youtube.com and tap Block Website to block it in the browser too.
Result: Apple says a blocked app isn’t deleted, it’s just dimmed on your child’s Home Screen. You can unblock it at any time from the same screen.
Only allow websites you approve
In the same Apps & Websites area, tap Restrictions, then Filtering under Websites, and choose Approved Websites Only. Apple calls this Ask to Browse: your child can only visit sites you’ve allowed, and can ask you for others.
How to Block YouTube on Your Own iPhone
- Touch and hold the YouTube app, tap Remove App, then tap Delete App.
- Open Settings and tap Screen Time.
- Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions and turn it on.
- Tap iTunes & App Store Purchases and set Installing Apps to Don’t Allow.
Result: The YouTube app is gone and can’t be reinstalled from the App Store until you change the setting back. Our guide on how to block the App Store on iPhone covers this setting on each iOS version. Apple’s App Store restrictions guide describes this setting.
On earlier versions of iOS, you could also block the website under Content & Privacy Restrictions › Web Content, by choosing Limit Adult Websites and adding youtube.com under Never Allow.
How to Limit YouTube Instead of Blocking It
If you just want less YouTube, use Time Allowances, which Apple introduced with its updated Screen Time.
- Go to Settings › Screen Time › Time Allowances.
- Tap a category such as Entertainment and drag the slider to set a daily limit.
- Turn on Match Screen Time Schedule if you want the allowance to apply only during certain time windows.
Result: YouTube stops working for the day once the category limit is reached. Apple says that when an app declares an associated website, the allowance applies to both, so the time limit can cover youtube.com too.
For more control over when apps work, set up a Screen Time Schedule in the same Screen Time menu, as described in Apple’s schedules and time allowances guide.
Keep the Settings From Being Changed
- Use a Screen Time passcode your child doesn’t know, so they can’t switch the restrictions off.
- For a child, manage Screen Time from your own iPhone through Family Sharing rather than on their device.
- Remember that the YouTube app isn’t the only way to watch videos. Block the website too, or use Approved Websites Only.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will blocking YouTube delete my child’s account or history?
No. Blocking only stops access on the device. Their YouTube account isn’t affected.
Can I block YouTube Shorts but not regular videos?
Screen Time blocks the whole app or website. It doesn’t have a setting for Shorts alone.
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Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read hundreds of millions of 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.