How to Block YouTube on iPhone & iPad

The contents of YouTube are highly educational and entertaining. However, very often, we fail to utilize it positively. When people start scrolling through YouTube videos, they get trapped by the endless stream of videos, which distracts them from their main purposes.   

Most of the time, YouTube has a negative impact on children as there is content that is not appropriate for them. Although YouTube has many valuable things to offer to kids, they often gravitate toward content that requires maturity. YouTube Kids can be a solution, but as long as the YouTube app and the browsers are accessible on your phone, kids are not safe.

So, you might be thinking about how to block YouTube on iPhone or iPad with a view to controlling your or your kids’ media consumption. This detailed guide will help you know how to restrict YouTube on iPad or iPhone in different ways.

How to block YouTube on iPhone & iPad – 6 Methods

If you want to limit your YouTube viewing or protect your children from inappropriate content, you should know how to block YouTube on iPhone or iPad. There are several methods you can use to achieve this. You can limit YouTube usage, block the YouTube app and the website, and even use parental control apps to restrict access to YouTube. 

So, the following six methods will guide you on how to block YouTube on iPhone & iPad.

1. Delete YouTube app.
2. Restrict YouTube via Screen Time Limit.
3. Block YouTube website on browsers.
4. Set Time Limit for YouTube.
5. Use Guided Access feature.
6. Use Third-party Parental control apps.

Method 1: Delete YouTube app & Block New App Installations

In this process, your YouTube app will disappear. After disallowing the new app installation, you will not be able to install any new paid or free apps. So, it is recommended to install all your necessary apps before you proceed with this method.

1. On the Home Screen, press and hold the YouTube icon for a few moments until the icon starts shaking.
2. Then select Remove App, then tap Delete App and Delete.
3. After that, head over to Settings and tap Screen Time.
4. Next, enable the Content & Privacy Restrictions. Right below, you will find iTunes & App Store Purchases and open it. 
5. Then tap Installing Apps and select Don’t Allow.

If you want to revert, follow the above-mentioned steps 3 to 5, and in step 5, select Allow instead.

Method 2: Restrict YouTube on iPhone or iPad via Screen Time Limit

The Screen time feature on iPhone allows you to restrict app installation based on age. You can set the age limit so the App Store will not display apps that are inappropriate for the selected age.

For instance, if you have chosen an age rating of 9+, only apps with an age rating of 9+ and below will be visible on your phone. So, if you want to restrict YouTube on iPad or iPhone, you can follow the steps below.     

1. First, go to Settings and tap on Screen Time.
2. Then tap Content & Privacy Restrictions and enable it.
3. Next, tap Content Restrictions and select Apps.
4. After that, select a time limit of 9+ or less than this.

As the age rating of YouTube is 12+, it will disappear if it is already installed on your iPhone or iPad. And if it is not installed, its download will be restricted on the App Store.

Also, you must remember that setting the age limit will not only restrict YouTube but all other apps that fall under the same age rating.

To get YouTube back, follow all the steps but in step 4 you need to select Allow All.

Method 3: Block YouTube site on Safari, Chrome, and other browsers

The above-mentioned methods will remove the YouTube app, but the web browsers are still available to provide access to YouTube for your kids. So, block YouTube on Safari or other browsers by following the steps below.

1. First, open Settings and tap on Screen Time.
2. Then tap on Use Screen Time Passcode and enter your four-digit passcode.
3. Next, tap Content & Privacy Restrictions and toggle on Content & Privacy Restrictions to enable it.  
4. After that, open Content Restrictions and scroll down to find Web Content, then tap.
5. Then choose Limit Adult Websites and at the bottom under NEVER ALLOW tap Add Website.
6. Afterward, enter the YouTube website URL: https://www.youtube.com and exit the settings.  

Now, if your child attempts to open YouTube through Safari, Chrome, or other browsers, a notification will appear that reads, ‘You cannot browse this page at “youtube.com” because it is restricted’. Under this notice, tapping Allow Website will ask for Screen Time Passcode.

Method 4: Set Time Limit for YouTube on your iPhone & iPad

If you want to narrow down the time limit of using YouTube to a fixed time span without entirely blocking the YouTube app, you need to configure the settings to set a time limit. You can control your access to any app on which you are spending a lot of time by setting daily limits.  Before you start, enable Use Screen Time Passcode because it will allow Screen Time to block YouTube.    

1. Open Settings and then Screen Time.
2. Tap App Limits and at the bottom tap Add Limit. Then type Screen Time Passcode.
3. Type Screen Time Passcode and tap Entertainment. It will show the list of entertainment apps.
4. Here, check YouTube and tap Next in the top right corner. 
5. Now, set your required time limit. You can tap Customize Days to set different times for different days.
6. Enable Block at End of Limit and tap Add in the top right corner.

The above process is not applicable to Safari or other browsers. To enable the Time Limit on the browser, follow the steps below:

1.  Open Screen Time, then App Limits and Add Limit.
2. Scroll down to find Websites and tap the dropdown arrow on the right.
3. Tapping Add Website type http://www.youtube.com and hit Done and Next.
4. Set the desired time limit and enable Block at End of Limit. At last, tap Add and save the settings.

When you want to remove the time limit from the app, from Screen Time select App Limits, and swipe left on YouTube or the YouTube link. Then, tap Delete to finish the process.

Method 5: Use Guided Access feature to limit your child to just one App

If you want to limit your kid to a single app, you can use the Guided Access feature. By enabling this feature, you can keep your child engaged with only one useful app. Without disabling the feature with a password, the selected app cannot be closed by swiping up or pressing the Home button.

1. Go to Settings and tap Accessibility.
2. Scrolling down tap Guided Access and turn it on.
3. On the same page tap Passcode Settings and set a passcode hitting Set Guided Access Passcode or you can toggle on the Face ID.
4. Now, open the intended app and press the Side Button or the Home button three times. Tap Guided Access from the Pop-up list. 

To close this feature, press the Side Button or the Home Button three times and enter the passcode. Tap End in the top left corner to close the restriction.

Method 6: Block YouTube via Third-party Parental control apps

The built-in parental control settings of your iPhone or iPad is sufficiently capable of blocking YouTube, but there are other third-party apps that can offer more. By installing a third-party app, you can not only block YouTube app but also restrict other inappropriate websites for your kids, along with additional features. 

The third-party parental control apps are designed to provide more comprehensive and customizable options for parents to ensure their children’s online safety. These apps often offer features such as time limits, content filtering, and activity monitoring, allowing parents to have greater control over their child’s internet usage. Additionally, some of these apps also provide reports and insights into their child’s online activities, helping parents better understand their child’s digital behavior and address any concerns that may arise. 

There are a good number of third-party apps like Bark, Canopy, Qustodio, MMGuardian, Kaspersky Safe Kids, Circle Home Plus, and so on. You can consider Canopy – Parental Control App as YouTube blocking app to restrict YouTube on iPad or iPhone. Canopy blocks adult content and filters out only inappropriate images on the websites while allowing harmless images.

To guide you on how to block YouTube on iPhone & iPad with third-party parental control apps, Canopy is taken as an example to demonstrate how to block YouTube with third-party apps. 

1. First, you need to install the Canopy app on your iPhone or iPad and then open it.
2. Go to Device Settings and then the Advanced Filtering tab. Now to block the YouTube app click on Apps > + Add Application and then add YouTube. Or if you also want to block the YouTube website, then tap on Websites > +Add Website. Then enter YouTube’s URL.
3. Once you’ve added the YouTube app or the site, then pick Blocked out of the three options; Filtered, Unfiltered, and Blocked.
4. Finaly, tap on Save to finish the process.

In most cases, third-party parental control apps offer a free trial for a certain period. Before purchasing, you can try out your chosen app using the free trial features.  

Conclusion

Knowing how to block YouTube on iPhone or iPad is not the ultimate solution to the harmful effect of YouTube on you and your kids. It is better to know how to use YouTube and other social media in a balanced and conscious way. This article on how to block YouTube on iPhone and iPad shows you how to disable YouTube entirely or limit its use.