The YouTube app on iPhones can be very addictive and time-consuming for both kids and adults. While YouTube offers a wealth of entertaining and educational videos, too much screen time spent on the app can negatively impact productivity, mental health, and more.
Fortunately, there are several effective methods to block, restrict, and limit access to the YouTube app on iPhones. Here is an overview of the best approaches:
Table of Contents
Use Apple’s Built-In Screen Time Controls
The iPhone has a built-in “Screen Time” feature under Settings that allows parents to set restrictions, time limits, and content filters for apps. Here’s how to use Screen Time to block or restrict YouTube:
Completely Block YouTube App
- Open Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions
- Enter Screen Time passcode
- Tap “Allowed Apps”
- Toggle the switch next to YouTube to off (red)
This will completely block the YouTube app from being used on the iPhone.
Set Daily Time Limit for YouTube
- Open Settings > Screen Time > App Limits
- Tap “Add Limit”
- Select “YouTube”
- Choose the time limit per day
- Toggle on “Block at End of Limit”
This will allow limited daily access to the YouTube app up to the set time limit.
Filter YouTube Content in App
- Open Settings > Screen Time > Content Restrictions
- Set restrictions under “Allowed Store Content”
- Music, Podcasts, News: Set to “Clean”
- Movies: Set rating restriction
- TV Shows: Set rating restriction
- Apps: Choose age rating restriction
This will filter more mature content within the YouTube app based on the restrictions set.
Use Third-Party Parental Control Apps
Third-party iOS parental control apps like Qustodio, Bark, and Boomerang offer more advanced restriction options for YouTube and other apps.
These apps allow parents to:
- Completely block YouTube app access
- Set daily time limits per app
- Monitor YouTube search and viewing history
- Get alerts about concerning YouTube activity
- Filter adult and inappropriate YouTube content
The extra features and flexibility of these apps come at a monthly/yearly subscription cost.
Block YouTube Website on Safari
To prevent YouTube access on the iPhone’s Safari web browser:
- Open Settings > Screen Time > Content Restrictions > Web Content
- Choose “Limit Adult Websites”
- Tap “Add Website” under “Never Allow”
- Enter “www.youtube.com”
This will block the YouTube website from being accessed on Safari for extra protection.
Use Apple’s Restrictions to Block App Downloads
Another approach is using the Restrictions feature in Settings to block new app downloads:
- Open Settings > General > Restrictions
- Enable Restrictions
- Tap “Allowed Content”
- Choose “Apps”
- Select an age limit or “All Apps”
Then delete the YouTube app from your child’s iPhone. This will prevent reinstalling YouTube without your permission.
Set Content Filters on Home WiFi Network
A great way to block YouTube across all devices on your home network is by setting up content filtering at the router level.
Many modern routers have built-in features to block websites and adult content. For example:
- Netgear Nighthawk: Block Sites under Security
- Linksys Smart WiFi: Under Security set Access Control
- TP-Link: Under Advanced > Security > URL Filter
You can block the YouTube website directly on the router dashboard this way on any connected device.
Use Free DNS Filtering Service
Services like OpenDNS Home allow you to filter website content across your home Internet network for free.
To set up OpenDNS:
- Create a free OpenDNS account
- Change DNS server settings on your home router to the OpenDNS IP addresses
- Log into the OpenDNS dashboard online
- Enable Content Filtering and block websites like YouTube
This will filter YouTube traffic across all WiFi connected devices without any software install.
Summary
Blocking and restricting the YouTube app on iPhones can be done using Apple’s built-in Screen Time parental controls, third-party iOS parental control apps, website blocking on the network router or ISP level, and free DNS filtering services.
Combining a few of these methods is the best approach to safely restrict YouTube access on iPhone and iPad devices. Screen Time provides app limits, Safari website blocking prevents web access, while router-level filtering increases protection across all connected devices simultaneously.
With the right tools, parents can effectively control how much time their kids spend watching YouTube content and promote healthy device usage habits.
