Buzz
This article provides a comprehensive guide on blocking YouTube access on computers, smartphones, or tablets. To block YouTube on a computer, you can modify system files or use the free OpenDNS service to restrict YouTube across your network. iPhone users can block YouTube directly through the "Restrictions" menu in the Settings app, while Android users will need to download additional applications to achieve the same result.
Steps
Block YouTube on all computer browsers
Open the computer's "hosts" file. You can do this on a Windows computer or on a Mac. Once you open the "hosts" file and see the prompt to enter an address, proceed to the next step.
Enter the YouTube address on the last line. Type 127.0.0.1 and press the Tab ↹ key, then type youtube.com and press ↵ Enter.
- If using Chrome, add a space after the YouTube address before typing www.youtube.com.
Add the mobile version of the YouTube address. Enter 127.0.0.1 again and press the Tab ↹ key, then type m.youtube.com and press ↵ Enter.
- Again, if using Google Chrome, add a space and include "www" in the YouTube address.
Save the "hosts" file as follows:
- On Windows - Click File, select Save As..., choose Text Documents, select All Files in the dropdown, pick the "hosts" file, click Save, and confirm with Yes when prompted.
- On Mac - Press Control+X (not ⌘ Command+X), press Y when prompted, and hit ⏎ Return.
Restart your computer.WindowsBegin
Power On
RebootMacApple Menu
Reboot...RestartBlock YouTube on the network
Modify your computer's DNS settings to use OpenDNS servers.WindowsBegin
Network SettingsModify Adapter SettingsSettingsConfiguration208.67.222.222208.67.220.220ConfirmMacApple Menu
System Settings...Network ConfigurationAdvanced Options...DNS SettingsAdd208.67.222.222Add208.67.220.220ConfirmSave
Clear the computer's DNS cache. This step removes any residual settings that might interfere with the new DNS configuration.
Open the OpenDNS registration page. Visit https://signup.opendns.com/homefree/ from your computer's web browser.
Create an OpenDNS account. Fill in the following fields:
- Email address - Enter the email address you want to use for OpenDNS registration (this must be an email address you can access).
- Confirm email address - Re-enter the email address.
- Select your country - Choose your country of residence from the dropdown menu.
- Create password - Enter a password for your account (this should differ from your email password).
- Confirm password - Re-enter the password.
Click the orange GET A FREE ACCOUNT button at the bottom of the page. This action creates your account and sends a verification email to your provided address.
Open the email address associated with your OpenDNS account. This is the email address you used to create the OpenDNS account.
Select the verification email. Click on the email titled "[OpenDNS] Confirm your OpenDNS registration."
- If you're using Gmail, you might find this email in the "Updates" folder.
- If you can't locate the email, check the "Spam" or "Junk" folders.
Click the verification link. This link is located under the heading "Click this link to confirm your registration." Doing so will verify your email address and redirect you to the OpenDNS dashboard.
Click the SETTINGS tab. This is the first option on the dashboard page.
Click ADD THIS NETWORK. You'll find this button below your current network's IP address. A new window will appear.
Name your network. Simply enter any name into the input field at the top of the displayed window.
Click DONE in the bottom-right corner of the window.
Click on the network address. This is the information displayed in the middle of the page. Clicking it will open the settings page for the current network.
Consider blocking all video-sharing sites. This will restrict access to platforms like YouTube, Vimeo, and similar sites:
- Check the "Custom" box.
- Check the "Video Sharing" box.
- Click APPLY.
Enter the YouTube address. Type youtube.com into the input field, then click ADD DOMAIN.
Check the "Block" box. This box is located above the gray CONFIRM button.
Click CONFIRM at the bottom of the page to finalize the settings and block YouTube on your computer.
Add other computers to the OpenDNS list. Perform the following steps on any computer where you want to block YouTube:
- Change the DNS settings to use OpenDNS servers.
- Visit https://login.opendns.com/, then enter your OpenDNS account email and password.
- Click the SETTINGS tab.
- Click ADD THIS NETWORK, enter a name, and click DONE.
- Click the IP address for the newly added network.
- Block YouTube (and video sharing if needed) through the Web Content Filtering menu.
Block YouTube on iPhone
Uninstall the YouTube app if it's already installed. This prevents others from accessing YouTube through the app:
- Tap and hold the YouTube app icon.
- Release when the app icon starts shaking.
- Tap the X in the top-left corner of the app icon.
- Tap Delete when prompted.
Swipe down and select Restrictions near the middle of the General page.
Enter the passcode to access the Restrictions menu. Input the PIN you use to unlock the Restrictions menu.
- The Restrictions passcode may differ from your iPhone unlock code.
- If Restrictions are not yet enabled, first tap Enable Restrictions, then enter your desired passcode twice to set it up.
Swipe down and tap on Websites. This option is located near the bottom of the "ALLOWED CONTENT" section.
Tap on Limit Adult Content in the "Websites" menu.
Tap on Add a Website… in the "NEVER ALLOW" section. You will find this option near the bottom of the page.
Enter the YouTube address. Type www.youtube.com into the "Website" field, then tap the blue Done button on the keyboard.
Close the Settings app. YouTube is now blocked on all iPhone browser applications, and no one can reinstall the YouTube app as the App Store is locked.
Block YouTube on Android
Install the necessary applications.
Play Store
Open BlockSite. Press the Home button to close the Play Store, then tap on the BlockSite app with the white cancel icon on an orange shield.
Enable BlockSite in the Accessibility settings of Android.
Tap the ＋ at the bottom-right corner of the screen.
- If BlockSite doesn't appear after selecting OK, you may need to reopen the app before proceeding.
Enter the YouTube address. Type youtube.com into the field at the top of the page to block access to YouTube on Android's built-in browsers.
- Unlike other content-blocking tools, you don't need to block the mobile version of YouTube ("m.youtube.com") when using BlockSite.
- If your device has third-party browser apps (e.g., Firefox), you'll need to lock them using Norton Lock to prevent children from accessing YouTube, as BlockSite doesn't control these apps.
Tap the ＋ again. This option is located at the bottom-right corner of the screen.
- If YouTube isn't installed on your Android device, skip this step and the next two.
Tap the APP tab at the top of the screen. A list of applications will be displayed here.
Swipe down and tap on YouTube in the app list. This action adds YouTube to the list of blocked apps on Android.
Open Norton App Lock. Press the Home button, then tap on the Norton Lock app with black icons inside a yellow and white circle.
Tap on Agree & Launch when prompted. This action opens the Norton Lock app.
Enable Norton Lock in the Accessibility menu.
Create an unlock pattern. When the Norton Lock app appears, draw a pattern, then redraw it when prompted. This will serve as the unlock code for locked applications.
- If you prefer a passcode over a pattern, tap SWITCH TO PASSCODE and enter your desired passcode twice.
Tap on Continue at the bottom of the screen.
- You can reset the Norton Lock passcode through your Google account if needed.
Block essential applications. Scroll down and tap on the following apps to restrict access without a passcode:
- BlockSite
- Play Store
- Any browser not controlled by BlockSite (e.g., browsers other than Chrome or pre-installed ones like Firefox or UC Browser)
- Norton Lock will also lock the Settings app and itself by default. Once the Play Store is locked, no one can access YouTube without the passcode.
Tips
- You can also block YouTube using the BlockSite extension on Google Chrome and Firefox if needed. This method won't block YouTube on browsers like Safari, Edge, or Internet Explorer.
Warning
- No blocking method is 100% effective, especially if your child is tech-savvy. Therefore, take the time to educate them about what is and isn't allowed.
