How to block YouTube on Apple TV

Apple TV has no simple YouTube app lock

Apple TV 4K can restrict apps by age rating and protect purchases with a PIN. Its home controls do not give a parent a named list where YouTube alone can be blocked.

Delete the app, turn on Restrictions, and test whether the local app rating keeps it out. If YouTube still opens or can be downloaded again, use a router or DNS rule for that Apple TV.

Turn on Apple TV Restrictions

1. 1

   Open Settings, then General, then Restrictions. Turn Restrictions on and create a four digit passcode the child does not know.

2. 2

   Restrict the purchase or rental of apps. Then open the Apps rating control and choose a limit below the rating shown for YouTube in your country.

3. 3

   Return to the Home Screen, highlight YouTube, and hold the clickpad or touch surface. Choose Delete App, then Delete.

4. 4

   Open the App Store from the same Apple TV profile and try to install YouTube again. Test every adult profile too.

Apple lists the rating and purchase controls in its Apple TV parental control guide. It also warns that restrictions may not apply to apps downloaded from the App Store, so the test in step 4 is part of the setup.

The app rating route is broad. It can hide other apps at the same rating or higher. Ratings also vary by country and can change after an app update.

Apple's app removal guide explains the difference between deleting and offloading. Choose Delete, not Offload.

Use the router when the rating rule is too broad

A router or DNS block can target the Apple TV without changing every app rating.

1. 1

   Find the Apple TV in your router's device list. Give it a clear name and reserve its address if possible.

2. 2

   In the router's parental controls, block YouTube for that device. If it takes domain names, start with youtube.com, youtu.be, youtube-nocookie.com, and googlevideo.com.

3. 3

   Restart Apple TV, then test the app, search results, AirPlay, and a direct cast from a phone.

If the router applies one rule to the whole network, this can block YouTube for every device on your wifi. A DNS block may also stop embedded YouTube videos in other TV apps.

Keep YouTube with account controls

YouTube supports supervised child accounts on eligible TV devices. A linked parent can now block named channels. Family Center can also set the daily Shorts feed limit to zero.

Those controls apply only when the child uses the supervised account. They do not lock YouTube for guests or adult Apple TV profiles.

Vidward cannot block YouTube on Apple TV. It is a browser extension for the desktop, plus a parent dashboard. It does not run on tvOS, phones, tablets, consoles, or the network.

If the child also uses desktop Chrome, that is where Vidward can set channel, video, title, Shorts, and autoplay rules. Read how to block YouTube in Chrome.