Age guide
What age is YouTube ok for?
A standalone YouTube account is for 13+. Under 13, use YouTube Kids or a supervised Google account. For younger teens, Restricted Mode and comment controls matter most because recommendations can surface mature content.
Minimum age
YouTube’s stated minimum age is 13.
Why age matters here
- Minimum age is 13 — below that the app isn’t designed for the user.
- Algorithmic recommendations can surface mature content beyond subscribed channels.
- A supervised Google account or YouTube Kids is recommended under 13.
If they do use YouTube — set these
- Link the platform's family-pairing / supervision tool to a parent account.
- Restrict who can comment, or disable comments from non-contacts.
- Disable livestreaming for the account.
- Enable restricted mode or the sensitive-content filter.
- Remove full name, school, age and identifiable photos from the public profile.
- Set daily screen-time or usage limits.
- Turn off personalized ads and limit data sharing.
Check your child’s actual setup
Run the free scanner for a setup score on YouTube and the exact settings to change.