Safety guide
Is YouTube safe for children?
YouTube’s recommendations can surface mature content beyond what a child searches for. Under 13, a supervised Google account or YouTube Kids is recommended; for older children, Restricted Mode and comment controls matter most.
Recommended age
A standalone account is 13+. Under 13, use a supervised account or YouTube Kids.
Main risks
- 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.
Safety settings checklist for YouTube
- 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.
Talking to your child
- Ask what they like about the app before talking about risks — lead with curiosity, not a lecture.
- Agree the settings together at the same screen, so it feels like a shared decision, not a punishment.
- Make it normal to tell you about anything uncomfortable — no blame for messages they didn’t ask for.
- Revisit the settings every few months; apps change defaults and your child’s use changes too.
Get a free safety score in 2 minutes
Answer a few questions and see exactly which settings to change on YouTube — and get the option of a full report.