Ethan Brooks
How To Turn Off Restricted Mode on YouTube in 2025
Restricted Mode on YouTube is kinda annoying sometimes, especially if you just wanna see everything without filters. It’s meant to hide potentially inappropriate videos, but honestly, it can block a lot of legit content if you’re not careful. So, disabling it might be the fix if you’re tired of the censored experience. This guide covers how to turn off Restricted Mode both on mobile devices and desktop browsers, so you can access the full range of videos there.
Depending on your device, some steps might feel a little different, and sometimes the setting doesn’t stick right away, especially if you’re on shared networks or have parental controls. Just a heads-up: if you’ve got network-wide restrictions or if your account’s linked to some organizational management, that could get in the way of fully disabling it. That’s when you might need to check with the network admin or walkthrough settings on your router.
How to Turn Off Restricted Mode on YouTube
Accessing the Setting — the First Step
- Open the YouTube app if on mobile, or head over to youtube.com in your browser. Make sure you’re signed in with the right account (click on your profile icon to double-check). Sometimes you’re signed into a school or work account that has restrictions, so it’s worth confirming that.
Trust me, if you’re not logged in, the setting might be grayed out or stuck. On desktop, look for your profile picture in the top right corner; on mobile, it’s usually in the bottom right.
Getting into the Settings
- Click on your profile icon and then select Settings (on desktop) or tap Manage your Google Account and look for YouTube settings (on mobile). On the webpage, it’s right under the menu that drops down once you click your avatar—sometimes it’s hidden in a submenu called “Appearance” or “Playback & Performance” if you’re poking around in experimental or advanced settings.
Sometimes, this is where it gets weird. On some setups, you might need to scroll down or find the “General” section manually in the settings menu.
Hunting for Restricted Mode and Turning It Off
- In the settings, find the toggle labeled Restricted Mode. It might be tucked away at the bottom of the page or under a subsection like General. If it’s on (usually lit or set to “On”), click to switch it off. If you don’t see it immediately, check if you’re on a family account or if there’s a policy enforced by your organization — sometimes those disable the toggle altogether.
On some machines, this doesn’t always stick after you toggle it off. You might notice that when you refresh or restart the app/browser, it’s back on. That’s because of cookies, cached settings, or even network restrictions. Signing out and signing back in or clearing your browser cache can sometimes help.
Confirm and Exit
- Once you’ve toggled Restricted Mode off, just close out of settings. It should save automatically, but double-check by scrolling back to the toggle and ensuring it’s off. Reload the page or restart the app to make sure the changes stick.
Be aware — on some setups, you may need to restart your device or clear app data if restrictions stubbornly refuse to disappear. On Android, try clearing data for the YouTube app in Settings > Apps > YouTube > Storage > Clear Data. Same for iOS — a quick app relaunch or device restart might fix it.
What if Restrictions Still Won’t Disappear?
- Check if parental controls or family safety features are active. These settings might be controlled through your Google Family link or device restrictions—throwing a wrench in your plans.
- Ensure no VPN or network-level filtering is blocking or overriding your settings.
- If you’re on a school or work network, it’s possible the restrictions are enforced at the router or via enterprise policies. In that case, only someone with network access can change that.
Extra Tips & Common Issues
If toggling Restricted Mode isn’t enough, or it keeps coming back after restarting, it’s worth verifying your account and device settings. Also, check if you have “SafeSearch” enabled in your browser or a network-level filter. Sometimes, those are synced with your YouTube restrictions or even override them.
Summary
- Make sure you’re signed in properly
- Find the Restricted Mode toggle under settings
- Disable it and verify it stays off after refresh
- Clear cache or app data if needed
- Be aware of organizational restrictions that might be enforcing this at a higher level
Wrap-up
Disabling Restricted Mode isn’t always a smooth process—sometimes it’s overridden by parental controls, network restrictions, or account policies. But if you manage to turn it off, you get a much more open YouTube experience. Just keep in mind, sometimes, the restrictions are baked into the network or account management, so you might need to do a bit of detective work to fully disable it. Hopefully, this little walkthrough helps someone avoid hours of frustration. Good luck, and happy watching!