Being the largest video-sharing platform in the world, YouTube has become an entertainment hub for people of all ages, including kids.
Although YouTube is a suitable platform for everyone, it does have some content that is not appropriate for minors. This is why YouTube imposes restrictions on certain content on the platform.
YouTube’s age restriction policy restricts content deemed unsuitable for kids. Although it is a helpful feature, it can be annoying, especially if a video you wanted to watch for a long time is off-limits.
Some ways can help you bypass YouTube age restriction barrier. In this article, we will tell you how that’s done.
Ways to Bypass YouTube Age Restriction Policy
If you are signed into your Google account while watching YouTube videos, it will collect your age information from your Google account. However, if you are not logged in, you will have to confirm your age by signing in. Now if you are a minor and cannot watch certain content on YouTube, you should follow these methods to overcome the restriction.
Method 1: Change Settings on your Android or iPhone Device
- Launch the YouTube application on your phone.
- In the upper right corner, you will see your Profile Picture. Tap on it.
- Select Settings.
- Select General in the Settings section.
- Now disable the option Restricted Mode.
Method 2: Use NSFW YouTube
The short for NSFW is Not Safe For Work. This is a very popular way of unlocking age-restricted videos on YouTube. The steps are simple and easy to follow.
- Visit the YouTube website from your browser and play a video that is restricted by age.
- Click on the URL link of the video, which should appear somewhat like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XXgFIM13O4.
- To unlock the video, add the letters NSFW in the video link like this: https://www.NSFWyoutube.com/watch?v=4XXgFIM13O4.
- After inserting the letters, click enter.
- Now, your video will start playing.
It should be noted that changing the video link will also change the website that YouTube does not own.
Method 3: Create a New Account
This is another easy way to bypass YouTube age restriction. All you need to do is create a new account and set your age above 18.
However, this method will not work for people living in Europe. This is because you will have to prove your age there. A solid workaround is to use a VPN and change your location to the US or some other country.
If you are accessing YouTube from a device with parental controls, you won’t be able to create a new account. You will need to keep all these things in mind before trying this method.
Method 4: Use a YouTube Video Downloader
If you can’t watch the video on YouTube due to age restriction issues, download it on your device. For this, you will need a reliable YouTube video downloader. Luckily there are plenty of options available online, you can check out the best YouTube downloaders here, we prefer By Click Downloader.
Once the video is saved on your device, there will be no restriction. Another advantage of downloading YouTube videos is that you can watch them whenever you want without going online.
Method 5: Use Embed Link
Using this method will require you to change a few letters in the video link to convert it into an embedded link. By doing so, you will be able to watch all age-restricted content on the platform. If you are unsure how this method works, follow the steps below.
- Play an age-restricted YouTube video.
- Click on the link to the video at the top. For example, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XXgFIM13O4.
- To remove the age barrier, delete “watch?v=” from the video link and replace it with “embed/.” Now the link should appear like this: https://www.youtube.com/embed/4XXgFIM13O4.
- Once you are done changing the link, hit the enter button.
- This will start playing the video.
This method is similar to the NSFW method that we discussed above.
Method 6: Use Listen On Repeat
You can unblock all age-restricted content on YouTube by using “Listen On Repeat.” Just follow these steps, and you will be good to go.
- Open the video that you can’t watch due to age restrictions.
- Click on the URL at the top. For example https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XXgFIM13O4.
- To remove the age restriction, replace “youtube” with “listenonrepeat” in the URL and remove “watch”. Here’s an example: https://www.listenonrepeat.com/?v=4XXgFIM13O4.
- Once you are done with the above steps, the video should start playing.
Method 7: Use NewPipe on an Android Phone
NewPipe is a reliable app for watching age-restricted videos on YouTube. Since this app is not available in the Google Play store, you will have to download the apk file from the official site.
- Launch a browser on your Android phone.
- Go to the official GitHub of NewPipe.
- Download the apk file of the NewPipe app. Make sure to get the latest version.
- After downloading the apk file, install it on your phone.
- Now open the app.
- Go to the top left corner of the screen; there will be three horizontal lines. Tap on it.
- Click the Settings option.
- Select Content.
- Enable the option that says Show Age Restricted Content.
- Now search for age-restricted videos and watch them.
Method 8: Use FreeTube on the Computer
This software is similar to FreeTube and relatively easy to use. You can use this method when watching YouTube videos on your Mac or Windows computer. One thing we like about FreeTube is that it has zero ads, meaning you can watch videos without getting interrupted. Here are the steps you need to follow:
- Download FreeTube on your computer. You can get it from the official site.
- After the file is downloaded, extract the application.
- Once that is done, you are ready to run it.
- Now paste the link to the age-restricted video you want to watch.
Method 9: Use a Proxy Website
You can watch age-restricted YouTube videos using a proxy website. However, this method is less safe than the others mentioned in this post. We suggest you keep it as your last resort. If you still want to try this method, here are the steps you need to follow.
- Play the YouTube video that is age restricted.
- Click on the link to the video. For example, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XXgFIM13O4.
- Now open a new tab on your browser.
- Go to this URL: https://www.proxysite.com/.
- Next, copy and paste the video link in the Enter URL space on the proxy site.
- Hit the Go button.
- This will start playing the video.
Method 10: Use PWN
This is another good way to remove age restrictions from YouTube videos. Here’s what you need to do:
- Open the age-restricted video that you want to watch.
- Click on the video URL. For example https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XXgFIM13O4.
- Now type the letters “PWN” in the link. It will look somewhat like this: https://www.PWNyoutube.com/watch?v=4XXgFIM13O4.
- Hit the Enter button.
- Click on the video, and it will start playing.
Bypassing YouTube age restriction is easy if you follow the right approach. However, you should follow these methods with caution. There’s a reason that YouTube has this policy. So you shouldn’t take advantage of these methods.
Also read: 17 Best Free YouTube to MP3 Converter & Downloader Apps
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Why some videos are age-restricted on YouTube?
Some videos on YouTube are age-restricted because they are not appropriate for minors to watch.
Is it possible to bypass YouTube’s age restriction?
By following any of the methods mentioned above, you can easily bypass YouTube age restrictions.
Is using a proxy site risky to remove YouTube age restriction?
Using the proxy website to bypass YouTube age restriction can be risky.
How to download FreeTube?
You can download FreeTube from the official site.
Can I use NewPipe to unblock age-restricted videos on YouTube?
With NewPipe, you can watch any age-restricted video on YouTube. It is counted amongst the simplest methods to do so.
Is it safe to watch age-restricted videos on YouTube?
Some video content is inappropriate for kids to watch. Unless you are above the age of 18, you shouldn’t try to bypass YouTube age restrictions.
What is YouTube’s age restriction policy?
YouTube’s age restriction policy prevents children from seeing inappropriate content. You need to be above 18 years to watch such content.
Can a 12-year-old create a YouTube account?
To create a YouTube account, you must be at least 13 years old.
How many YouTube accounts can I create?
You can create as many YouTube accounts as you like.
Is YouTube a safe platform?
Yes, YouTube is a safe video-sharing site.