May 12, 2022
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YouTube is a video sharing website originating from US in 2005. As the second-largest search engine after Google, YouTube has about 2.6 billion monthly active users according to the latest official figures (Statista. 2022). Everyone spends an average of 75 minutes a day watching videos on the platform.
The website's slogan is "Broadcast Yourself", allowing users to upload, watch, share and comment on videos freely. Although the review mechanism of YouTube is relatively strict, more and more parents report that their child seeing inappropriate content on it. Another problem is that we can’t stop ourselves from scrolling videos and focus on work. So many of you may want to know how to block YouTube on computer. In this article I’ll talk about 5 methods on how to block YouTube on Windows 10, including lock YouTube app and block YouTube website.
If you are not savvy enough on computer, the best way to block YouTube is using a professional blocker app. Without complicated using steps, Cold Turkey do well in blocking websites and apps to boost your productivity. In addition, you are able to use this tool to block YouTube according to schedule that you set. The schedule will repeat every week automatically. I really like this schedule function to control my time spend on YouTube everyday. But this tool doesn't seem to be able to set a general schedule. I think it's a bit cumbersome to add schedules to each of my blocking lists. Below let’s take a look at how to block YouTube on Windows 10 using Cold Turkey:
1. Download Cold Turkey on your PC and follow the guide to install it.
2. Now you are in the main window. Click Blocks > Add a new block.
3. Choose Add Windows 10 app. Select YouTube app from the list and open it. Then you need to enter a list name for your blocking. Click Save.
4. To prevent yourself or your child change the settings, I recommend you setting a password to lock your blocker. From the blocking lists, click the lock icon at right. Choose a lock way and save it. There are 5 options for you: Timer, Random Text, Time Range, Restart and Password. If you are lock the blocker for yourself, you can ask your friends to finish this step.
How to block YouTube on computer during child’s studying time? Cold Turkey offers powerful schedule feature for every block lists. Once the schedule is set, it will automatically repeat every week. From the blocking list, click Continuous block at left. Tap on Block this list according to the following schedule. Custom the schedule you like.
If you don't want to install any apps on your PC, here is another way. You can try a built-in application in Windows called Microsoft Family. Microsoft Family Safety protects your family’s Internet safety with the functions of content monitoring, limiting screen time and location tracking etc. Create a Microsoft Family account for child can keep child safer on Windows 10 PCs. If you child who want to be able to use the computer you want he has a positive online experience, you can create a Microsoft Family account for him and set to block inappropriate app such as YouTube on this account. Compared with professional blocker apps, it is more complicated to use and its functions are not so powerful. But it’s free. Below I’ll show you how to block YouTube on Windows 10 Microsoft Family Safety:
1. Click the Windows icon on your PC desktop.
2. Click on Settings > Account.
3. Click on Family & other people > Add a family member. Follow the guide to add or create your child’s Microsoft account.
4. Sign in your administrator account and start to manage family settings. Enter your child’s account and click on App, games & media from the left menu bar.
5. Scroll down to find Limit apps, games and media from the Store. Add YouTube app to the block list. Above is how to block YouTube on computer with Microsoft Family Safety. You can click Remove on the right side to unblock it.
Many people like to use the web version of YouTube. I have mentioned how to block YouTube app on Windows 10 via Cold Turkey at the first method. Using the same tool are able to block YouTube website too. But I don’t like this feature of Cold Turkey. It requires adding extensions to all my browsers. There are many other blocker apps do better in this function. Now let’s take a look at how to block YouTube website using Cold Turkey:
1. Click Cold Turkey’s icon on the menu bar. Tap Open Cold Turkey Blocker.
2. Now you are in the main window. You’ll find a small prompt at the bottom right: Extensions need to be enabled. Click it.
3. Follow the guild to install extensions to all of your browsers. Disabling or removing these extensions during blocking time will force close your browser until you re-enable them.
4. Go back to the main window. Click Blocks on the left menu bar. Click Add a new block.
5. Type in YouTube’s URL to the box. Click Add. Then click Save As and enter a new block list name.
6. Remember to lock the blocker to prevent settings from being changed.
The hosts file is an operating system file that can be edited. You can block YouTube website completely through editing the hosts file. The drawback is that you can’t set time limits on it. Once finish the settings, you can't access YouTube at any time. If you want to completely block YouTube on your browser because it seriously affects your work efficiency or it has a greater impact on your child's mental health, you can try the following method. Below I’ll show you how to block YouTube on Windows 10 with Hosts File:
1. Click the Windows icon on your PC desktop and search for Notepad.
2. Run Notepad as administrator.
3. From File menu, click Open.
4. Navigate to Local Disk(C) > Windows > System32 > drivers >etc. If you can’t find anything after open the folder, change the file type to All Files.
5. Click hosts and open it. Add 127.0.0.1 youtube.com and 127.0.0.1 www.youtube.com at the end of the text.
6. Click File > Save.
7. Now go to any browser on your computer and visit YouTube website, you’ll get a page prompt you to check your connection.
Above is how to block YouTube on computer with hosts file. It’s a bit complicated but hard to bypass. If you want to unblock YouTube, the only way is to follow the same steps to go back to hosts file and remove the 2 lines you added at the bottom.
This is the last method-adding browser extension. There are some extensions can restrict YouTube on browser. The drawback is that you need to add extension to all your browser on computer. In addition, sometimes they’re easy to be removed. Block Site can be added to Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox and Microsoft Edge browser to block distracting websites. How to block YouTube on Windows 10 via Block Site? Below I’ll take Google as an example to show you specific user guide:
1. Go to Chrome Web Store and search for Block Site.
2. Choose the one BlockSite: Block Websites & Stay Focused.
3. Click Add to Chrome.
4. Tap on Add Extension from the prompt box.
5. Go to YouTube site on your chrome browser.
6. Right-click the page and choose Block this site.
Now YouTube website is blocked on your Chrome browser.
YouTube is an addictive website and app for both our child and ourselves. Above I introduced 5 ways on how to block YouTube on Windows 10. Also I mentioned how to set time limits on it. Method 1 and 2 are about blocking YouTube app. Method 3 to 5 are about blocking YouTube site. If you want to block both YouTube site and app on your device using 1 tool, I recommend Cold Turkey. If you have more efficient methods on how to block YouTube on computer, welcome to leave messages in the comment box below.
Rosa has worked in Mac software industry for more than eight years. She believes that the purpose of software is to make life better and work more productively. In addition to writing, Rosa is also an avid runner.