On the one hand, videos on YouTube can be entertaining or educational or both, helping you have fun and relax or learn things. But on the other hand, YouTube videos can be distracting or addictive, distracting you from the task at hand or tempting you to spend hours on them.
In addition, some videos on YouTube are inappropriate for kids and teens, despite YouTube’s efforts to protect minors from exposure to inappropriate content.
Therefore, many people want to restrict access to YouTube. This article shows you how to block YouTube on Windows 10 PC. It talks about how to block YouTube access on multiple web browsers, permanently or during certain hours. Whether you want to do the blocking for your child or yourself, this article can help.
Cisdem AppCrypt
Free Download Windows 11/10/8/7
Cisdem AppCrypt is the best YouTube blocker for Windows 7 and later. It can:
With AppCrypt, you can easily control access to websites and apps. In addition to Windows, it is compatible with Mac computers.
1. Download and install AppCrypt.
Free Download Windows 11/10/8/7
2. The first time you open it, set a password. (It’s recommended to select the Launch at System Startup checkbox.)
3. Click the AppCrypt icon in the taskbar. (Alternatively, right-click the icon and choose Open Main Window.)
4. To access the main window, you will be prompted to enter the password.
5. Click the Web Block tab and install an extension on the browser(s) of your choice.
6. To block YouTube, enter youtube.com in the URL field and click Add. Alternatively, you can click the Import menu and choose Video Sites, which will automatically add YouTube and tons of other video websites to the block list.
In step 6, if you want, you can block specific YouTube pages instead, such as YouTube videos or channels. Just add the specific URLs.
Note: If you want to block yourself from YouTube, you can ask someone else, like a family member, to set the password for you in step 2.
Now YouTube is blocked on the browser(s) of your choice on your computer. The blocking is permanent as long as AppCrypt is running. If one tries to access YouTube, it won’t open.
There are a few ways to unblock YouTube temporarily or permanently, such as quitting AppCrypt or removing YouTube from the block list. But the password is required.
Tip: How to block YouTube only during certain hours
If you still want to allow your child or yourself to watch some YouTube, you probably don’t want the blocking to be permanent. In such a case, you can schedule the blocking.
To do so, first open the main window. Under the Web Block tab, click YouTube and then click the clock icon that appears, which will open the Custom Schedule dialog. In the dialog, turn on Custom Schedule. Click Add Schedule. Click the existing schedule to edit it. You can add more schedules if needed. For example, you can set different schedules for weekdays and weekends, allowing more YouTube time on weekends.
Microsoft itself provides a method to help users control access to YouTube. But there are two possible disadvantages to this method.
Despite the possible disadvantages, this method may be useful to you.
1. In your browser, sign in to your Microsoft account.
2. Go to the Family Safety page.
3. Click Add a family member. Enter your child’s Microsoft account. Click Next.
4. Choose Member. Click Next. And an invitation will be sent to your child’s account.
5. Sign in to your child’s Microsoft account in an incognito or private window or using a different browser. Accept the invitation and click Join now.
If you go back to your Family Safety page, you will see that your child is added as a family member.
6. On the Windows 10 computer that your child uses, go to Settings > Accounts > Family & other users (or people).
7. There, choose your child’s account and then click Allow sing in (or Allow). If your child’s account doesn’t appear there, you need to add his or her account first.
8. In your browser, go to your Family Safety page. Click the three-dot icon next to your child’s name and choose Go to overview.
9. On the left, choose Content filters.
10. Under the Web and search tab, turn on Filter inappropriate websites and searches, and the Blocked sites section will appear.
11. In the Add a website field, enter youtube.com and click the Add button.
Now YouTube is added to the Blocked sites list. This way, your child won’t be able to access YouTube on Chrome on the Windows computer.
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 generally a great platform for kids, teens and adults. But as with any website or app, it’s not perfect. There can be videos that may not be totally age appropriate. Also, YouTube can be addictive. Luckily, it’s possible to control the access to it. This article talks about how to block YouTube on Windows 10 computer in different way. There are step-by-step instructions plus details that you probably want to know.
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.
Nicolas Gauss
Thanks for sharing this post to us. Helped me greatly improve my work efficiency!