The fastest way to block YouTube on Chrome
The simplest method is to use Chrome's built-in parental controls through Family Link, which lets you block YouTube entirely or restrict it to approved content only. If you do not have a Google account set up for the person whose access you want to limit, you will need to create one first — Family Link works by managing a supervised account rather than blocking at the browser level for an existing account.
If you want to block YouTube for yourself or an adult account you control, a browser extension is faster. LeechBlock NG and Freedom are two popular options that let you blacklist specific websites and set times when they are inaccessible. Both work on Windows, Mac, and Linux, and both let you set a password so you cannot easily undo the block in a moment of weakness.
A third option — changing your router settings — blocks YouTube across all devices on your network, not just Chrome. This is useful if you want to enforce a household rule, but it requires access to your router's admin panel and affects everyone connected to your WiFi.
Key Takeaways
- Family Link is Google's official parental control tool and works best if you are managing a child's account, but requires setting up a supervised Google account first.
- Browser extensions like LeechBlock NG let you block YouTube on a specific device and can be password-protected so you cannot disable them without the password.
- Router-level blocking affects all devices on your network but requires you to log into your router's settings and may be harder to undo if you forget the admin password.
- YouTube's Restricted Mode is a built-in filter that hides mature content but does not block the site entirely and can be turned off by anyone with access to the account.
Using Family Link to block YouTube for a child account
Family Link is Google's official tool for managing what a supervised child account can access. To set it up, you first create a Google account for the child (or link an existing one), then add your own account as the parent or guardian. Once linked, you can block YouTube entirely, restrict it to only approved videos, or allow it with no restrictions.
The steps are: go to families.google.com, sign in with your own Google account, click "Create a family group," add the child's email address, and follow the prompts to confirm the relationship. On the child's device, they will be asked to sign in with their supervised account. After that, you can open Family Link on your own device, tap the child's account, go to "App activity," find YouTube, and set it to "Block" or "Allow with supervision."
One limitation: Family Link only works if the child is signed into their supervised Google account. If they use a different account or browse as a guest, Family Link does not apply. For younger children who may not have their own device yet, Family Link also works on Android tablets and phones, but not on all devices — check Google's support page for your specific device model.
Blocking YouTube with a browser extension
LeechBlock NG is a free extension that works on Chrome, Firefox, and Edge. Install it from the Chrome Web Store, click the extension icon, and add youtube.com to your blocklist. You can set it to block the site all day, during certain hours only, or after you have spent a set amount of time there. To prevent yourself from disabling it on impulse, set a password in the extension's settings — you will need that password to make any changes.
Freedom is a paid option (around $7 per month or $40 per year) that blocks websites and apps across your entire device, not just Chrome. It syncs across your phone, tablet, and computer, so if you block YouTube on one device, it blocks on all of them. Freedom also lets you schedule recurring blocks — for example, "no YouTube between 9 PM and 8 AM on weekdays" — and it has a "locked mode" that prevents you from disabling the block even if you restart your computer.
Both extensions work by preventing your browser from loading the blocked site. If someone with technical knowledge wants to bypass them, they can uninstall the extension (if they know the password) or use a different browser entirely. For a determined person, these are not foolproof, but they are effective against casual browsing and impulse use.
Blocking YouTube at the router level
Your router is the device that connects all your devices to the internet. If you block YouTube there, no device on your WiFi network can reach it — not just Chrome, but also the YouTube app on phones and tablets. This is the most comprehensive approach if you want to enforce a household rule.
The steps vary by router model, but the general process is: open a web browser, type your router's IP address (usually 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1) into the address bar, log in with your router's admin username and password (often printed on the router itself or in the manual), find the "Parental Controls" or "Access Control" section, and add youtube.com to the blocklist. Some routers let you set times when the block is active; others block it all day.
The main drawback is that if you forget your router's admin password, you may have to factory reset the router to regain access — which erases all your custom settings. Write down the password somewhere safe. Also, anyone on your network with technical knowledge can potentially bypass router-level blocks using a VPN or by connecting to a mobile hotspot, so this method is most effective for younger children or as a household agreement rather than a technical lock.
Using YouTube's Restricted Mode
Restricted Mode is a built-in YouTube filter that hides videos marked as mature content. It does not block YouTube entirely — the site still loads and you can still watch most videos. To turn it on, scroll to the bottom of any YouTube page, click your profile icon, and toggle "Restricted Mode" on. YouTube will remember this setting on that device and account.
Restricted Mode is useful as a first step if you want to reduce exposure to mature content without blocking the site completely. However, it has two important limits: it is not foolproof (some mature videos slip through), and anyone with access to the account can turn it off by toggling it back off. It is not a lock, just a filter, so it does not work if you want to prevent access entirely or if you need something that cannot be easily disabled.
Comparing your options
Each blocking method has different strengths depending on what you are trying to do. Family Link is the most secure if you are managing a child's account because it is tied to Google's systems and harder to bypass. Browser extensions are fastest to set up on a single computer but only work in that browser. Router blocking affects your entire household but requires technical access to your router's settings.
The table below shows how each method compares across the features that matter most: whether it blocks the entire site, whether it works across multiple devices, whether you can password-protect it, and what situation it works best for.
| Method | Blocks entire site | Works across devices | Can be password-protected | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Family Link | Yes | Yes (on supervised account) | Yes (parent password) | Managing a child's account |
| LeechBlock NG | Yes | No (one device only) | Yes | Blocking on one computer |
| Freedom | Yes | Yes | Yes | Blocking across all your devices |
| Router blocking | Yes | Yes (all devices on network) | Yes (admin password) | Household-wide blocking |
| Restricted Mode | No (filters only) | Yes (on that account) | No | Reducing mature content |
What to do if someone bypasses the block
If you have set up a block and someone disables it, the first step is to check which method you used. If it is a browser extension, check whether it is still installed (go to chrome://extensions in Chrome). If it is gone, reinstall it and set a stronger password, or switch to a method that is harder to undo, like Family Link or router blocking.
If you used Family Link and the child signed out of their supervised account, they will not be blocked anymore. Family Link only works when the supervised account is active. You can set up Family Link to require a password to sign out, which makes it harder (though not impossible) for them to switch accounts. Check the Family Link settings under "Device activity" to see whether sign-out protection is turned on.
If you used router blocking and someone accessed the router's admin panel, you will need to change the router's admin password. If you do not remember it, you can factory reset the router, but this erases all your settings. Write down the new password somewhere only you know about, and consider changing the default admin username as well — many routers ship with "admin" as both the username and password.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I block YouTube on Chrome without blocking it on other browsers?
Yes, if you use a browser extension like LeechBlock NG. Extensions only work in the browser where you install them, so YouTube will still be accessible in Firefox, Safari, or Edge. If you want to block it across all browsers on one device, use a paid tool like Freedom. If you want to block it across all browsers and all devices, use router-level blocking.
Will a VPN let someone bypass a YouTube block?
A VPN can bypass router-level blocks because it routes traffic outside your network. It cannot bypass Family Link (which is tied to the Google account, not the network) or browser extensions (which block at the browser level). If you are concerned about VPN use, Family Link is your most secure option.
What if I set a password on LeechBlock NG and forgot it?
You can uninstall the extension and reinstall it fresh, which removes the password. However, if your goal was to prevent yourself from disabling the block, this defeats the purpose. For a stronger lock that you cannot easily undo, use Freedom or Family Link instead.
Does blocking YouTube at the router affect internet speed?
No. Blocking at the router level does not slow down your internet — it simply prevents certain websites from loading. All other traffic moves at normal speed.
Can I block YouTube only during certain hours?
Yes. LeechBlock NG, Freedom, and some routers let you set schedules — for example, blocking YouTube after 9 PM on school nights. Family Link does not have built-in scheduling, but you can manually change the setting at different times of day.