YouTube age restrictions are set during account creation, but you can change them in your account settings
YouTube restricts certain content based on the birth date linked to your account. If you entered the wrong age when you created your account, or if your account was set up by a parent with a younger age, you can update it yourself. The process takes about two minutes and happens entirely in your account settings — you do not need to contact YouTube support.
The age you set determines what content YouTube recommends and what videos show age-gate warnings. Videos marked as age-restricted will not play on your account until YouTube verifies your age matches what you have on file. Changing your birth date updates these restrictions immediately.
Key Takeaways
- You can change your birth date in YouTube account settings under Personal Information, and the change takes effect right away.
- If a video shows an age-gate warning, you can verify your age using a credit card, phone number, or government ID to watch it without changing your account birth date.
- Parental controls on YouTube let parents set content restrictions for child accounts, and those restrictions can only be changed by the parent account.
- YouTube stores your age information separately from your public profile, so changing it does not affect what other users see about you.
How to change your birth date in account settings
Open YouTube on any web browser or the YouTube app. Tap or click your profile picture in the top right corner, then select Settings from the menu that appears. On the left side, click Personal Information. You will see your current birth date listed under the heading "Date of birth".
Click the pencil icon next to your birth date to edit it. YouTube will ask you to enter your month, day, and year of birth. Type in the correct information, then click Update. YouTube will confirm the change with a message saying your information has been saved. You can now close this window — the change is active on your account.
If you are using the YouTube app on a phone or tablet, the steps are the same: tap your profile picture, go to Settings, select Personal Information, and tap the pencil icon next to your birth date. The keyboard will appear so you can enter the new date.
What to do if a video is age-gated and you cannot watch it
Some videos on YouTube are marked as age-restricted by their uploaders. When you try to play one, you will see a message saying "This video may be inappropriate for some users" and a button that says I understand and wish to proceed. If you click that button and nothing happens, YouTube is asking you to verify your age.
YouTube offers three ways to verify your age without changing your account birth date. You can use a credit or debit card, provide a phone number for a text message code, or upload a photo of your government ID. Choose whichever method is easiest for you. YouTube will not charge your card — it only uses it to confirm you are an adult. Once you verify, you can watch age-restricted videos on that account.
If you prefer not to verify your age, you can simply change your birth date in account settings instead. Both methods let you watch the video, but changing your birth date is permanent while age verification through a card or phone number may need to be renewed periodically.
If your account is managed by a parent or guardian
YouTube Family Link is a parental control system that lets parents create and manage accounts for children under 18. If your account is linked to a parent's Family Link account, you cannot change your birth date or age restrictions yourself — only the parent account holder can do that.
If you need to change your age and your account is managed by a parent, ask the parent to open their own YouTube account, go to Settings, and select Family or Family Link. They can then select your account and change the birth date or content restrictions from there. The parent will need to sign in to their own account to make any changes.
If you are an adult and your account is still linked to a parent's Family Link, you can request to remove the link. The parent will receive a notification and can approve the removal, after which you will have full control over your account settings.
Understanding YouTube's content restriction levels
YouTube uses your birth date to set a default content filter. Accounts with younger ages see fewer videos marked as potentially mature, while accounts with older ages have access to more content. This is separate from age-gating — a video can be age-restricted even if your account age would normally allow you to see it.
If you want more control over what content appears in your recommendations and search results, you can adjust your Restricted Mode setting. This is different from your birth date. Go to Settings, scroll down to Restricted Mode, and toggle it on or off. Restricted Mode filters out videos that may contain mature content, profanity, or violence. It is not foolproof, but it removes most adult material from your feed.
Common mistakes when changing your birth date
The most common mistake is entering the wrong date format. YouTube asks for month, day, and year — make sure you enter them in the order YouTube shows, not in the order your country typically uses. If you are in a country that uses day-month-year format, you still need to enter month-day-year on YouTube.
Another mistake is thinking you need to verify your identity with YouTube to change your birth date. You do not. You only need to be signed into your account. If YouTube asks for verification when you try to change your date, it usually means you are not signed in or your browser has a problem. Try signing out completely, clearing your browser cache, and signing back in.
Do not try to change your birth date more than once in a short period. YouTube limits how often you can edit this information to prevent abuse. If you change it and then try to change it again within a few days, YouTube may lock that setting temporarily.
What happens after you change your age
The change takes effect immediately on all devices where you are signed into YouTube. If you are watching YouTube on your phone, computer, and tablet, all three will reflect the new age restriction settings right away. You do not need to sign out and sign back in.
Your age information is private and does not appear on your public profile. Other YouTube users cannot see your birth date or age, even if they visit your channel. YouTube uses this information only to determine what content to show you and whether to allow you to watch age-restricted videos.
If you change your birth date to a younger age, some videos you previously watched may become unavailable or show age-gate warnings. YouTube will not delete your watch history, but the platform may restrict access to certain content based on the new age you entered.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change my birth date on YouTube more than once?
Yes, but YouTube limits how often you can change it. You can usually change your birth date once every few days. If you try to change it multiple times in a short period, YouTube will temporarily prevent further changes to protect against account misuse.
Will changing my age on YouTube affect my Google account or other Google services?
No. Your YouTube birth date is separate from your Google account birth date. Changing one does not change the other. However, if you change your birth date in Google Account settings (not YouTube), it may affect your YouTube account. Stick to changing it in YouTube Settings to avoid confusion.
What if I forgot my birth date and cannot remember what I entered?
Go to YouTube Settings and click Personal Information. Your current birth date will be displayed there. If you need to change it, you can edit it directly without needing to remember the old one — just enter the correct date and save.
Do I need a credit card to verify my age and watch age-restricted videos?
No. YouTube offers three verification methods: credit card, phone number, or government ID. You can choose whichever works for you. A phone number is usually the fastest option if you have one available.
If I change my age to 18 or older, can I watch all age-restricted content?
Setting your age to 18 or older removes most age-gate restrictions, but some videos may still require additional verification. YouTube also respects the content restrictions set by video uploaders, so a very small number of videos may remain unavailable even with an adult age on your account.