How to Block YouTube for Kids on Windows 11 (All Browsers)

The quickest free way is Microsoft Family Safety content filters, but they work fully only in Microsoft Edge. To block YouTube in every browser, use the Windows hosts file or a DNS filter with a custom blocklist. If the goal is not “never YouTube” but “not before homework”, a PC-wide time limit is often a better fit than a permanent block.

YouTube is one of the most common reasons a parent looks for parental controls on a Windows PC. This guide covers four methods, what each one actually blocks, and where a determined child can still get around it.

Method 1: Microsoft Family Safety (free, Edge)

Family Safety can block YouTube as a website and turn on safe search. It requires Microsoft accounts for the parent and the child, and the child must sign in with that account on the PC.

1. Set up the family group. Sign in at account.microsoft.com/family and add the child.
2. Sign in on the child's PC. Use the child's Microsoft account and keep it a Standard user.
3. Open Content filters → Web and search. Turn on filtering and add youtube.com, www.youtube.com, m.youtube.com and youtu.be to the blocked list.
4. Test in Edge. Open YouTube as the child. Then check Chrome or Firefox: they are usually blocked as apps, not filtered.

Method 2: The hosts file (free, every browser)

The hosts file maps domains to an address before the browser connects. Point YouTube's domains to 0.0.0.0 and they will not load in any browser.

1. Open Notepad as administrator. Press Start, type Notepad, right-click and choose “Run as administrator”.
2. Open the hosts file. File → Open → C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts. Choose “All files”.
3. Add one line per domain:

   0.0.0.0 youtube.com
   0.0.0.0 www.youtube.com
   0.0.0.0 m.youtube.com
   0.0.0.0 youtu.be
   0.0.0.0 youtube-nocookie.com

4. Save and flush DNS. Run ipconfig /flushdns in Command Prompt as administrator.
5. Test every browser. Open YouTube in Edge, Chrome and Firefox. All three should fail.

Limitations: manual, no categories, and a child with administrator rights can edit the file. It blocks YouTube on the whole PC, not per child. It can also break embedded YouTube videos on school sites.

Method 3: A DNS filter with a custom blocklist

A DNS filter works below the browser, so it covers every browser on the device. Most family filters block categories rather than YouTube specifically; the practical route is a service that supports a custom denylist, such as NextDNS.

1. Create a NextDNS configuration (free tier) and add youtube.com, youtu.be and youtube-nocookie.com to the denylist.
2. Set the DNS on the router to cover every device, or on the child's PC adapter for one device.
3. Flush the cache with ipconfig /flushdns.
4. Test two browsers. Both should fail to load YouTube.

Method 4: A time limit instead of a permanent block

Sometimes the real rule is “homework first” or “one hour a day”, not “no YouTube ever”. A PC-wide time limit is easier to explain and less likely to be worked around.

ScreenRhythm's free plan sets a daily limit, breaks, a weekly schedule and a screen lock for the whole Windows PC. It does not block YouTube specifically; it limits total computer time. For a YouTube-specific block, use one of the methods above alongside it.

How to block YouTube on a laptop

A Windows laptop has no separate “block YouTube” switch. The same four methods apply: Family Safety in Edge, the hosts file in every browser, a DNS blocklist, or a time limit. The practical difference is that a laptop moves between home, school and public Wi-Fi, so a router-level block only works at home.

• At home: a router DNS block covers the laptop on your network. Outside the house, it does not.
• Anywhere: the hosts file and the Pro site filter travel with the laptop. Family Safety content filters also follow the child’s Microsoft account, but only in Edge.
• School laptop: if the device is managed by the school, its policy may override local settings. Ask the school’s IT contact before changing anything.
• Chromebook: this guide does not apply. A Chromebook uses Google Family Link, not Windows settings. Family Link for PC explained →

If the goal is “not during homework” rather than “never”, a time limit is easier to manage on a laptop than a permanent block. The limit travels with the device and does not depend on which Wi-Fi network it joins.

Which method should you use?

What actually works in practice

• Use two layers. A hosts file or DNS block plus a standard Windows account closes the easy bypasses.
• Keep the child off an administrator account. An administrator can edit the hosts file, change DNS or install a VPN.
• Explain the rule. A sudden “This site can't be reached” page invites a workaround. Say why YouTube is blocked and when it will be available.
• Check embedded videos. The hosts file can break YouTube embeds on school sites. Add an exception if homework needs them.
• Remember other devices. A PC block does nothing for a phone on mobile data. Router-level filtering covers more.

Questions

ScreenRhythm is our product. We describe Microsoft Family Safety, DNS filters and the hosts file honestly, including their limits. No block replaces parental supervision. This article is general information, not legal advice.