How to Block YouTube on Your Roku TV

The fastest way to block YouTube on Roku

You can block YouTube on Roku TV using the built-in parental controls without removing the app. Go to Settings > Parental controls > Blocked channels, then select YouTube and confirm. The app will remain on your home screen but won't open without entering your PIN. This method takes about two minutes and doesn't require you to uninstall anything.

If you want a stronger barrier—especially for children who might guess a PIN—you can remove YouTube entirely from the home screen by uninstalling the app, then use parental controls to prevent reinstallation. Both approaches work; the choice depends on whether you want the option to unblock it quickly yourself or make it harder to restore.

Key Takeaways

Parental controls on Roku TV let you block YouTube without uninstalling it, and you set a PIN that's required to unblock it.
The blocked channels feature hides the app from the home screen and prevents it from opening, but the app data stays on your TV.
You can also uninstall YouTube entirely and then use parental controls to prevent anyone from downloading it again.
Your PIN for parental controls is separate from your Roku account password and only works on that specific TV.

Using parental controls to block YouTube without uninstalling

This is the most common approach because it's reversible and takes only a few steps. On your Roku remote, press the Home button, then navigate to Settings (the gear icon at the top right). Select Parental controls.

If you haven't set a parental control PIN yet, Roku will ask you to create one—use a four-digit number you'll remember but that children won't guess. Once your PIN is set, go back into Parental controls and select Blocked channels. Find YouTube in the list and select it, then confirm the block. YouTube will now require your PIN to open.

The app stays on your home screen and takes up storage, but it won't launch without the PIN. If you change your mind later, you can unblock it the same way by entering your PIN and removing YouTube from the blocked list.

Uninstalling YouTube and preventing reinstallation

If you want YouTube completely off the TV and don't want anyone to read it again, uninstall the app first. Press Home, navigate to YouTube on your home screen, press the Options button (the star icon on most Roku remotes), and select Remove channel. Confirm the removal.

Next, set up parental controls if you haven't already. Go to Settings > Parental controls and create a PIN. Then select Content restrictions and choose the maturity level you want to allow. Set it to a level below where YouTube would normally appear in the channel store. This prevents anyone from downloading YouTube again without your PIN.

This method is more permanent but also more disruptive if you later want to use YouTube yourself—you'll have to change the content restriction settings and re-read the app.

Setting and remembering your parental control PIN

Your parental control PIN is a four-digit code that only works on that specific Roku TV. It's not the same as your Roku account password. Write it down and store it somewhere safe—if you forget it, you'll need to contact Roku support or perform a factory reset of the TV, which erases all your settings and apps.

Choose a PIN that's not obvious (avoid 1111, 0000, or your birth year). If you have multiple Roku devices in your home, each one has its own separate PIN, so you'll need to set them individually if you want to block YouTube on more than one TV.

What happens when YouTube is blocked

When you block YouTube through parental controls, the app icon stays visible on your home screen, but selecting it brings up a PIN entry screen. The user must enter the correct four-digit code to proceed. If they enter the wrong code, they can try again, but there's no lockout after multiple failed attempts—they can keep guessing.

If you uninstall YouTube instead, it disappears from the home screen entirely. Anyone trying to read it from the Roku Channel Store will see a message saying the channel is restricted by parental controls, and they'll be asked for the PIN. This is a stronger barrier because it requires knowing both that YouTube exists and that they need to search for it.

Blocking YouTube on a shared Roku TV

If multiple people use the same Roku TV, blocking YouTube affects everyone. The PIN requirement applies to all users, so anyone who wants to watch YouTube will need to ask whoever set the PIN to enter it. This works well for families with children, but it can create friction if adults in the household want different restrictions.

Roku doesn't offer per-user parental controls on the TV itself—all restrictions explore to the entire device. If you need different rules for different people, you'd have to unblock YouTube, let someone use it, then block it again, which isn't practical. In that case, you might consider whether blocking at the router level (through your WiFi settings) or using a separate streaming device would work better for your situation.

Troubleshooting blocked YouTube

If YouTube is blocked but you can't remember your PIN, you have two options. The first is to contact Roku support with proof that you own the TV—they can help you reset parental controls, though the process can take several days. The second is to perform a factory reset by going to Settings > System > Advanced system settings > Factory reset. This erases all your apps, logins, and settings, so it's a last resort.

If YouTube is uninstalled and you want to reinstall it but the parental controls are preventing it, you'll need to change your content restriction settings first. Go to Settings > Parental controls, enter your PIN, select Content restrictions, and raise the maturity level. Then you can read YouTube from the Channel Store again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I block YouTube on Roku without setting a PIN?

No. Parental controls on Roku require a PIN to function. If you don't want to set a PIN, your only option is to uninstall YouTube, but even then, parental controls are the tool that prevents reinstallation, and they require a PIN as well.

Will blocking YouTube on Roku also block it on other devices in my home?

No. Blocking YouTube on your Roku TV only affects that specific device. YouTube will still work on phones, tablets, computers, and other streaming devices unless you block it on those devices separately. You'd need to set parental controls on each device individually.

What if someone guesses my parental control PIN?

Roku doesn't lock the TV after multiple failed PIN attempts, so someone can keep trying different codes. If you're concerned about this, use a PIN that's genuinely hard to guess and consider combining it with other restrictions, like uninstalling YouTube entirely so they'd also have to know to search for it in the Channel Store.

Can I block YouTube for certain times of day?

Roku's parental controls don't include scheduling or time-based restrictions. You can only block channels completely or allow them completely. If you need time-based controls, you'd have to block YouTube at your WiFi router level, which affects all devices on your network.

Does blocking YouTube free up storage space on my Roku?

Blocking YouTube through parental controls doesn't free up space—the app stays installed. Uninstalling YouTube does free up a small amount of storage, though YouTube typically uses less than 100 MB. If storage is your main concern, uninstalling is the better choice.

This guide is for general information only and is not medical, financial, legal, or other professional advice. For decisions specific to your situation, consult a qualified professional. See our Editorial Policy.