Is YouTube OK for my child?
The biggest video platform on earth, and for most UK children the one they use most. Everything from homework help to gaming videos, with an autoplay feed that decides what comes next.
Minimum age
13 (own account)
Under-13s can watch via a parent-managed supervised account or the YouTube Kids app.
Type
Video
Official safety page
YouTube restricted mode helpWhat to actually watch for
- Autoplay and recommendations can walk a child from innocent content to unsuitable content in a few hops.
- Comments sections are unmoderated territory.
- Shorts carries the same endless-scroll pull as TikTok.
- Misinformation and AI-generated content increasingly look real.
The settings worth switching on
For under-13s, use YouTube Kids or a Family Link supervised account rather than a normal login.
Turn Restricted Mode on for shared devices, and lock it where the platform allows.
Turn autoplay off, the single highest-value setting on YouTube.
Watch history shows you exactly what the feed has been serving; check it together rather than covertly.
Our honest take
Unavoidable and mostly wonderful, but the defaults serve the platform, not your child. Autoplay off, Restricted Mode on and a supervised account for under-13s changes the experience completely. Our safe search guide covers YouTube settings step by step.
Frequently asked questions
Go deeper
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Last reviewed: August 2026. Minimum ages and settings were checked against the platform's own published policies, and platforms change them often, so the official page linked above always has the latest.