Sometimes content doesn't violate our Community Guidelines, but it may be incompatible with YouTube's Terms of Service or not appropriate for viewers under 18. In these cases, we may place an age-restriction on the video. This policy applies to videos, video descriptions, custom thumbnails, live streams, and any other YouTube product or feature.
Learn more about age-restriction
Below is more detail about the types of content we consider for age-restriction. If your content contains one or more of these themes, we may age-restrict. We’ve given examples of content that may be age-restricted below. Click through the policy sections for examples illustrating these themes. Keep in mind this isn’t a complete list.
Note: Your "made for kids" settings won't impact age restrictions on your videos.
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Harmful or dangerous activities, including regulated substances and drugs
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Nudity and sexually suggestive content
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What happens if content is age-restricted?
Age-restricted videos are not viewable to users who are under 18 years of age or signed out. Also, age-restricted videos cannot be watched on most third-party websites. Viewers who click an age-restricted video on another website, such as an embedded player, will be redirected to YouTube or YouTube Music. Once there, they can only view the content when signed in and over 18. This process helps make sure that no matter where content is discovered, if a video is hosted by YouTube it will only be viewable by the appropriate audience.
If you believe we made a mistake, you can appeal the age-restriction.
Monetization and age-restrictions
If your channel is eligible for ads, make sure you review our advertiser-friendly content guidelines. Age-restricted videos can use ads to monetize. Some advertisers prefer to advertise on family-friendly content or content without the themes noted above. In this case, your video may have limited or no ads monetization.
Check if your content is age-restricted
You can check if your content is age-restricted by going to YouTube Studio and using the ‘Age-Restriction’ filter, or by looking for “Age-restriction” in the Restrictions column on your Videos page. Our systems are constantly being updated and if we find any discrepancies with your rating, there’s a chance it could change.
Viewers who are over 18 and are signed in can tell whether a video is age restricted by looking below the description. Learn more about watching age-restricted videos.