Download

How to block YouTube on iPhone

Autoplay and Shorts turn “one video” into an hour. Here’s how to block YouTube on your iPhone, the free built-in method, plus a way to make it actually hold.

YouTube is uniquely tricky because it’s both a tool and a trap. You open it for one tutorial, and forty minutes later you’re deep in a Shorts spiral you never chose — autoplay, Up Next and Shorts are all engineered to keep the session alive. Because you genuinely need it sometimes, all-or-nothing approaches collapse fast: you unblock it “for work” and the feed takes over again. The fix is friction that bends without breaking — hard blocks for your focus hours, with narrow, intentional windows when you truly need a video.

Block YouTube the free way, with Screen Time

iOS has a built-in tool called Screen Time. It can put a daily limit on YouTube in a couple of minutes:

  1. Open Settings and tap Screen Time. If it’s off, tap Turn On Screen Time.
  2. Tap App Limits, then Add Limit.
  3. Search for YouTube, tick it, and tap Next.
  4. Set the limit as low as it goes, 1 minute, then tap Add.
  5. From now on, YouTube greys out once you pass that minute for the day.

For a stricter version, use Downtime (Settings › Screen Time › Downtime) to switch off YouTube during set hours, like work or bedtime.

The catch: it’s one tap to ignore

When the limit hits, iOS still shows an “Ignore Limit” button. One tap, “Ignore for Today”, and YouTube opens anyway. If the habit is strong, that escape hatch is usually all it takes to undo the block.

The stronger way: Cascade

Cascade is a focus app built on the same Apple Screen Time system, but designed to remove the easy way out and help the urge pass:

Ready to actually block YouTube?

Start free. Zen mode and the meditation are free forever.

Download on the App Store

FAQ

Does this block YouTube Shorts too?
Yes, blocking the YouTube app blocks the whole thing, Shorts included. To block YouTube in the browser as well, block Safari or your browser during focus sessions.
Can I still watch YouTube in Safari after blocking the app?
You can, unless you also block the browser. Cascade lets you block Safari and other browsers during a session so there’s no side door.
Will blocking delete my subscriptions or history?
No. Nothing is deleted, the app is only paused. Your subscriptions, history and playlists stay intact.
Can I block YouTube Shorts but keep normal videos?
No blocker on iOS can split an app’s features — Screen Time works at the app level. Two workable options: block the YouTube app and watch specific videos in Safari when you actually need one (search stays intentional there), or run focus sessions where YouTube is sealed and use a Use Access pass for the occasional must-watch tutorial.
I study with YouTube. How do I keep it useful but stop the spiral?
Flip the default: keep YouTube blocked during study blocks, and when a video is genuinely needed, spend a Monk-mode Use Access window on it — a few deliberate minutes, then it seals again. You get the tutorial without the algorithm getting you.
Does blocking the YouTube app also block YouTube in the browser?
No — app blocks cover the app. If the browser is a real escape route for you, add youtube.com to Screen Time’s web restrictions (Settings › Screen Time › Content & Privacy › Web Content) alongside your Cascade block.
Can I block YouTube only during work hours?
Yes. Set a weekday routine (say 9:00–17:00) and it blocks and releases automatically. Evenings stay free, and the block is running before your willpower is even awake.

More guides

Block InstagramBlock TikTokBlock SnapchatBlock XBlock RedditBlock FacebookBlock WhatsAppBlock NetflixBest app blocker for iPhoneAll guides