Restricted Mode is an optional setting on YouTube that can help screen out potentially mature content that you or others using your devices may prefer not to view. It was created to give viewers better control over the content they see and intentionally limits your YouTube experience. Restricted Mode is turned off for viewers by default, but viewers can choose to turn it on for their personal accounts. It may also be turned on for computers in libraries, schools, and other public institutions by the institutions system administrator.

When Restricted Mode is turned on, viewers cannot see comments on videos, and some videos may be unavailable. There are two reasons a video can be unavailable when Restricted Mode is turned on. Primarily, YouTube's automated system checks signals, like the video’s metadata, title, and the language used in the video, to determine if it should be blocked. Additionally, videos that have been flagged by users as inappropriate may also be blocked.

To turn Restricted Mode on or off on the YouTube app for Android, you need to sign in to your account, tap your profile photo, tap Settings General, and then turn on or off Restricted Mode. On the mobile site, you need to go to m.youtube.com, tap your profile photo, tap Settings Account, and then turn on or off Restricted Mode. On Android TV, you need to sign in to your account, select YouTube from the Apps row on the Home screen, select Settings, and then select Restricted Mode or Safety Mode.

If you are having trouble turning off Restricted Mode, there are a few things that could be causing the issue. For example, Restricted Mode may be permanently enabled due to a network administrator's settings. In this case, you may need to contact the administrator to have the setting changed.