This article is for Google Workspace administrators.
As a Google Workspace administrator, you can restrict access to YouTube videos for your organisation.
In your Google Admin console, you can:
- Restrict YouTube access to safe videos by VIP, HTTP headers, a Chrome device policy or signed-in Google Workspace for Education users.
- Restrict access to all YouTube videos for your network.
- Apply organisation restrictions for YouTube. Learn how to use YouTube Restricted mode.
- Manage school permissions for YouTube.
- Allowlist video content by domain.
The settings apply to users on their Google Workspace for Education accounts, school networks and signed-in devices. To also apply restrictions to signed-out users, follow the instructions in restrict YouTube content on your network to update your network configuration.
Configure content settings and permissions
Step 1: Configure content settings for signed-in users-
Sign in to your Google Admin console.
Sign in using your administrator account (does not end in @gmail.com).
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In the Admin console, go to Menu
Apps
Additional Google Services
- Click Content settings
- Tick the Signed-in users can only watch restricted and approved videos box.
- (Optional) To learn how to configure your network to restrict access to YouTube videos, click Set up your network.
- Click Save.
- Click Special approvers
- Click Save.
Tip: To restrict access to videos on managed devices, go to URL blocking.
After you have configured the content settings, you can set the same access for everyone. Or set different rules for groups or departments.
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Sign in to your Google Admin console.
Sign in using your administrator account (does not end in @gmail.com).
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In the Admin console, go to Menu
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Click Permissions.
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(Optional) To apply the setting only to some users, at the side, select an organisational unit (often used for departments) or configuration group (advanced). Show me how
Group settings override organisational units. Learn more
- Choose an option:
- Strict restricted YouTube access
- Moderate restricted YouTube access
- Unrestricted YouTube access
- Can approve videos
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Click Save. Or you might click Override for an organisational unit.
To later restore the inherited value, click Inherit (or Unset for a group).
Manage approved videos and channels
Approve a video or channel- Go to YouTube and sign in with your Google Workspace account.
- At the top, enter your search query and click search
.
- From the list, click the video or channel
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Sign in to your Google Admin console.
Sign in using your administrator account (does not end in @gmail.com).
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In the Admin console, go to Menu
- Click Content settings
- (Optional) To go to a video or channel, click the link.
- (Optional) To email an approver, click the approver's name.
- (Optional) To remove a video from the list, click remove
Allow embedded YouTube videos in Google Workspace for Education services
If your organisation allows or blocks YouTube videos in Google Workspace for Education services, you must add 'youtubeeducation.com' to either the allowlist or blocklist. This addition preserves how your organisation uses YouTube videos in Google Classroom and other Google Workspace for Education services. Learn more about controlling YouTube content.