YouTube restricts the viewing of certain videos that it decides aren’t appropriate for certain ages and this can be for a number of different reasons. If you’re seeking to access these because you don’t have an account or don’t want to sign in, then there are ways to gain access to age restricted content.
The site has cracked down on a lot of older ways to by pass the age gate such as NSFW YouTube and watching via embedded videos. That said, we’ve collected a couple of ways to get around the age gate below, and if you’d like to download any of the content you find then we have a guide for that too.
Use FreeTube for PC or Mac
If you’re looking to watch an age-restricted video on your PC or Mac, then FreeTube is the easiest software to use, and is free of spammy ads. It’s also free to download. Here’s what you need to do to get FreeTube working:
- Head to the FreeTube website and download the correct software for the type of PC you’re using
- Download your files and then extract them if needed
- Open FreeTube and paste in the URL of your age-restricted video. You should now be able to watch it
Freetube also allows you to subscribe to channels, create playlists and see some of the most popular/trending videos on the site.
Use NewPipe for Android
If you’d prefer to watch age-restricted videos on your phone, then the best option is NewPipe. This app isn’t officially on the Play Store, so you’ll have to download it as an APK file. Here’s what you need to do:
- Open your phone’s web browser and head to the Team NewPipe Github page
- Download the latest version of the software
- Open the file in your downloads section to install the app
- Search for the video you want
If the video you’re looking for doesn’t work immediately, ensure that you have the latest update of the software according to the Github web page. You can check the Team NewPipe site for more help.
Otherwise, we’ve found FreeTube to be the more consistent option.