YouTube imposes certain content restrictions to block access in certain situations. Age restrictions are the most common type of restriction on video sharing platforms. Its main purpose is to prevent young viewers from accessing content that is not suitable for them. There are also country-specific restrictions and other restrictions.
These restrictions apply for a good reason, but you may also need to access restricted content for a good reason. To access and watch restricted YouTube content, try the following tips and tricks.
Hack YouTube URLs
There is another way to watch NSFW YouTube videos without logging in.
As with the first option, this method requires you to change the video address in the browser’s address bar. But this time we are blocked on the official YouTube site.
This approach may not work due to changes in YouTube’s age verification system, but it might be worth a try as a last resort, so I’ll leave it here.
If you remove watch?v= and replace it with embed/, you will see a link that leads directly to the video without the rest of the YouTube site and it will play full width in your browser. So, for example, use the following link:
youtube.com/watch?v=o5GDrJEGkVk
and change it to this:
youtube.com/embed/o5GDrJEGkVk
Avoid Age Restrictions
Age restrictions are a great tool for content creators looking to post NSFW content. With age restrictions, creators don’t have to worry that young viewers (children) are interested in the content. Unfortunately, if you’re not signed in to YouTube, you won’t be able to access age-restricted content.
And you won’t have to log in. Alternatively, you can add nsfw before the youtube.com portion of the link:
nsfwyoutube.com/watch?v=o5GDrJEGkVk
This will take you to a different site to play the video (and subject you to some ads), but it’s a bit faster to type in. You can accomplish much the same thing by typing repeat into the same spot in the browser bar instead, as follows:
http://repeatyoutube.com/watch?v=o5GDrJEGkVk
Also Read: Best 4 Methods To Download YouTube Videos
Use FreeTube on your computer
Install FreeTube on your PC or Mac. FreeTube is a free app that allows you to view YouTube content without having to log in or check your age. To get the app:
- Go to
https://freetubeapp.io/#downloadwith your web browser. - Click the .zip link if you are using Windows or the .dmg link if you are using macOS. If requested, save the file to your computer.
- If you are using Windows, right-click on the downloaded .ZIP file, select Extract All and click Extract. Then double-click on the file starting with “freetube” and ending with “exe” and follow the on-screen instructions to install it.
- On Mac, double-click the .DMG file and follow the on-screen instructions.
- Open FreeTube. The red and blue “F” icons can be found in the Windows Start menu or in the Mac Applications folder.
Using NewPipe on Android
Install NewPipe on your Android. NewPipe is a free Android app that allows you to watch age-restricted videos on your mobile phone or tablet. NewPipe is not available from the Play Store and must be installed differently than any other app.
If you’re only using Android 7 (Nougat) or earlier, open the Settings app, tap Security or Lock screen and security, then slide the Unknown source switch to the On position.
- Open a web browser on your Android and go to https://github.com/TeamNewPipe/NewPipe/releases.
- In the latest version (found at the top), tap on the link that starts with NewPipe_v and ends with .apk. Located in the Resources section. If the download doesn’t start automatically, follow the onscreen instructions to start the download now.
- Open the download folder. If you have an app called Files or My Files, tap on it and select Download. Otherwise, there is an app called Downloads. Touch to open the folder.
- Tap the .APK file and follow the onscreen instructions to install. Once installed, the app icon will be added to the app list.
- Open NewPipe. This is a round red icon with a white triangle on the side that is missing a small part.
Use VLC Media Player on your mobile or tablet
Install VLC on your Android, iPhone or iPad. If you have Android, search the Play Store for the “VLC for Android” app and tap Install to get it. If you are using an iPhone or iPad, search for “VLC for Mobile” and press GET to install.
- Many Reddits report that streaming via VLC allows you to watch age-restricted videos without signing in, but this doesn’t work for all age-restricted videos. Not all areas work.
- You can no longer use VLC on your computer to get around the age limit.
