One of the most popular streaming services used by many households in the United States is Roku. This is because you can stream and watch several of your favorite shows and events for a nominal fee or for free. It makes more sense to have a service like YouTube available on Roku. There is however a problem that many households seem to face, especially the ones that have very young children.
You see, YouTube is a great platform, however, there can also be content that is not suitable for young kids. While the parents can choose to not have the YouTube app installed, that is not enough, as you could easily install the app and watch it again. So, how do you block the YouTube app on any Roku device?
How to Block YouTube on a Roku Device
To get this process working, there are two things that you will need,
- Your Roku TV
- Your PC or smartphone
Uninstall the YouTube App from the Roku TV
The first part of blocking the YouTube app on your Roku TV is uninstalling the app. Follow these steps to uninstall the YouTube app on your Roku TV.
- Grab the remote for your Roku TV and press the Home button.
- Move your selection to the right and highlight the YouTube app on your Roku TV.
- Press the Star button on your Roku TV remote. The Options menu will open up.
- From the Options menu, select the Remove Channel option.
- Finally, confirm the removal when your Roku TV prompts you.
With the YouTube app uninstalled or removed from your Roku TV, it is time to now lock or block the YouTube app on your Roku TV.
Block the YouTube App on your Roku TV
Now that you have uninstalled the YouTube app from the Roku TV, it is time to block or lock the app. The only way to avoid having the kids re-install the YouTube app is by setting up a lock or PIN for it. Yes, you can set up a PIN to any channel or app that you like on your Roku TV. Only when the PIN has been entered, the channel or app can be installed on the Roku TV. Here is how you lock an app on your Roku TV.
- On your PC or smartphone, launch your favorite web browser.
- Now, head over to the official Roku Accounts page and sign in with the same account used with your Roku TV.
- Once you are signed in, select the PIN Preference section.
- Make sure to select the Require a PIN to make Purchases and Add Channels.
- Now, click on Create a PIN.
- Here you will have to enter a 4-digit PIN. Make sure it is a tough combination and cannot be guessed by anyone easily.
- With the PIN setup, now scroll down and click on the Save button to save the PIN.
- Go back to your Roku TV and give it a restart. Once the TV has restarted, go to the store and try to install the YouTube channel. It will ask you for a PIN.
Yes, the person can still find the channel from the channel store, but they will no longer be able to install it unless they enter the 4-digit PIN.
Closing Thoughts
This concludes everything that you need to know if you want to block the YouTube channel on your Roku TV or almost any app. In fact with this method, you can also prevent other family members or users of your Roku TV from making purchases for any streaming app or services. This is one of the best ways to help reduce the TV time for your kids, especially if they like to stream or watch content for long durations.
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