Yes, we all know how easy it is to become addicted to YouTube videos and spend hours sticking to your Kindle Fire. Fortunately, it’s easy to block YouTube or any other app on Kindle Fire and spend some time outdoors.
Moreover, blocking YouTube can be a good way to prevent your children from bingeing on videos. This article focuses on how to block YouTube on Kindle Fire and also provides other tips and tricks for parental control.
BLOCK OF YOUTUBE ON KINDLE FIRE
There are two ways to block YouTube on Kindle Fire– you can use the FreeTime app or block navigation completely. Here are the steps required for each method.
USING THE FREETIME APP
STEP 1
Select the Home tab on your Kindle Fire, switch to FreeTime and tap to launch the app. Choose “Add a child” in the FreeTime menu and enter the name, profile picture, s3x and birth date of the child. The first window also lets you choose age-appropriate themes. When finished, tap Continue to access other settings.
STEP 2
The following window allows “Add content for children” and you can choose apps, books, audio, video, and games. YouTube should appear under Children’s Apps, but may not be recommended at all. This means that it is recognized as an app not suitable for children and is automatically locked onto the child’s profile.
STEP 3
Later, you can restrict access to a web browser, there are Amazon filters that can be applied specifically to YouTube or any other website. Select Web Settings in the FreeTime app, tap “Restrict Web Content”, then enter the YouTube URL and any other address you want to limit.
THINGS TO CONSIDER
By default, websites such as PBS Kids, Science Bob, and Nickelodeon are approved on a child’s account. But you can choose to block those too. Go to “Manage Web Content”, select the Settings tab and you will see “Enable pre-approved web content” in Amazon. Tap the button next to the option to disable it and you can also disable cookies in the same window.
PARENTAL CONTROL LOCK
As indicated, there is also an option to block YouTube without the FreeTime app. You will actually block access to all websites from that account, but there is an alternative solution. These are the necessary steps.
STEP 1
Start Kindle Fire settings, choose Parental Control and set a PIN for that device. Now you can tap Amazon Content and Apps and proceed to setting the blocks.
STEP 2
Scroll down to “Web Browser” and tap the “Unblocked” button on the far right of the screen to lock it. The same menu allows you to block lots of other features like Apps and Games, Camera, Documents, etc.
ALTERNATIVE SOLUTION
Blocking only the “Web browser” is not enough. Your child will soon understand that you have not blocked “Amazon Stores” and will be able to download the YouTube app and watch videos. Assuming that the app is not already on the tablet.
However, in reality, it is not necessary to use super restrictive blocks and deprive your child of all the content. The Kindle Fire parental controls allow you to “Set a curfew“, just scroll down the menu and activate this feature.
You need to set the time frame in which your child’s access to websites, apps and, of course, YouTube is limited.
ALTERNATIVE BLOCKING METHODS
You may not know it, but there is also an option to block Kindle Fire content through the router and there are even filter apps. Here’s what you need to know about these methods.
BLOCK OF THE ROUTER
The first thing to do is to forget the Kindle Fire network connection. Select Quick Settings, choose Wireless, tap the network name and select Forget. Unless your child knows the password, he will not have access to any online content.
A more elegant solution is to set up a DNS service and block specific websites, YouTube, for adults or any other. This service is connected to your router and you will need to contact the provider to receive instructions on how to configure it. The beauty is that DNS is usually free.
FILTER APP
Unfortunately, this method only applies to those using the previous Kindle Fire. For example, apps like McAfee, Norton, Net Nanny or Trend Micro work beautifully on Kindle Fire up to the fifth generation.
However, newer models are not available for the sixth generation. That being said, this is something that can be solved with firmware or app updates.
Bonus Tip: You can set Kindle Fire to request the Parental Control PIN to access Wi-Fi. Select Protect Wi-Fi password in Parental Control and tap the button to activate it.
YOUTUBE BLOCKED
The YouTube block of Kindle Fire requires a bit ‘of time and you need to surf more than a few’ menu. But this is not a bad thing since you have more control over all the content consumed on the device.
How much time do you spend watching YouTube videos? Have you tried any filter app on your Kindle Fire? Tell us more about your experience in the comments section below.
