How to protect your child's iPhone or iPad with WhitelistVideo
Set up WhitelistVideo on your child's iOS device to filter YouTube content. The app provides a safe, filtered YouTube experience where children can only watch videos from your approved channels.
What does WhitelistVideo for iOS do?
The WhitelistVideo iOS app is a safe YouTube viewer for your child's iPhone or iPad. It:
- Provides a filtered YouTube experience inside the app
- Only shows videos from channels you've approved
- Blocks access to unapproved content with a friendly message
- Lets your child request new channels for your approval
- Syncs with your parent account in real-time
- With Screen Time access approved: Blocks youtube.com in Safari and other browsers whenever WhitelistVideo isn't on screen, while approved videos continue to play inside WhitelistVideo
Required: Approve Screen Time access during WhitelistVideo setup. Never block youtube.com in Screen Time (not in Never Allow, and approved if you use Only Approved Websites; Limit Adult Websites is fine): it stops approved videos playing. You don't need to block Safari. Set up Screen Time access →
Without WhitelistVideo authorization: The app filters YouTube within its own player only and does not restrict YouTube in Safari or Chrome. If another parental-control app already has Screen Time access, see resolving conflicts.
What devices are compatible with WhitelistVideo?
- iPhone running iOS 16 or later (needed for the required Screen Time access)
- iPad running iOS 16 or later (needed for the required Screen Time access)
What do I need to set up WhitelistVideo on iOS?
- Your child's iPhone or iPad
- A WhitelistVideo parent account (create one at app.whitelist.video (opens in a new tab))
- Access to the Parents' App on your phone
- About 5 minutes for setup
How to set up WhitelistVideo on your child's iPhone or iPad
Quick start steps
- Install and activate WhitelistVideo using a code from your Parents' App
- Allow Screen Time access in the WhitelistVideo app (you approve it)
- Block the YouTube app: in app version 1.4.8, pick YouTube in the app's picker and tap Block YouTube; newer versions ask you to delete the YouTube app
- Let the YouTube access check pass. If it shows "Unblock YouTube in Screen Time", remove the youtube.com block from Screen Time. On a child Apple ID, change Web Content on your own iPhone. Then, on the child's device, tick "I will NOT block youtube.com in Screen Time" and tap "Check again". The app does not re-check by itself after a change on your phone
- Set the parent PIN
Recommended on your iPhone: Screen Time → Content & Privacy Restrictions → iTunes & App Store Purchases → Deleting Apps: Don't Allow.
Don't block youtube.com in Screen Time, and there's no need to block Safari: once Screen Time access is approved, WhitelistVideo blocks youtube.com in Safari and other browsers whenever it isn't on screen.
Optional: block google.com in Screen Time (Google results play video snippets) and set DuckDuckGo (privacy-focused) as Safari's search engine.
Which authorization mode should I use?
Scroll horizontally to see all columns.
| Mode | What It Does | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Child Account | Gives WhitelistVideo the strongest Screen Time authorization through a child Apple ID | Recommended for most families |
| Individual | Lets WhitelistVideo request access on a device without a child Apple ID | Requires separate app-deletion restrictions and regular checks |
FamilyControls protection
After Screen Time access is approved, WhitelistVideo:
- Blocks youtube.com in Safari and other browsers whenever WhitelistVideo isn't on screen
- Continues playing approved videos inside WhitelistVideo because youtube.com is not blocked in Screen Time
- Provides the strongest authorization when the device uses a child Apple ID
If another parental-control app is used
If Bark, Qustodio, or another parental-control app prevents WhitelistVideo from obtaining authorization:
- Let that app manage app installation, app deletion, and browser restrictions
- Use WhitelistVideo to filter approved YouTube content inside its own app
- Do not have the other app blanket-block YouTube domains if that prevents approved playback
- Do not describe WhitelistVideo as restricting Safari or Chrome unless it holds Screen Time authorization
Manage the supporting Screen Time restrictions →
How does WhitelistVideo work on iOS?
Inside the app
- Your child opens the WhitelistVideo app instead of the YouTube app
- They can search and browse YouTube normally
- Videos from approved channels play immediately
- Videos from unapproved channels show a "Request" option
- All viewing is filtered according to your settings
What your child sees
- Approved videos: Play normally with full controls
- Unapproved videos: Blocked with a friendly message and option to request
- Channel requests: Sent to your Parents' App for approval
What you control
- Which channels are approved
- Auto-pilot content screening settings (Premium)
- Request limits (daily screen time stays with Apple Screen Time, which WhitelistVideo works alongside)
iOS troubleshooting
The app isn't in my region's App Store
- WhitelistVideo is available worldwide
- Try signing out and back into the App Store
- Contact support if the issue persists
My child can still watch YouTube in Safari
- Confirm WhitelistVideo still has Screen Time access
- Confirm youtube.com is not blocked in Screen Time (not in Never Allow, and approved if Web Content is set to Only Approved Websites; Limit Adult Websites is fine); a Screen Time block breaks the app rather than helping
- Test Safari and any other browser; if one allows unfiltered YouTube, re-authorize WhitelistVideo
The app was deleted from my child's device
- Reinstall from the App Store
- Generate a new activation code from your Parents' App
- Use FamilyControls with a child Apple ID for the strongest authorization mode
- Review Screen Time app-deletion restrictions separately and test them on the child's device