Troubleshooting Channel Blocking Issues
Common problems with blocked channels and how to resolve them.
Channel Still Accessible After Blocking
If a blocked channel is still accessible to your child:
Wait for Sync
Changes take 30-60 seconds to sync across devices. Wait a moment and refresh the YouTube page.
Verify Protection Mode
- Open the Parents' App
- Check that protection is set to Manual (SAFE) or AI Shield (SECURE)
- If it shows Unprotected (OFF), blocking won't work
Confirm the Block
- Go to your child's Manage tab
- Expand the Blocklist section
- Verify the channel appears in the list
- Check the @handle matches exactly
Refresh the Browser
On your child's device:
- Close all YouTube tabs
- Clear browser cache (Ctrl+Shift+Del)
- Reopen YouTube
Quick Fix: Most blocking issues are resolved by waiting 30 seconds and refreshing the YouTube page.
Can't Find a Channel to Block
If you can't find a channel when trying to add it to the blocklist:
Search by @Handle
- Go to the channel's YouTube page
- Look for the @username below the channel name
- Copy the exact handle (including @)
- Paste it in the WhitelistVideo search box
Search by Channel Name
- Try the full channel name exactly as it appears on YouTube
- Use fewer words if the full name is long
- Try common variations
Verify Channel Exists
- Open YouTube in a browser
- Search for the channel
- If it doesn't appear on YouTube, it can't be blocked
Tip: Some channels use special characters or non-English names. Copy/paste the name directly from YouTube for best results.
Block Not Syncing Across Devices
If blocks work on one device but not others:
Verify Extension is Active
On each device:
- Click the WhitelistVideo extension icon
- Check it shows "Protection Active"
- Verify the correct child account is selected
Check Device Connection
- Open the Parents' App
- Go to your child's Devices tab
- Verify all devices show as "Connected"
- Reconnect any devices showing "Disconnected"
Force a Sync
On your phone:
- Pull down on the child's profile to refresh
- Wait 10 seconds
- Check the device again
Child Bypassed the Block
If your child accessed a blocked channel, check these:
Verify Advanced Protection
- Is Advanced Protection enabled?
- Without it, blocks can be bypassed via:
- Incognito mode
- Different browser
- Uninstalling the extension
Check for Multiple Accounts
- Is your child signed into a personal Google account?
- Check if they created a separate WhitelistVideo child profile
- Review all child profiles in your Parents' App
Review Browser List
- Open your child's computer
- Check for browsers you didn't install (Firefox, Opera, Brave)
- Either install WhitelistVideo extension on those browsers or enable Advanced Protection
Important: Without Advanced Protection, children can bypass blocks by using incognito mode or other browsers. We strongly recommend enabling Advanced Protection for ages 8-15.
Whitelist and Blocklist Conflicts
Which Takes Priority?
Blocklist wins. If a channel is on both lists:
- The channel will be blocked
- Remove it from the blocklist if you want it accessible
Removing Conflicts
- Open the Parents' App
- Go to Manage tab
- Check both Whitelist Channels and Blocklist
- Remove the channel from whichever list you don't want it on
Videos Blocked but Channel is Whitelisted
If individual videos are blocked from a whitelisted channel:
Check Video-Level Blocks
- The specific video may be blocked by keyword
- Go to Blocklist → Keywords
- Check if any keyword matches the video title
- Remove the keyword if needed
Check AI Shield Settings
If using AI Shield mode:
- AI may have flagged the specific video
- The channel is approved but video content triggered filtering
- Videos with mature themes can be blocked even from whitelisted channels
Verify Video is on YouTube
- Try accessing the video from your own device
- It may have been removed by YouTube
- It may be age-restricted by YouTube (requires sign-in)
Extension Shows "Not Connected"
If the browser extension shows "Not Connected":
Check Internet Connection
- Verify the device is online
- Try loading other websites
- Restart the browser
Re-authenticate
- Click the extension icon
- Tap "Reconnect"
- Enter your parent email if prompted
- Select the child profile
Reinstall Extension
- Remove the WhitelistVideo extension
- Go to Chrome Web Store
- Reinstall the extension
- Connect to your parent account
Blocked Message Not Appearing
If blocked videos play instead of showing the block message:
Verify Protection is Active
- Click the WhitelistVideo extension icon
- It should show "Protection Active" with a green indicator
- If it shows "Unprotected," enable protection from Parents' App
Check for Extension Conflicts
- Other extensions may interfere with WhitelistVideo
- Try disabling other YouTube-related extensions
- Test if blocking works with other extensions disabled
Update the Extension
- Go to
chrome://extensions - Enable "Developer mode"
- Click "Update" to get the latest version
Still Having Issues?
If none of these solutions work:
- Check our FAQ for additional troubleshooting tips
- Email support: support@whitelist.video
- Include: Your device type, browser, and description of the issue
Response Time: We typically respond within 24 hours on business days.
Related Guides
- Block YouTube Channels — How to block channels
- Advanced Protection — Enable bypass prevention
- Extension Issues — Extension troubleshooting
- Device Status Alerts — Understanding device status