How to block keywords on YouTube?
To block keywords on YouTube, you can use several methods depending on whether you are a content creator or a viewer.
For Viewers (Blocking Search Results and Recommendations):
YouTube does not offer a built-in feature for viewers to block keywords from search results or recommendations directly. However, several third-party browser extensions can provide this functionality:
- YTBlock: This Chrome extension allows you to block unwanted videos and channels by blacklisting specific words or phrases in titles, or by setting criteria like video duration. You can enable it through the “General” settings and input keywords under “Block content that include:”.
- BlockTube: This extension helps customize your YouTube feed by blocking channels and content. You can use its “Filter options” to add keywords for specific video titles, channel names, or comment content.
- Channel Blocker: This add-on enables users to block videos, channels, and users. It supports regular expressions for precise content filtering and does not collect user information.
Additionally, to filter out explicit content, you can enable YouTube’s “Restricted Mode” or use parental control guides and DNS content policies to disable thumbnails or block YouTube Shorts. Using incognito mode in your browser can also help by preventing personalized recommendations.
For Content Creators (Blocking Comments):
If you own a YouTube channel, you can block specific words and phrases from appearing in your video comments. This feature is managed through YouTube Studio on a desktop computer or laptop.
- Go to YouTube.com and sign in to your account.
- Click your profile photo in the top-right corner, then select “YouTube Studio”.
- In YouTube Studio, click “Settings” from the left-hand sidebar.
- Select “Community” from the Settings menu, then navigate to the “Automated Filters” tab.
- Scroll down to the “Blocked Words” box.
- Enter the words or phrases you wish to block, separating each with a comma. You can also choose to “Block Links” to hold comments containing URLs for review.
- Click “Save” to apply your changes. Comments containing these words will be held for review.
You can review held comments by going to “Comments” in YouTube Studio and checking the “Held for Review” or “Likely Spam” tabs. From there, you can approve, delete, report, or block users.