TVs are often shared devices in the home. To help manage your privacy, we offer features that give you more control over your account and viewing history on communal devices.
Protect your account with account lock
Account lock keeps your YouTube account private on a shared TV by requiring a 4-digit code that you set for that specific device.
Turn on account lock
Follow these steps to turn on account lock:
1. Access your account in the left navigation.
2. Select the Settings button directly under your account.
3. Follow the prompts to turn on account lock.
Reset your 4-digit code
If you forgot the code you set for your account lock, you can turn off the feature by signing in with your Google account credentials.
To turn off account lock using your Google account:
1. Click Forgot code? on the lock screen.
2. Follow the steps to sign in.
3. Once you successfully sign in, your account lock has been turned off for this specific device
Family member profiles
When using the YouTube app on your TV, the 'Who’s Watching' screen will automatically display profiles for all members of your Google Family Group. To protect your account's privacy, family members are shown as signed-out profiles. To use a profile, that family member will need to select it and sign in with their own Google Account credentials. This only applies to accounts that have a password. If an account doesn't have a password, it will be signed in automatically.
Watch as guest
If you want to watch YouTube without an account, select Watch as guest. Videos are recommended based on signed out watches on the device.
Learn more about privacy and account options
Will these features be available on all devices?
How can I sign out of a TV, streaming device, or game console I no longer have access to?
How do I pause or clear my watch history?
How do I turn off the feature where my family members' profiles show up?