Are you getting the “Restricted Mode has hidden comments for this video” error on YouTube?

Many users have been having problems with this error recently.

It appears because, at some point, you might have activated the Restricted Mode on YouTube.

This guide will teach you several ways to solve this error and resume your YouTube activities.

Please keep reading to find out how you can do it!

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Why Are You Getting the “Restricted Mode has hidden comments for this video” Error?

This is what the error looks like.

The comment sections of all videos are hidden from you. 

Instead of the comments, you’ll see the “Restricted Mode has hidden comments for this video” error.

This error appears either because you activated it at some point and forgot about it, or the network administrator activated it.

Restricted Mode theoretically hides offensive or mature comments from you.

But in reality, it hides all comments from all YouTube videos.

If your mobile phone is connected to a network and the network administrator has enabled Restriction Mode for YouTube, you’ll get this error.

This usually happens if you access YouTube from a library, school computer, or network.

This could be caused if you connect to an organization’s VPN.

How Can You Remove Restricted Mode on YouTube?

First off, you can try disabling Restricted Mode from within YouTube’s settings.

If this doesn’t work, you should turn off your VPN or change your DNS to 8.8.8.8.

These three solutions should solve your problem and disable the Restricted Mode.

Maybe you’ve enabled it in the past, or the VPN you’re using is causing this issue.

Alternatively, change your DNS to 8.8.8.8. will override your administrator’s settings by creating a new DNS.

We’ll start with the simplest method and move on to more complicated solutions that should solve your problem:

• Turn off your VPN

If you’re using a VPN as part of an organization project, chances are that’s why Restricted Mode is enabled on YouTube.

The system administrator could have enabled it by default for security and work productivity reasons.

If you disconnect from the VPN, those settings will also disappear.

YouTube’s Restricted Mode will also be disabled.

Disconnecting from your VPN should be pretty simple if you can find the main VPN interface.

On your computer, look in the bottom-right for an arrow icon. That’s the icon for Hidden Icons.

Click on it and see if the VPN is somewhere there. Then, click on the VPN icon, and the main interface will appear.

The Disconnect button should be somewhere in the app.

If you’re on a mobile device, the VPN app is somewhere in your app list.

Look for it, access it, and find the Disconnect button.

After you disconnect the VPN, try YouTube again.

If the VPN caused the problem, the YouTube comments should normally appear now.

The Restricted Mode should be disabled by default when you disconnect from the VPN.

If this doesn’t work, then move on to other solutions.

• Disable Restricted Mode

A simple way of dealing with Restricted Mode is disabling it.

To disable it on a mobile device, check your profile picture first. It’s in the top-right corner.

When you first open YouTube, you’ll land on the main page. To go to your Settings, you need to select your Profile picture.

The top-right corner is where you need to look for it.

Selecting your profile picture will open a new menu.

The menu contains several options like “Your Channel,” “Turn on Incognito,” “Get YouTube Premium,” “Settings,” and more.

You don’t need to go to “Your Channel” because that’s not where you can disable Restricted Mode.

Instead, select “Settings.” Then, a new window will appear.

This is the “Settings” menu, where you can customize your YouTube experience.

There are several options here like “General,” “Data saving,” “Autoplay,” “Live chat,” and more.

Select “General” to open the general YouTube settings. It’s the first option on the list, so you don’t need to scroll down.

This will open a new window with the General Settings on YouTube.

Scroll down until you reach the very bottom. The “Restricted Mode” option should be there.

It’s under “Location” and above “Enable stats for nerds.”

The General Settings contain other options like “Uploads,” “Voice search language,” “Double-tap to seek,” and more.

“Restricted Mode” is toward the bottom, so scroll down to find it.

This option can be toggled on and off. In the picture above, Restricted Mode is toggled on, so it’s blue.

To turn it off, tap on it. It’ll turn grey, which signifies that it’s disabled.

If you’re on a computer, the process is much simpler.

Just click on your profile picture and select “Restricted Mode.”

The option can be easily missed if you’re not looking.

Chances are you didn’t even realize there’s a YouTube Restricted Mode and that you can enable it this easily.

After you disable Restricted Mode, you should be able to see all the comments on all YouTube videos.

If this doesn’t work, move on to the final solution.

• Change your DNS to 8.8.8.8.

This solution only works on a computer because you can’t change your DNS on a mobile phone.

If you change your DNS to 8.8.8.8., the “Restricted mode has hidden comments for this video” error should disappear.

Google operates this DNS address, which is often used to solve these kinds of errors.

However, before you do this, you should note down your present DNS address so that you can restore it later on if anything happens.

To switch your DNS address to 8.8.8.8., do this:

• Open Control Panel
• Open the “Network and Sharing Center” under the “Network and Internet” Menu
• Click on “Change Adapter Settings” on the left
• Select “Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)
• Click on “Properties”
• Select the “Use the following DNS server address” option
• Replace the existing DNS address with 8.8.8.8.

After you replace your existing DNS with 8.8.8.8., the YouTube comments should appear.

The YouTube Restricted Mode should also be disabled.

• Switch between Wi-Fi and Mobile Data

If you’re on a mobile device and the “Restricted Mode has hidden comments for this video” appears, you could try switching between Wi-Fi and cellular data.

It’s not an official solution to this problem, but no solution is official.

Some users have successfully overcome this error by switching to Wi-Fi and cellular data on their phones.

To do this, swipe down from the top of the screen and select Wi-Fi/Mobile Data.

If you have Mobile Data on, turn it off and enable Wi-Fi.

See if this solves your problem.

Conclusion

The Restricted Mode on YouTube hides all comments on all YouTube videos.

Instead of the comments, you’ll get the “Restricted Mode has hidden comments for this video” notification.

You can either disable it yourself or contact the administrator and tell them about your problem if the administrator enabled it.

Alternatively, you should disconnect the VPN service you’re using.

Lastly, you can try changing your DNS address to 8.8.8.8. to solve this problem.

Optionally, you could try to switch between your Wi-Fi and Cellular data modes if you’re on a mobile phone.

One of these solutions should help you solve the Restricted Mode problem.

FAQ

Why can’t I disable Restricted Mode?

If you tried disabling Restricted Mode on YouTube, but the option isn’t there, or it reactivates again, you’ve got a problem.

Most likely, you’re using a private network and an organization-owned computer.

The network administrator may have customized YouTube to have Restricted Mode on at all times.

Unless you contact the administrator and tell them to disable Restricted Mode, there isn’t much you can do.

As long as you’re using the device connected to that private network, Restricted Mode will always be enabled.

Talk to the administrator and see what you can do!