YouTube app missing or disappeared on kid's phone with parental controls? You're not alone

Google offers a wide range of software tools for multiple use cases. For instance, Family Link is Google’s tool that allows parents to set limits on their children’s usage of mobile devices.

One of the most common uses of Google Family Link is to limit or control what children see on YouTube. Parents can set time and even content limits.

However, currently many parents are facing an issue where YouTube app is missing or disappeared on their kid’s phone with Family Link parental controls enabled.

According to multiple reports, the YouTube app is no longer available on mobile devices that parents have placed usage limits through the Google Family Link service.

Has Youtube just rescinded access for kids?

Had the Youtube app (not Youtube Kids) set up on my son’s tablet using the Family Link app, content filtered for 9 and under age group, was working fine until this evening.

Now, it looks like the youtube app has disappeared from his tablet, when I go into the apps list it is still listed on his account but I cannot enable it so that it opens.
Source

YouTube App disappeared off my son’s 6a

Just as the title states, he was watching YouTube on his phone and it dropped right out. I have the family link set up and my pixel 6 pro cannot see YouTube on his phone at all.The app is still in the app list in settings but it is nowhere else.
Source

It seems that the YouTube app still appears in the list of installed apps (from the device settings). However, the Play Store shows it as ‘unavailable’, and the icon disappears from the app drawer or home screen.

The YouTube team recommended that affected users restart their devices. They also recommended making sure the device is up-to-date and downloading the YouTube Kids app.

So far, it seems the issue started after a recent update to the Google Family Link app.

@Google the family link app updated and now the @YouTube app has been removed from my son’s phone. I can’t figure out how to get back installed and give him access.
Source

So, affected users can try uninstalling Family Link app updates (via device settings or Google Play Store) as a potential workaround.

We will update this story as events unfold in the future.

NOTE: You can also check the YouTube bugs/issues tracker.

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