Alexis Kestler
Hey there! Recently bumped into the "Restricted Mode has hidden comments for this video" error on YouTube? No worries, we‘ll get this fixed up.
As a long-time technology specialist, I‘ve helped many puzzled users deal with YouTube‘s infamous Restricted Mode. In this guide, I‘ll walk you through exactly why you‘re seeing those hidden comments, the inner workings of Restricted Mode, and steps to get your full YouTube access back.
Ready? Let‘s dig in!
What is YouTube‘s Restricted Mode?
Restricted Mode is YouTube‘s built-in content filtering system. When enabled, it uses automated algorithms to identify and hide videos as well as comments that may be inappropriate or objectionable.
YouTube debuted Restricted Mode back in 2013 as an optional setting to create a more limited, filtered YouTube experience. Since then, its use has steadily grown, especially among schools, libraries, and other organizations.
Over 35% of K-12 schools in the U.S. now use Restricted Mode to comply with CIPA regulations around internet safety policies. Many public libraries enable Restricted Mode on their public computers. Corporate offices often enable it on workplace networks as well.
Overall, YouTube estimates over 1.5 million schools and organizations actively use Restricted Mode, covering millions of users.
Now let‘s look at how it actually works.
Inside YouTube‘s Restricted Mode Algorithms
YouTube uses advanced machine learning algorithms to automatically evaluate each video and channel on the platform. It looks for:
- Sexual content
- Violence
- Profanity
- Mature subjects
Any video containing this type of "adult" content gets flagged as inappropriate for Restricted Mode. Videos from channels known to post more provocative content may get preemptively filtered as well.
In addition to filtering videos, Restricted Mode also hides potentially inappropriate comments. Since YouTube can‘t manually review billions of comments, their algorithms look for signals like:
- Profanity
- Hate speech
- Sexual references
Comments with any of these red flags get removed when Restricted Mode is on.
Now the algorithms aren‘t perfect. LGBTQ+ creators have called out Restricted Mode for unfairly filtering their content. But YouTube continues to tweak the technology to balance censorship concerns with the desire to create a safer space online.
Why You‘re Seeing "Restricted Mode has hidden comments"
When you get the "Restricted Mode has hidden comments" error, it means the filtering algorithms have been enabled somewhere along your access environment:
- On your personal YouTube account
- On the network you‘re connected to
- In your VPN or DNS settings
This prevents you from seeing all the available comments on videos.
Based on my experience, here are the most common causes:
Enabled on Your Personal YouTube Account
If you or someone else has toggled on Restricted Mode in your YouTube settings, comments will automatically be hidden.
To check, go to your YouTube account settings on desktop or mobile app and make sure "Restricted Mode" is disabled. This is the first thing to verify.
Network-Level Restricted Mode
If you‘re accessing YouTube through a restricted public network like a school, library or workplace, Restricted Mode may be turned on for all users.
As an example, when I was in college, the university network had Restricted Mode enabled. Any time I watched YouTube from the campus WiFi or computer labs, comments were hidden.
You‘ll need to disconnect from these restricted networks to regain access.
Organizational VPNs
Similarly, if you‘re connected to an organizational VPN, it may have Restricted Mode enabled as part of the networking policies. To bypass, disconnect from the VPN.
DNS-Level Restrictions
In some cases, your network DNS settings themselves may be configured to filter adult content and trigger Restricted Mode.
Switching to public DNS servers like Google (8.8.8.8) or Cloudflare (1.1.1.1) can help route around these restrictions.
Now let‘s walk through how to disable Restricted Mode so you can view those comments again!
Step-by-Step Guide to Disable Restricted Mode
Based on the cause, use these troubleshooting steps to regain access:
1. Check Personal YouTube Settings
This is the first place to verify Restricted Mode is actually turned on:
On Desktop:
- Click your profile picture > Settings
- Go to the bottom and make sure "Restricted Mode" is disabled
On Mobile App:
- Tap your profile picture > Settings
- Turn off "Restricted Mode"
If it‘s already off, you‘ll need to keep investigating.
2. Disconnect from Restricted Networks
At school, work, or the library? They may have Restricted Mode enabled on that network.
You‘ll have to disconnect from that WiFi or ethernet altogether to disable the filtering. Some options:
- Switch to your mobile data
- Use a different WiFi network not locked down
- Try a VPN or proxy service to bypass (see next section)
To request the settings be changed, you‘ll have to talk to the organizational IT staff.
3. Disable VPN or Proxy
If you‘re connected to a corporate or organizational VPN, it could have Restricted Mode enabled as part of its networking policies.
Uncheck the VPN app or browser extension to turn it off. You can also try switching to a personal VPN service without restrictions instead.
Similarly for proxy services – disconnect from them as they may be filtering content.
4. Switch to Public DNS
As a workaround, you can override the network-level restrictions by changing your DNS settings:
On Windows 10:
- Open Control Panel > Network and Sharing Center
- Click Change Adapter Settings
- Right-click your WiFi and select Properties
- Select Use the following DNS server addresses
- Enter
8.8.8.8and8.8.4.4.
On Mac:
- Go to System Preferences > Network
- Click Advanced > DNS
- Enter
8.8.8.8and8.8.4.4
This will assign you the public Google DNS, bypassing any filtering from your previous network or VPN DNS.
Once you‘ve disabled the active Restricted Mode, you should now be able to view all comments. Give YouTube a quick refresh and you should see the "hidden comments" error gone.
Let me know if you run into any other issues getting your full access back! I‘m always happy to help troubleshoot.
Additional Tips for Changing DNS Settings
While we focused on bypassing Restricted Mode, I wanted to offer a few bonus tips on making the most of custom DNS settings:
Improve speed: Google‘s DNS (8.8.8.8) is very fast globally. But you can run speed tests and experiment with others like Cloudflare (1.1.1.1) or OpenDNS (208.67.222.222).
Enhance security: Services like Quad9 (9.9.9.9) block malicious domains. Or use NextDNS for advanced filtering and security management.
Circumvent censorship: Domains get blocked in some countries. Using alternate DNS helps route around that.
Enable Smart TV features: Some smart TV apps require custom DNS settings to enable bonus capabilities or region unlocking.
Understand risks: Your DNS provider can see sites you visit! Keep this in mind before sending all traffic through a single third-party provider.
Hope this gives you some additional food for thought on how to maximize your DNS settings beyond just getting those YouTube comments back!
Summary: Fixing YouTube‘s "Restricted Mode"
To recap, the "Restricted Mode has hidden comments" error appears when YouTube‘s filtering algorithms are enabled somewhere along your access environment.
Here are your main troubleshooting steps:
- Verify personal YouTube settings
- Disconnect from restricted networks
- Disable organizational VPNs/proxies
- Switch to public DNS like Google or Cloudflare
Taking one of these steps should disable the active Restricted Mode and restore your ability to view all comments.
Please let me know if any part of these instructions needs more clarification. I‘m always happy to help explain in more detail!
I hope this guide gives you a better understanding of how Restricted Mode functions and what you can do to work around it. Let me know how it goes or if any other questions come up!
