YouTube is adding a useful privacy feature for people who share a TV with family members, roommates or other people.
The YouTube app on TVs can now lock individual accounts with a four-digit PIN, helping keep watch history, recommendations and other account activity private.
The new account lock feature is designed specifically for shared TVs and other big-screen devices. Once enabled, anyone trying to access the protected YouTube profile will need to enter the four-digit code before they can use it. YouTube says the feature is rolling out to most smart TVs, streaming devices and game consoles globally.
There is also a more convenient way to unlock the account. Instead of entering the PIN every time, users can tap a push notification sent to the YouTube app on their phone to access their account. This makes it easier for people who regularly use YouTube on a shared TV without leaving their profile open for everyone else.
To turn on account lock, open the YouTube app on your TV, go to your account from the left-side navigation and select the Settings option directly under your account. YouTube will then guide you through the steps to create the four-digit code.
The feature could be particularly useful in households where several people use the same television. Without an account lock, someone else could switch to your profile and see your recommendations or viewing history. With the lock enabled, your individual YouTube profile gets an extra layer of privacy.
YouTube is also adding a separate four-digit parent code for TVs. Parents and caregivers can use it to prevent younger viewers from watching YouTube while signed out, accessing profiles belonging to older family members or removing accounts from the TV.
If you forget your account-lock PIN, YouTube provides a way to reset it using your Google Account credentials. From the lock screen, selecting “Forgot code?” allows you to sign in and turn off the account lock for that particular device. YouTube notes that the four-digit code is an account-lock feature for the TV and isn’t a replacement for your Google Account password.
The new feature is a small but useful change, especially as TVs have increasingly become shared devices for watching personalized content. Instead of having to sign out of YouTube every time you finish watching, users can now keep their profile on the TV while preventing others from opening it without permission.
For anyone who regularly shares a television, setting up the new account lock could be an easy way to keep their YouTube activity a little more private.
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