What you need to know
- YouTube is discontinuing its designated Kids app on Smart TVs starting in July.
- The company says that it will help parents manage their kid's profiles without juggling between different apps.
- This change will not impact the user experience or the controls on the app.
YouTube announced last week that it will eliminate the YouTube Kids app from all Smart TVs.
Starting in July, users will no longer see a separate YouTube kids icon on their TVs. However, they will be able to create a profile and access the Kids version of YouTube via the regular app.
This will make it easier for parents to manage their kids' profiles without switching between apps and having a single streaming platform to maneuver through. This is similar to how other streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video handle kids' profiles on smart TVs.
YouTube released the Kids app several years ago, giving kids a safer way to browse through videos without stumbling up on unnecessary content. The app was made available on several Android/Google smartphones, tablets, and streaming devices like Samsung TV, Chromecast, Roku TV, etc. More recently, it was made available on gaming consoles as well. This change will only impact smart TVs as of now, according to Google's announcement.
Nonetheless, Google says it will not change the way the app functions despite its transition into the main YouTube platform.
The company says that this transition will help better customize a child's experience on YouTube when signed in. For instance, "even if you sign in to YouTube on another smart TV, streaming device, or game console, your child's same YouTube Kids profile will be ready to use," Google's support page stated.
To get started, download the YouTube app and sign in with the same account that you used to set up your child's YouTube Kids profile. Then, open the YouTube app on the desired TV/device, click on "Who's watching," and select your kid's profile to enter YouTube Kids.
However, if the app opens the sign-in page, you can simply head to the account's page and select the kid's account to switch to YouTube Kids.
It is unclear when this transition will impact other Android/IOS devices; however, for now, they get to keep the designated kid's app.
