Sharing a TV? YouTube now lets you lock down your account, here's how

YouTube recently made watching videos on a TV less of a remote-control chore. Its new companion experience lets your phone handle searches, comments, and other fiddly tasks without interrupting whatever is playing on the big screen. Now, YouTube is giving that phone another useful job: unlocking your profile while keeping everyone else on the couch out of it.

YouTube has announced a new account lock feature for its TV app. It lets you protect an individual account with a four-digit code, preventing other people who share the TV from opening your profile and poking around your recommendations, subscriptions, or search history.

To enable it, open the YouTube app’s left navigation menu on your TV and select your account. Select the Settings button beneath it, then follow the prompts to turn on account lock and create your code. The code applies only to that device, so you’ll need to set it up separately elsewhere.

You don’t have to enter the code with your remote every time. After selecting a locked profile on the TV, open YouTube on your phone and respond to the prompt. Enabling notifications also gives you a push notification for faster access.

Forgetting the code shouldn’t lock you out permanently. Select “Forgot code?” on the lock screen and verify your identity using your Google Account credentials. This disables account lock on the device, allowing you to set it up again. YouTube stresses that this is a local privacy barrier, not a replacement for your Google Account password, and it doesn’t authenticate other Google products.

YouTube is rolling out account lock globally across most smart TVs, streaming devices, and game consoles. The app also offers guest accounts on all devices. Meanwhile, Google Family Group members appear as signed-out profiles on the “Who’s watching” screen and must sign in before using them.

Google also recommends reviewing google.com/devices to see where your account remains signed in. You can remotely sign out of an old, lost, or unfamiliar TV from the Security & Sign-in section of your Google Account.