YouTube is now strictly enforcing the rule that all members of its Premium Family plan must live at the same address as the plan manager. This move is similar to Netflix’s recent efforts to stop password sharing.
What Is Changing?
YouTube allows up to five members in a Premium Family plan, giving them ad-free YouTube and YouTube Music access.
However, all members must share the same household. While this rule existed before, YouTube is now making sure it is followed more closely.
Warning Emails Are Being Sent
Some users have started receiving emails titled “Your YouTube Premium family membership will be paused.”
These emails warn that if the household rule isn’t met within 14 days, those members will lose their Premium benefits.
What Happens If You Don’t Follow the Rule?
Flagged members will stay in the family group but can only watch videos with ads. They will lose Premium features like offline downloads, background playback, and YouTube Music access.
To regain these perks, users must contact Google Support and prove they live at the same address as the plan manager.
How Does YouTube Check Addresses?
YouTube performs electronic checks approximately every 30 days to verify that family members live together. These checks are now more strict than before.
What Does This Mean for Users?
Users sharing Premium Family plans outside their household risk losing access. They will need to either subscribe individually or pass Google’s verification to keep using Premium features.
