Today, it seems as if we can’t watch YouTube without seeing advertisements within the first minute of pressing play. Fortunately, there are various time-tested techniques for watching YouTube without having to see a single advertisement.
How to view YouTube without being bothered by advertisements
If you’re sick and tired of seeing advertisements for goods and services you’re not interested in (particularly those without a skip button), we recommend investing in an ad blocker. We’ve used the Chrome browser in this example. Other browsers may need a different configuration.
- Navigate to the browser extension store (this may vary by browser): Chrome, Firefox, Opera, and Microsoft Edge are all browsers. Add Adblock Plus to Chrome by searching for it and clicking “Add to Chrome.”
- Now that the extension has been installed, it is ready to use.
- Visit YouTube using the same browser that you used to install the extension.
- Adblock Plus automatically configures your browser settings to prevent YouTube adverts, so you don’t have to do anything.
Settle in, press play, and enjoy ad-free YouTube streaming!
Adblock Plus and other ad-blocking browser add-ons operate in the background, continually scanning and identifying websites that show advertisements. When it identifies an ad-supported website, it prevents the advertisement from being shown to you, the end user.
Numerous websites use their own ad-blocker detection software, and if you are found to be using an ad-blocker, you may be greeted with a pop-up requesting you to deactivate your ad-blocker. If you decline, some sites may even ask you to leave! How impolite?
You should have few troubles, and if you do, there are a plethora of different browser extension ad-blockers capable of suppressing adverts on YouTube.
The best adblocking browser addons
- AdBlocker Ultimate — Our top pick, which is financed by contributions, blocks practically anything you throw at it.
- Total AdBlock — A fantastic adblocking add-on with several whitelisting options for customizing what is banned.
- Standsfair Adblocker – A good adblocker for individuals who often move between browsers, easily unblocking YouTube advertising.
- UBlock origin – A resource-conserving adblocking addon for Firefox and Chrome.
- AdGuard — A desktop adblocker that blocks advertisements across various browsers without requiring a plugin.
- AdLock is the greatest ad-blocking application available for iOS devices.
Adblockers created specifically for your PC
Browser extension ad blockers are not for everyone, particularly if you wish to prevent advertisements across many programs on your PC or Mac that are not covered by browser ad blocking.
Similar to how a desktop VPN program secures all of your internet traffic rather than just your online browsing, there are applications available to block advertisements throughout your whole device.
We prefer Adguard since it prevents advertisements across all of your browsers, which eliminates the need for separate extensions if you use various browsers. It performs a good job of blocking advertisements on YouTube and offers a tool for combating trackers and removing existing traces of your online behavior.
Apps that prevent advertisements on televisions, tablets, and smartphones
If you often view YouTube on a portable device or stream the app exclusively on your television, adverts might be just as bothersome as those that display on your computer browser.
There are a few ways to bypass YouTube advertising, depending on the device you’re using. For Android users, we recommend utilizing Total AdBlock in conjunction with their Firefox browser. This, like Adblock Plus, will block the majority of advertisements when watching YouTube.
If you’re using a FireStick and don’t want to open a browser every time you want to view YouTube, you may want to install a program called YouTube Vanced. This open-source program is similar to YouTube but is fully ad-free. However, you should be aware that this will require the user’s authorization to utilize third-party applications. This identical software is also available as an APK for Android tablets and smartphones.
For iOS users, where Apple is a bit more rigorous, you may install AdBlock, which extends the Safari experience by blocking adverts. The only downside is that it’s a tad costly when compared to completely free solutions for other smartphones.
Configure a DNS server to ban advertisements on mobile devices.
While relying on ad blocking programs for smartphones and tablets is not always as dependable as using the techniques accessible on a computer, there is another option that we’ve discovered to be more successful. If you possess a Raspberry Pi, you can use Pi-Hole to transform it into a DNS server that stops mobile adverts spotted on any device connected to your wifi network — and, best of all, it can also block YouTube and in-app advertisements, not just those seen on the web.
Is it possible to prevent YouTube from monitoring my activity?
Yes, you may opt out of YouTube monitoring and follow your activity throughout the website. When you visit websites such as YouTube (owned by Google) or social media channels such as Facebook, you will often be asked to agree to cookies – which enable websites to target you with relevant advertisements while you browse the web.
To prevent websites from installing tracking cookies on your computer through your browser, we suggest utilizing incognito mode in conjunction with a VPN.
If you’re a desktop user, we suggest using an extension such as Privacy Badger, which identifies websites that monitor your online activity without your agreement and stops them from following you across the web.
The following is an example of how websites retarget you: You’ve arrived at a website in search of a new pair of shoes. The website may demand permission (which you must accept in order to continue browsing). You then visit YouTube a day or two later and, while watching the newest music videos, an advertisement arrives with an offer for the shoes you were just seeing.
Does it sound frightening? We concur, which is why we propose that you use a VPN to prevent websites from monitoring your online activity. When you connect to a VPN server, your traffic is routed via a secret VPN tunnel, and your real IP address is disguised. As a consequence, although YouTube and other websites may still set tracking cookies against your virtual IP, when you exit from the VPN, no trackers are connected with your real IP.
NordVPN’s CyberSec technology blocks advertisements and alerts you to hazardous viruses, while Surfshark’s CleanWeb technology does the same thing.
Is it possible to use a VPN to prevent advertisements?
Although a VPN’s main function is not to prevent advertisements on YouTube, some VPNs have built-in ad blocking software. NordVPN is a top-rated VPN service that contains an ad blocker capable of dealing with obnoxious adverts on YouTube and websites that are infested with adware.
However, many users utilize VPNs for reasons other than adblocking. There are a slew of additional advantages to choosing a service like NordVPN.
- When harmful websites are found, connections to them are blocked.
- Prevent your internet service provider from restricting your connection due to excessive bandwidth consumption
- Hide your activities from Internet Service Providers