The fastest way to stop YouTube ads

You can block most YouTube ads using a browser extension, which works on desktop and some mobile browsers. The most common choice is uBlock Origin, a free extension that removes ads from YouTube and thousands of other websites. Install it from your browser's extension store, turn it on, and YouTube ads stop appearing on your next page load — no settings to change.

If you use YouTube on your phone through a mobile browser (not the YouTube app), the same extensions work, though some phones handle them differently. On Safari for iPhone, you'll need to use a different approach because Safari extensions have limits. On Android Chrome, uBlock Origin works the same way it does on desktop.

The trade-off is simple: ad blockers work well, but YouTube's terms of service say you shouldn't use them. YouTube won't ban you for using one, but the company doesn't support it and may change how its site works to make blocking harder.

Key Takeaways

  • uBlock Origin is a free browser extension that removes YouTube ads on desktop and Android browsers, installed in seconds with no configuration needed.
  • YouTube Premium ($13.99 per month) removes ads legally and also removes the pause-and-resume ads that appear when you stop watching, plus it works on the YouTube app.
  • Mobile browsers on iPhone cannot use most ad blockers because of how Safari works, so your options are Premium or the YouTube app with ads.
  • Ad blockers may stop working if YouTube changes its code, so having a backup plan like Premium or switching videos helps if blocking fails.

Installing uBlock Origin on desktop

Open your browser and go to its extension store. On Chrome, Edge, or Opera, search for "uBlock Origin" in the Chrome Web Store. On Firefox, search for it in the Firefox Add-ons page. On Safari, uBlock Origin is not available, but you can use 1Blocker or AdGuard instead (both cost money).

Click the blue "Add to Chrome" button (or the equivalent for your browser). A popup will ask for permission to "read and change all your data on websites you visit" — this is how it sees ads to block them. Click "Add extension" to confirm. The extension icon will appear in your toolbar, usually in the top right corner.

Go to YouTube and reload the page. Ads should be gone. If you still see ads, try clearing your browser cache (the stored data YouTube left behind) by pressing Ctrl+Shift+Delete on Windows or Command+Shift+Delete on Mac, then selecting "All time" and clicking "Clear data." Reload YouTube again.

Using ad blockers on Android phones

On Android, you have two paths: use Chrome with uBlock Origin, or use a browser that has built-in ad blocking like Firefox with uBlock Origin added, or Brave, which blocks ads by default.

To add uBlock Origin to Firefox on Android, open Firefox, tap the three-line menu at the bottom right, select "Add-ons," search for "uBlock Origin," and tap "Add to Firefox." Reload YouTube and ads will be blocked. Brave requires no setup — just download it, open YouTube, and ads are already gone.

The YouTube app itself cannot use extensions, so if you watch through the app, you'll see ads no matter what. Stick to the browser version if you want blocking to work.

Why YouTube Premium is the official alternative

YouTube Premium costs $13.99 per month and removes all ads from videos, including the skippable ads at the start and the mid-roll ads in longer videos. It also removes the ads that appear when you pause a video, which ad blockers usually cannot stop. Premium works on the YouTube app, on desktop, and on mobile, so it's the only option that covers all devices.

Premium also includes YouTube Music (a music streaming service) and the ability to download videos to watch offline. If you watch YouTube heavily, the cost might be worth it. If you only watch occasionally, an ad blocker is free and does the job.

YouTube offers a one-month free trial of Premium, so you can test it before paying. After the trial ends, you'll be charged monthly unless you cancel.

What happens when ad blockers stop working

YouTube occasionally changes how it delivers ads to make blocking harder. When this happens, your ad blocker may stop working for a few days or weeks until the extension developer updates it. uBlock Origin updates frequently, so downtime is usually short, but it does happen.

If ads suddenly reappear, check whether uBlock Origin has an update waiting. Click the extension icon and look for an update button. If there's no update, try disabling and re-enabling the extension, or clear your browser cache and reload YouTube. If nothing works, switch to a different ad blocker temporarily — Adblock Plus or AdGuard often work when others don't, though they may be slower.

This is why Premium is a reliable backup: it doesn't depend on blocking code, so YouTube can't break it by changing its site.

Ad blockers on Safari and iPhone

Safari on iPhone and iPad cannot use uBlock Origin or most other ad blockers because Apple restricts what extensions can do. Your options are limited to paid extensions like 1Blocker ($1.99 one-time) or AdGuard ($2.99 per month), and even these work differently than desktop blockers — they're less reliable on YouTube specifically.

The better choice on iPhone is YouTube Premium, which works on the YouTube app and in Safari. If you don't want to pay, you can use the YouTube website in Safari and accept that ads will appear, or use a different browser like Firefox (which supports uBlock Origin on iPhone as of late 2024, though support is limited).

Frequently Asked Questions

Will YouTube ban me for using an ad blocker?

No. YouTube's terms of service discourage ad blockers, but the company does not ban accounts for using them. What YouTube does do is occasionally change its code to make blocking harder, which forces extension developers to update their tools.

Do ad blockers slow down YouTube?

uBlock Origin is lightweight and usually makes YouTube slightly faster because it stops ads from loading. Heavier ad blockers like Adblock Plus may slow things down a bit. If speed matters, uBlock Origin is the fastest choice.

Can I block ads on the YouTube app?

No. The YouTube app does not support extensions or ad blockers of any kind. Your only option is YouTube Premium. If you want to block ads, watch YouTube in your mobile browser instead of the app.

What's the difference between uBlock Origin and Adblock Plus?

uBlock Origin is faster, uses less memory, and is updated more frequently. Adblock Plus is older and slower but sometimes works when uBlock Origin is temporarily broken by YouTube changes. Most people should use uBlock Origin first.

If I use an ad blocker, do content creators still get paid?

No. Ad blockers prevent ads from showing, which means YouTube doesn't pay creators for those views. If you watch creators you care about, consider turning off your ad blocker for their channel, using Premium (which pays creators from your subscription), or supporting them directly through YouTube's channel membership feature.