YouTube is arguably the most popular streaming platform in the world, with everything from videos on how to wire a plug up to lectures on economic theory and all subjects in between. It’s annoying then that when you want to enjoy the latest episode of your favourite channel, you’re forced to endure adverts on totally irrelevant topics. We show you the quick and easy way to block ads on YouTube and banish the delays and intrusive commercials.
Get rid of YouTube ads by signing up to a Premium account
It’s a sad fact that the majority of content we enjoy online, including on this site, are funded via advertising. As readers and viewers no longer buy issues of magazines like in the recent past, the money to pay the writers, editors, photographers, technicians, as well as hosting costs and other bills has to be generated somehow, and ads is the way that has proven the most expedient.
You may point out that the content on YouTube is created by private individuals rather than corporate entities, and thus don’t incur the costs mentioned above, but this isn’t necessarily true. Creators rely on the money from advertising to upgrade equipment or be able to become full time YouTubers and thus make even more shows for you to enjoy.
One of the best ways to ensure that the channels you enjoy will continue to exist is to support them by signing up to a YouTube Premium account. These cost £11.99/$11.99 per month and remove all ads from the site.
If you would prefer to support individual channels rather than YouTube as a whole, many creators now use the Patreon platform to offer memberships and easy ways to donate regularly to the shows you enjoy. Depending on the tier you sign up, you may also find that you receive exclusive content reserved only for patrons.
So, for example, if you enjoy watching Chris Broad’s Abroad In Japan YouTube channel (and why wouldn’t you as it’s excellent fun) you can sign up to a $1 per month Patreon tier and, in his words, ‘If you’re an ad blocker user (which means no YouTube ad-revenue for Abroad in Japan) consider your sins absolved!‘
Perfect.
How to block YouTube ads on Chrome (desktop)
Should you baulk at the idea of paying Google a monthly fee, there’s always the option of using an ad-blocker to remove the ads. You’ll find many available, with our current favourite being AdBlock, as it allows you to whitelist specific channels so you’re still able to support your favourite creators. You’ll also find a range of other excellent option in our roundup of the best ad-blockers.
To install AdBlock in Chrome, open the browser then click on the three dots in the top right corner. From the drop-down menu that appears, select More Tools > Extensions, then click on the three lines in the top left corner of the Extensions page.
At the bottom of the screen you’ll see an Open Chrome Web Store option. Click this and use the search bar at the top of the Chrome Web Store page to find AdBlock, then click on the Add to Chrome option.
Back on the Extensions page, find AdBlock then ensure that its toggle switch is turned on (the dot is to the right and the switch is blue). Now, when you use YouTube you should see that the ads have disappeared.
How to block YouTube Ads on Firefox (desktop)
Removing ads on Firefox is a very similar process to that on Chrome. Open the browser and click on the three lines in the top right corner. Select Add ons then in the Find more add-ons box type adblock. When you find the one you want to use, click on it and then select the Add to Firefox option.
Go back to the Add-ons manager page, make sure the Extensions tab in the left column is selected, then check that the toggle switch for your ad-blocker is enabled.
How to block YouTube ads on Microsoft Edge (desktop)
Now that Microsoft Shares its underpinning software with Chrome, you’ll find that setting up ad-blockers is pretty much the same process. Open the browser, click the three dots in the top right corner then select Extensions.
Click the Get extensions for Microsoft Edge option, search for the one in question, select it, then click the Get button. Return to the Extensions settings, then enable the toggle switch to get the ad-blocker up and running.
How to block YouTube ads on iOS and iPadOS
Blocking ads on your Apple device is a lot simpler now than it was a few years ago, with plenty of apps available to help you. Follow the instructions on how to block ads on iPhone & iPad and you should be able to enjoy YouTube without the clutter.
How to block YouTube ads on Android
Again, there are plenty of ad-blocker available for your Android device, so read our guide on how to block ads on Android for tips on the best ones to use and how to get them set up on your smartphone.
Author: Martyn Casserly, Contributor
Martyn has been involved with tech ever since the arrival of his ZX Spectrum back in the early 80s. He covers iOS, Android, Windows and macOS, writing tutorials, buying guides and reviews.