Unlocking Ad-Free YouTube: A Guide on How to Block Ads

From podcasts and Jackpot Capital casino login gaming streams to video clips and entire TV show episodes, YouTube is one of the leading video-sharing content providers on the internet today. YouTube offers a vast array of content that you can enjoy and explore but many people don’t take advantage of the service because of the frustrating ads that disrupt the viewing experience.

Some viewers simply choose to avoid YouTube while others settle for the appearance of the ads, figuring that that’s the price that they have to pay to access YouTube content. You should be pleased to know that you can avoid the ads. Some of the various methods that will help you enjoy an ad-free YouTube experience include:

Ad Blocker

Using an ad Blocker like Total Adblock or AdBlocker can make the difference between a seamless viewing experience and one marked with constant interruptions. The blocker interfaces with Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems and supports all of the major browsers including Google Chrome, Safari, and Firefox Edge.

Users can activate it to block ads on streaming sites and social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Google, You can then download and install the browser extension or the ad directly from the provider’s website and then launch the extension or the app to enable the ad blocker. If you have a Mac, you might want to consider a Mac-specific ad-blocker like MacKeeper.

YouTube Premium

You can always subscribe to YouTube Premium to enjoy ad-free YouTube viewing. YouTube Premium, at approximately $12/month, allows you to enjoy YouTube content without commercial interruptions. Additional benefits include the ability to watch videos online, letting videos play in the background while you play a game or work on another site, and receiving exclusive content from popular YouTube creators.

To get a subscription to YouTube Premium, go to YouTube, tap on your profile, and click “Purchases and Memberships” Choose “YouTube Premium” and enter your payment details. Click “Buy” and you’re finished. With your YouTube Premium membership, you are given access to YouTube Music so you can download the YouTube Music app to listen to over tens of million songs ad-free, online or offline, even while your screen is locked.

Brave Browser

The Brave Browser has a built-in content blocker that is designed to block all ads, including YouTube ads. Once you download the Brave browser you can open YouTube on the browser and enjoy ad-free YouTube content.

To use the Brave Browser, download and install the Brave browser on your PC or mobile device. Then open the Brave browser and navigate to the YouTube website. Click on the Brave Shield icon (top right corner of the browser window). Turn on Brave’s ad-blocking feature by toggling the “Shields Up” option.  YouTube page or start a new video.

Download Videos

Downloading YouTube content to your computer is one way to view YouTube content without ads. You can’t download directly from YouTube because downloading videos violates the YouTube terms of service.

There are desktop software devices like 4K Video Downloader or extensions YouTube Video Downloader that you can use to download YouTube content. This method is not always reliable because YouTube issues updates regularly which renders third-party software useless.

Also, keep in mind that if you choose an unreliable service to download the videos, you could infect your device with malware.

Block Specific Ads

If there are specific ads that you don’t want to see, click the “I” icon or the “stop seeing this ad” button so that ads from that particular advertiser won’t appear on your YouTube.

You’ll be asked to provide feedback on why you don’t want to see the ad. That won’t reduce the number of ads that appear on your feed because YouTube will simply replace those ads with other ads.

VPN

Some VPNs block ads on YouTube, even though that’s not their primary function. VPNs like NordVPN come equipped with built-in adblocking software so, as an added benefit, you can eliminate ads on your YouTube.

VPNs are also useful for preventing ISPs from throttling your connection at times when bandwidth usage is high, hiding your activities from ISPs, and blocking connections to malicious websites. If you plan to invest in a VPN, you might want to investigate its usefulness in blocking ads on YouTube before you search for another solution.

Pi-hole

A Pi-Hole Network offers a more comprehensive ad-blocking solution for your network across all devices. A Pi-hole is an ad-blocker that functions at the DNS (Domain Name System) level.

It works on a network-wide level to prevent ads from loading on any device connected to your network by blocking ad server requests. This includes ads on YouTube. You’ll need some technical know-how to set up a Pi-Hole or the services of a knowledgeable tech person. You can also use any of the numerous online guides to guide you through the process.

Modified YouTube Apps

You may see modified versions of the YouTube apps promoted as offering an ad-free experience. These modified apps come with risks such as violations of YouTube’s Terms of Service or potential security vulnerabilities If you choose this option, proceed with caution as trying to use them may result in account suspension.

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Pintu is the admin and editor-in-chief at Gizmoradar. He crafts actionable tech guides related to Windows, Android, Mac, and iOS. He's been writing how-to guides for many years now and has covered many topics.

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