Buzz
Many YouTube videos display paid advertisements before and during playback to generate revenue and increase income streams. While watching ads supports the content creators you love, 15-30 second ads can be time-consuming and annoying. Fortunately, ad-blocking browser extensions are available to help you avoid this issue. If you're using a mobile device, consider using an ad-blocking browser to skip them entirely.
Steps
Chrome
Click on the Menu button (☰) and select "More tools" → "Extensions". This will open a new tab displaying all installed extensions.
- To block YouTube ads on mobile devices, click here.
Click on "Get more extensions" at the bottom of the list. This action will open the Chrome Web Store.
Search for the keyword "ad block" and expand the "Extensions" results. You'll see a list of extensions capable of blocking ads, including YouTube ads.
Browse through the results and select the most suitable extension. You'll find numerous options. Look for extensions with positive reviews. Note that some extensions may have similar names but are developed by different companies. Here are some popular choices:
- AdBlock
- Adblock Plus
- Adblock for YouTube
- uBlock Origin
Click the "Add to Chrome" button to install the extension. You'll be prompted to confirm the installation.
Test a video on YouTube. Once installed, the extension will start working immediately. You'll see its icon on the right side of the address bar. Visit YouTube and play a video to check if ads are blocked.
- Some extensions may require you to restart Chrome to function properly. You'll be notified if a browser restart is needed.
Check the extension settings if YouTube videos still display ads. Typically, extensions automatically block pre-roll ads or banners on YouTube. However, some require manual activation of this feature.
- Click the extension logo next to the address bar and select "Options" > "Settings" or the gear icon.
- Look for YouTube-related settings and enable them. Review the list of regions under the "Filters" section in the Settings menu.
Try a different extension if the one you installed doesn't work. Chrome extensions are easy to install and uninstall. If your current extension fails, you can quickly switch to another.
- You can remove unused extensions from the Extensions menu (chrome://extensions/). Click the trash icon next to each extension to delete it.
- It's recommended not to run multiple ad-blockers simultaneously, as they may conflict.
Internet Explorer and Microsoft Edge
Click on the Tools menu or the Gear icon and select "Manage add-ons". If the menu bar isn't visible, press the Alt key.
- You cannot add extensions to Microsoft Edge. If Edge is your primary browser, ad-blocking isn't possible. Use Internet Explorer for watching YouTube videos instead.
Click on "Find more toolbars and extensions". This option is located at the bottom of the Manage Add-ons page. Clicking it opens the Internet Explorer Gallery tab.
Click the "Add" button next to Adblock Plus. This extension appears at the top of the list. Click Add to download the installer to your device.
Run the Adblock Plus installer. Follow the on-screen instructions to install Adblock Plus for Internet Explorer. Internet Explorer will close during the installation process.
- If the installer doesn't work correctly, download the latest version from adblockplus.org and try again.
Launch Internet Explorer and click "Enable". You'll be prompted to confirm that you want to load Adblock Plus when starting Internet Explorer.
Test a video on YouTube. Adblock Plus is set by default to automatically block YouTube ads. Try playing a YouTube video to see if the extension works.
Firefox
Click the Menu button (☰) and select "Add-ons". This action opens the Extensions menu in a new tab.
Click on "Get Add-ons" in the left-hand menu. This will open the Firefox Add-ons repository.
Search for the keyword "adblock". You'll see numerous ad-blocking extensions in the search results.
Try out an ad-blocking extension. There are many options available. Read the descriptions and user reviews to find one that suits your needs. Most ad-blockers automatically block YouTube ads without requiring additional setup. Here are some popular choices:
- Adblock Plus
- AdBlock Ultimate
- Adguard AdBlocker
Click the "Install" button next to the extension you want to use. The extension will install immediately, taking only a few seconds. A new tab will confirm the installation is complete.
Test a video on YouTube. Once installed, the extension will activate immediately. Open a YouTube video to ensure the extension is functioning properly.
- Some extensions, like AdBlock Plus, allow certain ads by default, such as YouTube banners. You can disable this setting by clicking the extension icon on the toolbar, selecting "Filter preferences," and unchecking "Allow some non-intrusive advertising."
Android and iOS
Clear the default YouTube app settings (Android). Before installing an ad-blocking browser, you need to reset the YouTube app settings to prevent links from opening in the app. This allows you to watch YouTube videos on the newly installed ad-blocking browser.
- Open the Settings menu.
- Select "Apps" or "Applications."
- Choose YouTube from the list of installed apps.
- Tap the "Clear Defaults" button.
Download the AdBlock Browser. This is a free mobile web browser developed by the same company behind the AdBlock web extension. You can download it from the Google Play Store or iOS App Store.
Access YouTube through AdBlock Browser and find the video you want to watch. You'll view the video on the mobile site, not the app.
Start watching the video. If you view the video through the browser, you won't see any ads.
Install AdBlock on other devices (Android). To block ads everywhere, including the YouTube app, you can install AdBlock on Android devices. This software requires manual configuration and monitoring and only works over Wi-Fi connections.
- You can download the AdBlock APK from adblockplus.org/en/android-install. You'll need to enable "Unknown sources" in the Security section of Settings.
- Configure the wireless network to connect through a proxy. All internet traffic will be routed through AdBlock before reaching the browser or other apps. Refer to articles on blocking pop-ups in Android browsers for more details.
