YouTube, while a treasure trove of video content, often comes with the irksome presence of ads. Although a premium subscription is a pathway to an ad-free experience, it doesn’t rid you of sponsored ads intertwined within videos by creators. Nonetheless, there’s a workaround to this issue—the SponsorBlock extension. This free, open-source, and community-backed tool empowers users to skip over sponsored segments in videos, thanks to the “skip segments” provided by volunteers.

The extension boasts a hefty repository of over 15 million skip segments, covering an extensive array of YouTube channels, demonstrating its efficiency even on channels with around 100,000 subscribers. Its compatibility spans across all popular browsers and extends to some third-party, ad-free apps like LibreTube. For Android TV users, an integrated version of SponsorBlock is available in SmartTubeNext, touted as an effective solution to block YouTube ads. Additionally, the iSponsorBlockTV can be run on your computer, serving as a shield against sponsored ads on YouTube for smart TVs and Apple TV.

Upon installing the browser extension, you’ll notice a distinctive green highlight for the sponsored segments in videos. By default, the extension is configured to automatically skip these ads, though a red highlight marker allows you to jump to the end of the ad manually. Dive into the extension’s settings, and you’ll find options to whitelist channels for viewing sponsored videos and to disable automatic skipping if desired. Furthermore, if you stumble upon a video sans a marked sponsorship segment, the extension provides a Submit feature, enabling you to contribute your own skip segment—thereby aiding the community in dodging sponsored ads and enhancing the overall viewing experience.

The SponsorBlock extension is a robust solution for those seeking to reduce ad intrusions while enjoying their favorite YouTube channels, without having to shell out $13.99 per month for YouTube Premium, which unfortunately doesn’t cover sponsored ads. Moreover, the transparency of sponsorship ads, where you know the creator has collaborated directly with the company, as opposed to algorithm-driven ads, is appreciated. However, the repetition of the same sponsored messages can become a tad monotonous. Hence, this extension serves as a perfect ally in your quest for a more streamlined and enjoyable YouTube viewing journey.

Block YouTube Ads Android: You can block YouTube ads on Android by using YouTube Vanced, AdLock, or AdBlocker Browser. These methods allow for uninterrupted video and music playback without disruptions from third-party ads​.

Block YouTube Ads iPhone:

On iPhone, YouTube ads can be blocked using 1Blocker, AdLock, or Ghostery Ad Blocker. These tools can block ads on YouTube when browsing through Safari or by using a custom YouTube player provided by AdLock​.

Pi-hole Block YouTube Ads:

Pi-hole can block YouTube ads by updating the blocklist in the blacklist section with regular expressions (regex) patterns that match the domains associated with YouTube ads. However, it’s not a 100% effective method as YouTube’s ad domains may change over time​.

Does uBlock Origin Block YouTube Ads:

Yes, uBlock Origin can block YouTube ads. It works based on specific instructions and rules that detect and block ads and has been updated in the past to ensure YouTube ads are blocked when using Chrome​.

Block YouTube Ads Safari:

You can block YouTube ads on Safari by using AdGuard, Ghostery, or Magic Lasso Adblock. These tools provide options to block ads on YouTube, including pre-roll, mid-roll, and post-roll ads, enhancing the ad-free viewing experience​​.

Does AdGuard Block YouTube Ads:

Yes, AdGuard can block YouTube ads by employing traditional ad-blocking techniques and customized filters. It blocks requests to known ad servers and domains, preventing ads from being loaded and displayed on websites and apps including YouTube​.