How to Watch YouTube Without Ads: 7 Proven Methods That Work

Ads on YouTube can ruin your viewing experience. You sit down to watch a video, and an ad interrupts you every few minutes. Some ads you cannot skip. This makes learning how to watch YouTube without ads necessary.

You want a clean way to enjoy content without interruptions. This guide shows you exactly how to watch YouTube without ads using several methods. Some options cost money. Others are completely free. 

If you’ve always wanted to enjoy watching your favoritre videos without unnecessary ads, this is for you. Keep reading to the end and pick the one that fits your needs.

How to Watch YouTube Without Ads: A Complete Guide

To enjoy uninterrupted streaming on YouTube, here are the methods you can try out.

Method 1: Pay for YouTube Premium

YouTube Premium is the official solution. You pay a monthly fee, and YouTube removes all ads from every video. This works on your phone, computer, tablet, smart TV, and game console.

The service also lets you play videos with your screen locked. You can download videos to watch offline and access YouTube Music Premium as part of the deal. A family plan covers up to five people.

This method gives you the smoothest experience and you’ll never see a warning message or lose access to features.

Method 2: Use an Ad Blocker on Your Computer

Ad blockers are browser extensions that remove ads from web pages. They work very well for YouTube on desktop computers. You install one, and it runs in the background without you doing anything.

uBlock Origin is the best choice. It is free, open source, and uses very little computer memory. AdBlock Plus is another popular option, although you can’t use it on Google Chrome anymore. 

The Brave browser comes with a built-in ad blocker, so you do not need to add anything extra.

To use ad blockers, simply go to your browser’s extension store. Search for the ad block you want, like uBlock Origin and click “Add to Browser”. Once installed, visit YouTube. You should see zero ads as long as you keep the extension updated.

However, YouTube sometimes detects ad blockers, especially on Google Chrome. You might see a pop-up asking you to turn off your blocker. When this happens, update your extension or try a different one. 

Method 3: Try Alternative YouTube Front Ends

Some developers built alternative websites that pull videos from YouTube without showing ads. Invidious is one example and Piped is another. These sites strip away everything except the video player.

The best part is that you do not need to install anything. Simply visit an Invidious instance website, and search for any YouTube video. The video plays without ads, tracking scripts, or recommended video clutter.

However, these sites tend to change addresses sometimes. Search for working Invidious instances online and pick one with a fast connection. This method works great for watching single videos without committing to a subscription.

Method 4: Block Ads on Android Phones

Android gives you more freedom than an iPhone. You can install modified versions of the YouTube app that remove ads completely. For example, YouTube ReVanced is the most popular option.

To get ReVanced, you need to download an APK file and microG, which lets the app connect to your Google account. You can then log in, see your subscriptions, and watch videos with zero ads.

This app also adds background play. You can close your screen and keep listening to music or podcasts, giving you all the Premium features for free.

For safety reasons, you must download ReVanced from its official website. Do not trust random APK sites as they might contain malware. The setup takes about ten minutes, but works perfectly after that.

NewPipe is another good Android option. However, it does not let you log into your Google account so you cannot like videos or leave comments. 

But you can watch videos and listen to audio in the background with no ads at all. NewPipe is lighter and easier to install.

Method 5: Watch on iPhone Without Ads

Apple locks down its operating system so you cannot install modified YouTube apps easily. But you still have options and this includes using a browser with built-in ad blocking.

One such browser is Brave and it blocks YouTube ads on iPhone devices. Download Brave from the App Store, open it and go to YouTube.com. Sign in to your account then play any video without ads.

Firefox Focus also works well and it blocks trackers and ads by default. Use it the same way you use Brave. The experience is not as smooth as the official app, but you will not see ads.

For a better experience, try the Vinegar extension. It costs a small one-time fee and it replaces YouTube’s video player with a standard one. Vinegar works inside Safari, so you keep using your normal browser.

Method 6: Remove Ads on Smart TV

Smart TVs are harder to fix because you cannot install ad blockers easily. But if you own an Android TV or Google TV, you have a solution. 

There’s an app called SmartTubeNext, a third-party YouTube client made for TVs. You side-load it using an app called Downloader. Then, you enter a short URL, and the app installs itself. It looks almost like the real YouTube app, but has no ads.

The app also skips sponsored segments inside videos. Creators sometimes promote products themselves and SmartTubeNext can jump over those parts automatically. This gives you an even cleaner experience.

For Fire TV Stick, the process is the same. Start by installing Downloader from the Amazon App Store then use it to get SmartTubeNext. 

Apple TV users can try Yattee. This app connects to Invidious servers allowing you to watch YouTube videos through a private, ad-free connection. The setup takes a few extra steps, but it works well once configured.

Method 7: Block Ads at the Router Level

This method blocks ads for every device in your home. Your phone, laptop, smart TV, and game console all get protected at once. You set up a DNS filter or install Pi-Hole on a small computer.

DNS filtering is easier. Services like NextDNS or AdGuard DNS give you an address to put into your router settings. Every time a device asks for an ad, the DNS service says no. The ad never loads.

Pi-Hole is more powerful but requires extra hardware. You install Pi-Hole on a Raspberry Pi or an old computer. It acts as your network’s gatekeeper by blocking ads before they reach any device.

Router-level blocking catches YouTube ads most of the time. But YouTube changes its ad servers often so sometimes an ad slips through. You still get protection for other websites and apps, too.

What About the Creators?

You should know that blocking ads means creators lose money. This is because YouTube pays them based on ad views. If you block every ad, they earn nothing from your watch time.

You can support creators directly. Many have Patreon pages and others use YouTube’s channel memberships.

You pay a few dollars a month, and they get most of that money. Some also accept Super Thanks donations on individual videos.

Supporting creators this way gives them more money than ads ever would. A single dollar from you equals hundreds of ad views. Pick your favorite channels and help them directly.

Are These Methods Safe?

Most of these tools are safe if you get them from the right places. uBlock Origin, Brave, and ReVanced have millions of users and security experts review their code regularly. To be on the safe side, keep the following tips in mind:

• Avoid random websites that promise ad-free YouTube. 
• Do not download executables from unknown sources. 
• Do not enter your Google password into strange apps. 
• Stick to the tools mentioned here, and you will stay safe.

YouTube may detect your ad blocker and show a warning. In most cases, you can close the warning and keep watching. If YouTube blocks you completely, switch to a different method or wait a few days

Which Method Should You Choose?

Pay for YouTube Premium if you want the easiest experience. You never fight with updates or warning messages because everything just works across all your devices.

Use uBlock Origin on your computer if you want a free solution. It takes thirty seconds to install and blocks ads immediately.

Install ReVanced on Android if you want Premium features for free. The setup takes ten minutes but pays off every time you watch a video.

Try SmartTubeNext on your TV if you watch a lot of YouTube on a big screen. No other method works as well for televisions.

Pick browser-based solutions for iPhone. Brave or Safari with Vinegar gives you a solid experience without jailbreaking your phone.

Final Thoughts

You now know how to watch YouTube without ads. Each method works differently, some cost money and others require a little setup. All of them remove those annoying interruptions.

Start with the free browser extension on your computer. If you watch on your phone or TV, try the app-based solutions. And if you want the simplest path with no maintenance, pay for Premium.

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