YouTube ads in 2026 are longer and more frequent than ever. While YouTube Premium removes ads for £13.99 a month, there are several free and highly effective alternatives. This guide covers the best methods to block YouTube ads across desktop, Android and iOS.
Method 1 — uBlock Origin (Desktop — Best Free Option)
uBlock Origin is the gold standard for ad blocking. It is free, open source, extremely lightweight and available for Chrome, Firefox and Edge. It blocks YouTube pre-roll ads, mid-roll ads and banner ads automatically with no configuration needed.
- Go to the Chrome Web Store or Firefox Add-ons and search for uBlock Origin
- Click Add to Chrome or Add to Firefox
- Once installed YouTube ads are blocked immediately — no setup required
- For extra coverage open uBlock Origin dashboard → Filter Lists and enable AdGuard Annoyances and uBlock filters — Annoyances
Google has been attempting to detect and block ad blockers on YouTube since 2023. uBlock Origin is continuously updated to counter these measures and remains fully effective in 2026. If you see a prompt asking you to disable your ad blocker, update uBlock Origin to the latest version.
Method 2 — Brave Browser (Desktop and Mobile — No Extensions Needed)
Brave Browser has built-in ad and tracker blocking that works on YouTube without needing any extensions. It is available on Windows, Mac, Android and iOS and is based on Chromium so most Chrome extensions work with it.
- Download Brave Browser from brave.com
- Install and open YouTube — ads are blocked automatically
- Click the lion icon in the address bar to see what is being blocked on any page
- On mobile, Brave also blocks ads in the YouTube website via its built-in browser — the YouTube app itself requires a different approach (see Method 3)
Method 3 — YouTube ReVanced (Android)
YouTube ReVanced is a modified version of the YouTube app for Android that removes ads, enables background playback, removes shorts from the feed and adds many other quality of life improvements. It must be sideloaded as it is not on the Google Play Store.
- On your Android device go to revanced.app
- Download the ReVanced Manager APK
- In Android Settings → Security enable Install from unknown sources for your browser
- Install ReVanced Manager
- Download the correct YouTube APK version from APKMirror — check the ReVanced Manager for the required version number
- In ReVanced Manager select YouTube, patch it with the default patches and install
Method 4 — AdGuard DNS (Network Wide — All Devices)
AdGuard DNS blocks ads at the DNS level across every device on your network — smart TVs, phones, tablets, gaming consoles — without needing any apps or extensions on individual devices. Note that DNS-level blocking does not block YouTube ads as effectively as browser extensions since YouTube serves ads from its own domain, but it blocks many other ad networks.
- On your router, change the DNS server to
94.140.14.14(AdGuard DNS) - Alternatively set it per-device in your network settings
- Use in combination with uBlock Origin on desktop for complete coverage
Method 5 — SponsorBlock (Skip In-Video Sponsors)
SponsorBlock is a free browser extension that automatically skips sponsored segments within YouTube videos — the in-video sponsor mentions, not the pre-roll ads. It works by crowdsourcing timestamps submitted by the community and is remarkably accurate. Install it alongside uBlock Origin for complete ad-free viewing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is blocking YouTube ads legal in the UK?
Yes — using an ad blocker is legal in the UK. YouTube terms of service technically prohibit ad blockers but this is a civil contractual matter, not a legal issue. Millions of people use ad blockers daily without consequence.
Why is YouTube detecting my ad blocker in 2026?
Google has been rolling out increasingly aggressive ad blocker detection. If you see a prompt, update uBlock Origin to the latest version and clear your browser cache. The uBlock Origin team releases filter updates regularly to counter YouTube detection.
Does uBlock Origin work on Chrome in 2026?
Yes — despite Google rolling out Manifest V3 which was designed to limit ad blocker capabilities, uBlock Origin continues to work effectively on Chrome in 2026. If you have issues try uBlock Origin Lite which is the Manifest V3 compatible version.
How do I block YouTube ads on iPhone?
iOS is the hardest platform for YouTube ad blocking. Your best options are the Brave browser app for YouTube in the browser, or AdGuard for iOS. The YouTube app itself cannot be modified on iOS without jailbreaking.
Does YouTube ReVanced work on iOS?
No — ReVanced is Android only. iOS does not allow sideloading apps without jailbreaking or using alternative app stores like AltStore, which has its own YouTube alternative called uYou+.
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