Popular entertainment sites such as YouTube provide us with a limitless amount of fun when we just want to sit back and chill. However, one thing that can ruin an entire experience would be those 15 seconds of advertisement that pop up every now and then. What do we do about them? Easy, install an AdBlocker.
While this may sound like the ultimate solution for this particular inconvenience, Youtube just wouldn’t have it. Apparently, even with an Adblocker, YouTube’s recent updates can detect ad blockers, rendering our solution completely useless.
Yes, YouTube’s regularly updated scripts will spoil your binging fun while trying to watch your favorite content creators. So, the question is: How do we bypass this anti-adblock detection? We have everything you need in the following comprehensive guide.
AdBlock Detection No More – Quick Steps
Time needed: 5 minutes
To bypass YouTube’s AdBlock detection techniques, you must follow the steps provided below. (More information will be provided later on in the article about what you’re dealing with):
Download and install the Adblocker’s application or web extension.
Activate your newly installed software.
Sign up to the service if required. If not, just proceed.
Enable the Adblocking feature.
Start watching YouTube without having to worry about advertisements anymore.
Important Notice: While the steps above are exactly the way to bypass YouTube’s adblocking mechanism, you might stumble upon some issues depending on the service you’re using.
If that’s the case, we’ve dedicated a specific section to this predicament. You only have to do a few extra steps for this to work, which means that you don’t even have to change the Adblocker you’re using.
YoutTube – The AdBlocker Blocker
In the world of online streaming, advertisements are widely used by platforms, particularly free ones, to enhance user experience (Supposedly) while balancing the revenue model that supports the platform.
This technique requires using targeted ads and various algorithms to provide users with relevant content while minimizing disruptions. Well, to most of us, the ads we receive during binge-viewing YouTube videos are definitely not minimal disruptions.
Just like Facebook and Instagram, YouTube tailors advertisements after analyzing our behavior, preferences, and search history, which is our main problem today.
Most of us figured out how to bypass this issue by using adblockers. However, YouTube did not just sit around watching us “not watching” its ads, and that brings us to its detection of adblockers.
Websites, regardless of whether it’s YouTube or not, implement several effective methods to detect if an ad blocker is in use, as ads have become essential to them to analyze the users’ behavior or work with affiliate programs. The most notable ways to detect adblockers are:
Script Detection: Ad blockers often block JavaScript files associated with ad-serving scripts. However, websites use JavaScript files to check if certain scripts are being loaded, and if not, they can stop an ad blocker.
Element Checking: Ad blockers may hide specific HTML elements to block ads. If a website checks for these elements, it can detect the use of ad blockers.
Behavioral Analysis: A website can monitor the users’ behavior, especially when it comes to the time it takes to interact with the site or the patterns of clicks. This helps it detect the absence of ads. With blockers speeding up page loading times by eliminating ad-related content, they might eventually be detected.
Cookies: Ad blockers might affect the cookies set by tracking scripts. Websites can check for the presence of specific cookies to determine whether ad-related scripts have been blocked.
Now, you know most of the methods used by YouTube to determine if you have an ad blocker or not. But the question is: What actually happens when the platform catches you? Simple, you get the following error:
“Ad blockers are not allowed on YouTube.
It Looks like you may be using an ad blocker.
Ads allow YouTube to stay free for billions of users worldwide.
You can go ad-free with YouTube Premium, and creators can still get paid from your subscription.”
It’s important to note that while these techniques are widely used, they may not be bypassed. Users can employ various methods to circumvent ad-blocker detection, and the steps above are more than enough to do so.
In the end, users have their reasons, be it privacy concerns or accessibility issues, so we can’t blame them if they’re searching for solutions.
What AdBlockers to Use
Just like any software you might come across in a search, Adblockers and VPNs vary in terms of quality and effectiveness. Yes, even those have their good apples and bad ones.
To find the perfect AdBlocker that can circumvent YouTube’s detection mechanism, thorough research is required. We took it upon ourselves to do this task for you. We tested several Adblockers and rounded up the best ones to use in the following list:
In some cases, users tend to browse the web using a web browser that comes with a built-in adblocker. A perfect example is Brave, which is considered one of the safest browsers to use.
Adblockers don’t only make your YouTube streaming convenient; they also have other features you can benefit from. That includes keeping you safe from malicious pop-ups, banners, video ads, or online trackers.
AdBlocker Not Working – Here’s Your Fix
Installing an adblocker to watch an ad-less YouTube video is an easy task with high rewards. However, if you see the “Detection” message, don’t blame the tool you’re using. In some instances, the adblocker’s filters are outdated, allowing YouTube’s detection scripts to counter their effect.
Simply put, Adblockers use something called a “filter list.” It consists of a set of rules that the adblocker follows to determine what to block on a webpage. We’re referring to some common elements in ads, such as image URLs, script sources, and more.
Youtube, on the other hand, uses scripts to detect and display ads. These scripts run within your web browser to manage the content on the webpage. And since YouTube relies on ads for revenue, it constantly uses scripts to check if you are blocking ads.
Once it detects that you are using an ad blocker, it may take actions such as the predicament mentioned above. In simple terms, it’s like a game of cat and mouse. So, let’s help you out in case YouTube turns out to be the cat in your case.
The following example represents one of the adblockers we recommended above – uBlock Origin. If you manage to get an error on YouTube while using uBlock, here’s what you need to do: (The same method can probably be used with other adblockers):
Open the extension and head over to settings (Gear Icon).
Click on the “Filter’s List” section and then “Purge All Cache.”
Once you do that, tap on “Update Now.”
Now, head to “settings” and click on “reset to default settings.”
Finally, select “OK,” and uBlock will restart.
Watch YouTube videos without ads and enjoy.
There you have it. This is all you need to do to bypass YouTube’s detection techniques. In most cases, you don’t have to resort to the extra steps we just provided. Enabling the adblocker is simply more than enough.
Bypass YouTube AdBlocker Detection – FAQ
To obtain a better idea about our topic, we’ve rounded up some frequently asked questions and their answers in the following section:
Why Does YouTube Ban Adblockers?
YouTube relies on advertising revenue as a significant part of its business model. Ads help keep the platform free for users. Ad blockers, as the name suggests, are tools that users resort to in order to block them, which is not suitable to YouTube’s way of operation.
What Are the best Adblockers to use?
There are various adblockers out there, but we chose the best to recommend. You can use the likes of uBlock Origin, TemperMonkey, Total Adblock, and AdGuard.
Can VPNs Block Ads?
Contrary to what most providers claim, not all VPNs can block Ads. In fact, they need to have an adblocker feature to do so. Only services like ExpressVPN, SurfShark, NordVPN, and a few others provide this privilege.
Are Adblockers Free?
Most of them are, yes. You can download their app or Chrome extension without having to pay a penny.
Banning AdBlockers? Not Anymore
There’s no denying how important advertising revenue is in sustaining YouTube’s platform and supporting content creators. However, in some cases, as YouTube tries to maintain a balance between user experience and its economic model, things can be inconvenient to the users themselves.
That’s why they look for alternative methods to block their ads and enjoy a full video without any interruptions. Is that too much to ask? Well, you now have everything you need. Go for it and enjoy the best that YouTube has to offer, ad-free.
Apart from covering the latest news and trends related to online privacy and cybersecurity, Tom has also worked at IT departments of several companies in the United States.
