How to Watch YouTube Without Ads - The Top 5 Ways (2024)

May 16, 2024 By Janne Smith No Comments 7 minutes

Love how appetizing the Korean hot and saucy chicken popcorns, seasoned with sesame seeds, get dipped into the Thousand Islands sauce until a YouTube ad interrupts. Yes, that’s where it all goes down into the water. YouTube can be blissful, but the ads make it the total opposite of that. How do you watch YouTube without ads?

Considering the collective hate for these ads, escaping them might seem like having your head in the clouds. But what if we told you there are 5 legit ways to ditch the ads and embrace the products of mass consumerism? This article is all about that. Let’s buckle up!

Note:YouTube often shows ads according to your location. The streaming service doesn’t feature as many ads as your location, and you can escape the advertisem*nts by using a VPN. We recommend you use FastestVPN and connect to a server. Once connected, your IP address will change, and you won’t get as many ads as before.

Why Has YouTube Started Showing Ads?

Before getting into the technicalities of what goes Behind The Scenes. Here’s a simple rule: nothing on the Internet is free. You see all those online streaming services and love how they brand themselves as FREE, they actually aren’t. Instead, they generate their revenhrough the ads.

While YouTube is a legitimate source, it generates its revenue through the ads. Marketers pay YouTube for the ads it displays; in return, the streaming service shows them to you (yes, very unwantedly). But since you’re using the platform without payint, that’s where the YouTube benefits from. In return, the businesses generate their brand awareness too.

Now, flipping the page, there’s another chapter to wrap your head around, too – the YouTube Premium. Do you love how Netflix doesn’t feature any ads and offers an ultimate streaming experience? That’s simply because you pay for it.

In the recent years, YouTube ads have become more frequent and yes, more annoying. And the most reliable way out of this endless tunnel is to purchase the YouTube Premium. Yes, you do get a list of other benefits too, but the allure of streaming on YouTube without ads is the main conversion point.

However, let’s explore a list of other ways to watch YouTube without ads, and yes the Premium option does make its way in the list too.

Watching YouTube With No Ads Isn’t a Flight of Fancy: 5 Tested Ways

According to Semrush, YouTube’s global advertising revenue increased by 8% to $31.5 billion from 20223 to 2023! While the revenue charts are reaching the sky, here’s how you can escape the forever Ads maze by following our 5 tested ways of watching YouTube without ads:

1. Use a VPN

Connecting to a reliable VPN, like the FastestVPN, has to be the best fix for all those annoying YouTube ads. Here’s how this works. YouTube only shows ads based on your location, and based on that, the ads can be quite consistent with those of any other region.

When you connect to another region’s server, your IP address changes according to where the server is placed. Living in the US, you can always disguise your location as if you’re Ron from Romania. Think of it as the Potter’s invisibility cloak. And wearing that, you never become a victim of targeted advertising.

Also, the consistency of the ads will be quite low, too. Along with that, you’ll be ensured of total digital privacy protection, too, thanks to FastestVPN’s impressive security features.

2. Use an Ad-Blocker

You can easily find an online ad-blocker extension. These are usually free and a quick fix for all online advertisem*nts. However, if you want to see the advertisem*nts for certain sites, you can unblock them, but for the other ones, you can stretch back and relax while the ad-blocker does all the heavy lifting!

Additionally, a few premium VPNs, such as the FastestVPN feature an in-built VPN and if you’re using that already then you don’t really need to install the browser extension too. However, if you’re using the Ad-blocker extension, a few might not work too.

There are certain sites that can detect ad-blockers and require you to disable the extension. If this is the case, it’s best to jump to the second method to escape the ads.

3. Use Ad-Blocker Software

Ad-blocking software can vary widely depending on the device you use. This section covers a list of ways to watch YouTube without ads on different devices.

How to Watch YouTube Without Ads on Phone

Android and iOS smartphone users can now install their preferred ad blocker on their devices. While most come for free, a few other premium options are paid. Previously, YouTube Vanced was another updated version of YouTube that offered an ad-free experience. It was later shut down by YouTube.

Also, not all ad-blockers are available on the Google Play Store. Instead, you’ll have to install the apk version of those apps for an uninterrupted YouTube experience. But while doing so, you must know that sideloading apps isn’t safe, and it’s best to stay connected to FastestVPN when doing so or using the sideloaded apps.

How to Watch YouTube Without Ads on PC

The most accessible option for blocking ads on a PC is to use a browser extension. While the most popular one is AdGuard, various other options offer similar features. You can easily find them via a Google search, and the installation process is usually mentioned there, too, making it quite convenient to set up on the computer.

While using the ad blocker extension, you must remember that using ad-blocking software is against YouTube’s terms of use, and the streaming service can limit your usage if it detects the ad-blocking software.

How to Watch YouTube Without Ads on TV

Similar to other apps, you can also use YouTube on your Smart TV. To limit the ads, you can install a third-party extension that filters out the ads. The most commonly used third-party apps include SmartTube Next and various others. If you’ve used YouTube Vanced before, then this app will feel very familiar to you.

However, the list stretches quite longer than the aforementioned third-party app. But whatever the choice, all these require to be sideloaded on your TV. Also, you can opt for installing the APK file of these on your PC or smartphone, transfer that to a flash drive, and install it on your PC.

How Do I Protect Myself on YouTube?

None of your information is safe online, and while most services are totally legal, they still collect your data. For enhanced digital protection, using a VPN like FastestVPN has to be your best help. Here’s how using a VPN helps you protect yourself on YouTube:

1. Masks Your IP Address

Connecting to the VPN, your IP address changes according to where the server is placed. For example, when connecting to the US server, your IP address is shown as if you’re accessing sites from the US, and this way, sites can never collect your data too, since your IP address is concealed.

2. Encryption Protocols

A reliable VPN, like the FastestVPN, offers robust encryption protocols. Meaning, that all your browsing activities are routed through a private tunnel that implements the VPN protocols. For example, AES 256-bit encryption is known to be almost uncrackable, i.e. you’re always 5 steps ahead of any cyber threat.

3. Internet Kill Switch

Most premium VPNs also feature an Internet Kill Switch. This feature ensures that your Internet is disconnected right when there’s a server glitch. Following this, none of your information or browsing activities leak out even if you’re disconnected from a server. Instead, the Internet gets switched off.

Final Note

YouTube ads and ways to block them are a constant discussion, and the only way out is to use a reliable ad-blocker browser extension. You can use this third-party software on your PC, phone, tablet, or Smart TV. While doing so, you must use a premium VPN, like FastestVPN, to protect your digital privacy since ad blockers are against YouTube’s Terms of Use.