How to Block YouTube Ads on iPhone, iOS & iPad

YouTube ads have become the primary “content” of the website, and the problem with commercials is no joke. An unskippable 30-second commercial as a pre-roll is ridiculous but that’s literally just the beginning for every video on the platform. You will then see numerous shorter and longer integrations, just like on national TV back in the day. We all abandoned regular TV for the convenience and on-demand content on platforms like YouTube, Netflix, Twitch, you name it. But with convenience comes ads – lots of them.

So, if you were looking for methods to watch YouTube ad-free, you’re in luck. We’ve gathered various ways to block YouTube ads on both your iPad and iPhone. Let’s explore the options and find the most effective one. We will also tell you which YouTube ad blocker on your iPhone will perform the best, so let’s start!

YouTube is not the only source of irritating commercials – they come from browsers, system apps, games, etc. If you want to know if there’s a way to block all ads on iPhone once and for all, we’ve got you.

How to Stop YouTube Ads on iPhone with AdLock 

AdLock is the best YouTube ad blocker for iPhone and iPad because of the very nature of its technology. AdLock blocks all types of YouTube commercials right after activating in the Safari settings. Instead of certain ads, you might see a pure white screen with a Skip button. However, the video normally goes without interruptions when using AdLock.
We’ve just released a significant update to our AdLock for iOS, so users can now watch YouTube without ads on iOS in 2 novel ways  — by engaging a specific script developed and adjusted by our development team or via the AdLock player. Now, how do you do that?

1. Beat all YouTube commercials via AdLock script:

• Launch Safari;
• Go to youtube.com;
• Tap the “Share” button;
• Choose “AdLock”.

2. Use our custom YouTube player — a unique solution that combines simplicity, convenience, and a bunch of features: 

• Launch the native YouTube app;
• Choose the video to watch;
• Tap “Share” under the video;
• Then tap “AdLock”.

Not just YouTube ads, but all online ads and pop-ups can be blocked with AdLock filters. Imagine how great mobile web browsing can be without the nagging banners and annoying commercials, and add to this other AdLock advantages, such as:

• Protection of your confidentiality online;
• Security system against malware and spyware;
• Huge list of Safari-specific filters;
• No need for “jailbreaking” your device;
• Complete freedom of adjustment. 

And, by the way, a promotion allows you to purchase a single AdLock license for 5 devices with a massive discount. With this, you can count on reliable ad blocking not only on your mobile but also on Mac, PC, and Android. From the iPhones and iPads to any Android-driven smartphone or tablet  — no YouTube ads in sight!

Best YouTube Ad Blockers for iPhone

If you have never used any YouTube ad blocker on the iPhone app, you will most likely get very confused with the variety of choices on the market. That’s why we’ve decided to make a convenient table containing the best choices of an ad blocker for the YouTube app on iPhone considering the pros and cons for each item on the table.

I bet you want to know which software you can use as an ad blocker for the YouTube app on iPhone. You will learn this very soon. Keep reading.

Types of YouTube Ads on iPhone

Before we eliminate them, let’s at least learn their faces. YouTube has various types of ads that have been developing and evolving over the years. From banner advertisements to transitional videos and pre/mid/post-rolls. And while banners are still being used, video ads are the most popular type of YouTube commercial. If you dislike specific kinds of ads, we have an interesting article that can help. Follow the link to get info on how to block specific ads on YouTube.

Now let us consider the types of ads that bane our favorite video streaming platform right now:

1. Skippable video ads
   You see them in every single video. Usually, such a video ad lasts up to half a minute, but you can skip it after watching for 5 seconds. It can occur before, during, and after the video.
   
2. Non-skippable video ads
   This kind of ad lasts over 15 seconds without an option to skip it. In particular, it affects users who don’t log into their Google Accounts.
   
3. Midroll ads
   You usually encounter such ads with long YouTube videos. They come within the show (typically after 10 minutes) and cannot be skipped.
4. Bumper ads
   These are the shortest video commercials deployed by YouTube. Although you cannot skip them either, bumper ads would only last for 6 seconds before the show continues.
5. Content-embedded ads
   Ads of this type are served not by YouTube but by YouTubers. They come integrated into the video, so you can’t do much more than manually scroll through the timeline

There is no way to get rid of the content-embedded ads (besides abandoning your favorite channels, maybe), but all other commercials can be blocked. How? The answer lies in the amount of investment you are ready to make and your tech skills. And now, we will consider all the methods.

Advertisement issue is quite common for all platforms and there are different ways of addressing it. If you also want to find out ways to block YouTube ads on Android, then you definitely should read our article and get insight!

Get Rid of Ads on iPhone with YouTube Premium

The easiest solution, as always, is the most expensive: $11,99 a month will buy you a YouTube Premium subscription. This paid monthly plan lets you enjoy all YouTube content completely ad-free. It has other benefits, too:

• Offline mode for watching pre-downloaded video clips (e.g., on the plane);
• Background mode for listening to music when the screen is off;
• Unlimited access to Google Music content and the app;
• Exclusive shows and series from YouTube Originals;
• It works within one account for iOS, Mac, PC, and even TV.

Sounds good to you? Then check if you are eligible for a free one-month trial and the discounted subscription plans (Family or Student). For instance, the family plan for the platform costs $22.99 and lets you add up to 5 users to it. So, six people can enjoy all premium perks for roughly 4 bucks per person.
Students, as long as they can verify that fact, can get YouTube Premium for $7.99/month.

YouTube Premium is an option worth considering if you use the service often, not just for watching videos but also for enjoying music through your fancy AirPods. Even if you have Youtube Premium but still have ads, you can use AdLock to clean things up and improve your experience.

How to Block Ads in YouTube App on iPhone

A premium subscription is an obvious way of getting rid of ads. Paying the monthly fees for using Premium is a personal choice for everyone. But what about adblockers? Can they clean up the native YouTube app? 

Although all tools in the comparison table are sufficient, there is no ad blocker for the YouTube app on iOS. YouTube developers did everything they could to make ad blocking within the app impossible. None of the well-known ad blockers on the market can yet clean up the YouTube app. Nevertheless, some of them provide alternative tools for adless YouTube leisure. Therefore, if you don’t want to search for alternative solutions and watch the native YouTube app instead, a premium subscription is the only reliable way to remove the ads from the YouTube iOS app.

We’ve got several tips for those interested in alternative ways of watching favorite content creators on YouTube without ads on iOS. Let’s see what you can do.

Use Secure Browsers

Luckily, other ways exist to block YouTube ads on iOS without paying that much. Using a secure independent browser won’t surprise some, while others would raise eyebrows. Today, there are a good dozen diverse choices out there, but we should consider only trusted and reliable units on the market. As noted in one of our articles, the big five secure browsers provide excellent privacy protection, a built-in VPN, ad blocking, etc.

Here is just a numbered list for convenience, not “from best to worst” or vice versa.

1. Brave Browser;
2. Avast Browser;
3. Tor;
4. DuckDuckGo;
5. Onion.

To admit, every single choice from the list provides its unique features. For instance, Brave has an integrated crypto rewards system (you earn tokens for web surfing), DuckDuckGo unblocks websites restricted in separate regions/countries, etc. On top of data protection, these browsers block spammy ads that annoy users daily.

Brave Browser is forging ahead just a little with its content filtering settings explicitly tailored for YouTube. To block YouTube ads on your iPhone, do the following:

1. Open the Brave Browser, tap the three-dot icon at the bottom-right corner of the screen, and choose Settings.
2. In the FEATURES section, choose and tap Brave Shields & Privacy.
3. At the bottom of the BRAVE SHIELDS GLOBAL DEFAULTS section, choose Content Filtering and tap it.
4. Find the YouTube Mobile Distractions toggle and tap it.
5. Now, you can browse YouTube on the Brave Browser with no ads. 

So, at the end of the day, why shouldn’t you pick an alternative to your browser if it provides features like that?

How to Block YouTube Ads on iPhone in Safari

The newest iPhone and iPad models come out of the box fully equipped with the software. This includes the web browser, Safari, which also got a Block Pop-ups feature. Block Pop-ups functionality is limited to preventing malicious and untrustworthy ad scripts from downloading when surfing the Web. It can be helpful in some specific scenarios but, unfortunately, not for watching YouTube. Video commercials on the platform are legitimate, which makes them a part of the Block Pop-ups whitelist. 

Luckily, a handful of third-party ad-blocking apps on AppStore can help you with this. Such ad blockers are designed to remove any commercials from the web page, as instructed by a user, regardless of the ad type and origin. Once installed on an iOS device, an ad blocker has to be added to the list of Safari Content Blockers to be activated. To block YouTube ads on iPad and iPhone Safari, follow these simple steps:

1. Open your device Settings and select Safari;
2. Scroll down and switch Block Pop-ups on;
3. Tap Content Blockers and find the app you’ve just installed;
4. Use the toggle to turn this blocker on;
5. Restart your device and relaunch Safari.

The variety of ad-blocking software on AppStore can be confusing, as these apps look way too similar. Not all of them are equally efficient, though. If you want an app that combines reliability, simplicity, and a $0 price, AdLock is a perfect choice.

Additional Methods for Blocking YouTube Ads on iPhone

Besides YouTube ad blockers for iPhone, you can use other diverse tools and workarounds to deal with intrusive advertisements. Some of them are easy, and others are more complex. To pursue the desired ad-free YouTube, tech people have developed software solutions. Among those are Pi-hole, skipper extensions, alternative players, and whatnot. In this section of the article, we are considering the most popular additional methods for blocking YouTube ads on iOS.

Skip Ads Automatically on YouTube with App

Yet another way of reducing the ad content you see on YouTube is an application that automatically triggers the “Skip” button. Several software development companies offer their ad skippers, so that you might have seen names like “Cygery AdSkip”, “Ad Skipper on YouTube”, etc. 

Any ad skipper presented on the market is a macro script that, when tracing the advert, launches the sequence of actions that virtually click the button “Skip ad” w/o any manual actions by the user. 

We must admit, there’s no need to hassle around and crack your device’s OS since a simple macro script doesn’t need access to the code. The downside of such applications is that you will still have breaks in YouTube videos as there’s a gap between the commercial launch and the “Skip” button appearing.

Download Youtube Videos on iPhone

The simplest way to watch ad-free YouTube on iOS is to download videos to your storage. Why? It’s because you download the initial video file without the dynamically embedded commercial content.

Downloading videos saves you the hassle of finding a YouTube ad blocker for your iPhone, plus it comes in handy when traveling to locations with no or poor Internet. I think there’s no good reason to use a phone for entertainment when traveling, but all bread is not baked in one oven. In any case, you can download dozens of videos from YouTube before you embark on a journey.

So, how do you download YouTube videos on iPhone/iPad?

• Download the Documents by Readdle application;
• Tap the compass icon to launch the browser;
• Go to www.videosolo.com/online-video-downloader/;
• Copy the link of the YouTube video you need and paste it into the text box;
• Press “Download”;
• Choose the output format and quality of the video to download, and press “Download” next to it;
• Name the file and choose the destination folder;
• Go to the “Documents” app home screen and open the “Downloads” folder;
• Select the video file you want to save to your hard drive and tap the “⋮” on it;
• Tap “Share” and then “Save Video”.

That’s it. If you want to know how to download YouTube videos on Macs or Android devices, go ahead and check out this article.

Conclusion

It’s time to total all the pluses (and minuses, ofc) of all tools and methods in our article. You now know how to watch YouTube without ads on iPhone using different approaches and tools. If you don’t care about adding another premium to the stack, buy YouTube premium. Skippers and secure browsers are the best free solutions, with their downsides. And while you’re still hesitating, people worldwide have already chosen AdLock as it is unrivaled. Just imagine one application that works on a dozen apps and extensions. Get our product today, and you’ll fall in love!

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