YouTube ads come from two sources, and which one you can disable depends on your account type
YouTube shows two kinds of ads: ones that play before, during, or after videos (called pre-roll, mid-roll, and post-roll ads), and banner ads that sit on the page itself. If you're a regular viewer with a free account, you can't disable ads that creators have placed on their own videos — those are the creator's revenue. What you can do is turn off personalized ads based on your browsing history, use YouTube's built-in ad-blocking features, or pay for YouTube Premium to skip most ads entirely.
If you're the one uploading videos, you have different controls. You can turn off ads on your own content, choose which ad formats appear, or demonetize specific videos. The steps differ depending on whether you're trying to stop seeing ads or stop showing them on your channel.
Key Takeaways
- Free YouTube accounts cannot remove ads that creators have placed on their videos, but you can turn off personalized ads in your account settings.
- YouTube Premium ($13.99 per month) removes most ads from videos you watch, though some sponsored content from creators will still appear.
- If you upload videos, you can disable ads on individual videos or your entire channel through YouTube Studio under Monetization settings.
- Browser extensions that block ads violate YouTube's terms of service and can result in account restrictions or bans.
- Turning off personalized ads means you'll still see ads, but they won't be based on your watch history or search behavior.
Disable personalized ads on your YouTube account
If you want YouTube to stop using your watch history and search behavior to target ads at you, you can turn off personalized ads in your account settings. This doesn't remove ads — you'll still see them — but they won't be tailored to your interests.
Go to myaccount.google.com, then click Data & Privacy in the left menu. Under "Settings for the web & apps," click My Ad Center. You'll see a toggle for Personalized ads — switch it off. You can also manage which topics and brands you don't want to see ads about from this same page. Save your changes, and the setting takes effect when ready.
This setting applies across Google services, not just YouTube. If you turn off personalized ads here, you're also opting out on Google Search, Gmail, and other Google products.
Pay for YouTube Premium to skip ads on videos you watch
YouTube Premium costs $13.99 per month (or $139.99 per year if you pay annually). It removes pre-roll, mid-roll, and post-roll ads from almost all videos. You can still watch offline, read videos to your device, and play videos with the screen off — features the free version doesn't allow.
One important limit: YouTube Premium does not remove ads that creators have embedded directly into their videos as sponsorships or product placements. If a creator says "this video is brought to you by [brand]," that's not an ad YouTube placed — it's the creator's own content, and Premium doesn't touch it.
You can start a free trial of YouTube Premium for one month to see if it's worth the cost. Go to youtube.com, click your profile icon in the top right, and select Try Premium. You'll need a valid payment method on file, but you won't be charged during the trial period.
Turn off ads on your own videos if you're a creator
If you upload videos to YouTube and have monetization turned on, YouTube places ads on your content by default. You can disable ads on individual videos or turn off monetization for your entire channel.
To disable ads on a single video, go to youtube.com/studio (YouTube Studio), click Content in the left menu, and find the video you want to change. Click on it, then go to the Monetization tab. Under "Ad suitability," you can toggle off specific ad formats — for example, you might allow skippable ads but disable non-skippable ones. You can also click Monetization off to remove all ads from that video.
To turn off monetization for your entire channel, go to Settings in YouTube Studio, click Channel, then Monetization. Toggle off the types of ads you don't want to appear. Note that turning off monetization means you won't earn revenue from those videos, even if they get views.
Why ad-blocking extensions don't work on YouTube
Browser extensions that claim to block YouTube ads — like some versions of uBlock Origin or AdBlock — may work temporarily, but YouTube actively detects and blocks them. If YouTube identifies that you're using an ad blocker, you'll see a message saying "Ad blockers aren't allowed on YouTube" and the video won't play until you disable the extension.
Using ad blockers also violates YouTube's terms of service. Repeated use can result in warnings, temporary account restrictions, or permanent suspension. YouTube's business model depends on ad revenue, and the platform invests significant engineering effort into detecting blockers.
If you want to avoid ads without breaking the terms of service, your options are YouTube Premium, turning off personalized ads, or watching videos that don't have ads (though most monetized videos do).
Understand which ads you can and cannot control
YouTube distinguishes between ads it places and ads creators place themselves. You have control over one but not the other.
Ads YouTube places: These appear before, during, or after videos and are YouTube's responsibility. Premium removes most of them. Turning off personalized ads reduces targeting but doesn't remove them entirely. Ad blockers can remove them temporarily but violate the terms of service.
Ads creators place: These are sponsorships, product placements, or verbal endorsements that the creator has written into the video itself. YouTube Premium does not remove these because they're not YouTube ads — they're part of the creator's content. You can't disable them without skipping past that section of the video manually.
Understanding this difference helps you set realistic expectations. If you pay for Premium and still see ads, the creator probably embedded them directly into the video.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does turning off personalized ads mean I won't see any ads?
No. Turning off personalized ads means YouTube will still show you ads, but they won't be based on your watch history, search behavior, or interests. You'll see more generic ads instead. To remove ads entirely, you need YouTube Premium.
Can I use a VPN to get YouTube Premium cheaper in another country?
YouTube's terms of service prohibit using a VPN to access Premium at a lower price in a different region. If YouTube detects this, it can suspend your account or charge you the price for your actual location. It's not worth the risk.
If I turn off ads on my videos, do I lose money?
Yes. Turning off monetization or disabling specific ad formats means you won't earn revenue from those videos, even if they get thousands of views. You should only do this if you have a specific reason — for example, if the video contains sensitive content and you don't want ads on it.
What happens if YouTube catches me using an ad blocker?
YouTube will show you a message saying ad blockers aren't allowed and the video won't play. If you disable the extension, the video will play normally. Repeated use can lead to account warnings or restrictions, but a single instance usually just results in the playback block.
Does YouTube Premium remove all ads from all videos?
YouTube Premium removes ads that YouTube placed, but not ads creators embedded directly into their videos as sponsorships or product placements. Most videos will be ad-free, but some creators mention sponsors or products within the video itself, and those segments will still be there.