What the message means
YouTube’s help page “Allow ads on videos that you watch” says that if you use an ad blocker, YouTube will ask you to allow ads or sign up for YouTube Premium. The same page says blocking YouTube ads violates YouTube’s Terms of Service, and that if you continue to use an ad blocker, YouTube may block your video playback.
YouTube changes how it detects ad blockers over time, so a setup that worked last week can trigger the message today.
Your options
| Option | What happens | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Allow ads on YouTube | Turn off your ad blocker for youtube.com and refresh. Ads return and the message should stop. | Free |
| YouTube Premium | YouTube’s own way to watch without ads, wherever you sign in. | Paid subscription |
| Adjust your ad blocker | Refresh, remove duplicate blockers or turn off video-ad blocking only. This can help, but no ad blocker can promise the message will stop. | Free |
For prices and what each plan covers, see How to watch YouTube without ads.
What to try in Chrome
- Refresh the YouTube page first.
- Use one ad blocker on YouTube. Turn off other ad-blocking extensions for youtube.com, then refresh.
- Restart Chrome so any pending browser and extension updates are applied.
- If the message stays, allow ads on YouTube in your ad blocker or subscribe to YouTube Premium.
- If you see the message without any ad blocker, use the Report issue option in the message, as YouTube’s help page suggests.
If you use BingeLift
BingeLift has eight separate YouTube controls, so you can change video-ad blocking without changing the others.
- Refresh the YouTube page first.
- If the warning stays, open the BingeLift popup on YouTube, turn off Video ads and refresh again.
- If YouTube still shows the message or a video will not play, turn BingeLift off for YouTube and refresh.
Banners, sponsored cards and the other page controls are separate from Video ads. See all eight YouTube controls and YouTube help.
BingeLift cannot promise that YouTube will never show this message. YouTube’s detection changes, and so do the steps that work.
Ad blocker not working on YouTube?
The opposite problem is ads still appearing. In BingeLift, check that YouTube and its Video ads control are on, then refresh: the Video ads control applies after you refresh YouTube.
Make sure you are watching on youtube.com in Chrome on your computer. Browser extensions cannot block ads in the YouTube app on phones, tablets or smart TVs.
Questions about YouTube’s ad blocker message
Why are ad blockers not allowed on YouTube?
YouTube is funded mainly by ads, which also pay creators. YouTube says blocking its ads violates its Terms of Service and offers YouTube Premium as the paid way to watch without ads.
Can YouTube stop videos from playing if I use an ad blocker?
Yes. YouTube’s help page says it may block video playback if you continue to use an ad blocker.
Does YouTube Premium stop the message?
YouTube Premium removes ads on YouTube, so you do not need an ad blocker there. It is one of the two options YouTube offers in the message.
Does BingeLift remove sponsor segments inside videos?
No, BingeLift does not remove sponsorships that creators record inside their videos. Those are part of the video itself.