YouTube is skipping to the end of videos when using ad blockers
Good luck trying to watch YouTube if you have an ad blocker installed
🚫 Google may have implemented a new tool to combat ad blockers on YouTube
🤔 Users who have an ad blocker installed have been noticing some changes
👎 Videos are skipping straight to the end, and there’s no way around it
🤷♂️ The only solution is to disable any ad blockers
Google appears to be continuing its war against ad blockers, with YouTube users reporting that videos are skipping straight to the end if an ad blocker is installed.
You can’t restart the video to bypass it, either, as the video will still skip straight to the end, rendering YouTube pointless. Users are also reporting that you can’t skip to certain parts of the videos, as it just winds up endlessly loading.
When the ad blocker is disabled, everything works as you’d expect and the video plays without any issues. Many believe it’s an intentional move from Google to combat ad blockers, but it’s hard to confidently pin the blame on the search engine giant just yet.
Earlier this year, an issue with AdBlock caused YouTube videos to load slowly, which many thought was down to Google. However, Google issued a statement clarifying that it hadn’t made any changes, and AdBlock admitted it was a bug with its software.
Still, Google hasn’t been shy when it comes to cracking down on ad blockers. In April, the YouTube support page said it was “strengthening our enforcement on third-party apps that violate YouTube’s Terms of Service, specifically ad-blocking apps.”
Google wants users who can’t stand the ads, of which there are many, to sign up for YouTube Premium. I canceled Spotify for YouTube Premium back in 2022, and it’s something that I honestly couldn’t live without. However, like most subscription services, the price of YouTube Premium continues to creep ever higher, making the cost more difficult to justify with every increase.
Adam Vjestica is The Shortcut’s Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadar’s Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.