In 2025, YouTube has taken a more aggressive approach against adblockers, introducing unskippable ads that sometimes outlast the videos users intend to watch.

Despite being a leading entertainment platform, YouTube relies heavily on its ad-supported business model, offering essential features for free while encouraging users to subscribe to Premium for an ad-free experience.

Since last year, YouTube has intensified its efforts to deter adblocker usage, and the situation has worsened recently.

YouTube’s Enhanced Anti-Adblock Measures

In 2024, Google began implementing stricter anti-adblock measures, targeting users who used location proxies for cheaper Premium subscriptions, modified apps like Vanced, and browser extensions designed to block ads. The company even resorted to server-side ad injection and intentionally slower load times for users suspected of using ad-blocking tools.

However, some users have continued to find workarounds, prompting YouTube to escalate its efforts. Several Reddit users recently reported encountering excessively long ads, ranging from 58 minutes to a staggering 10-hour segment. One user even claimed to have seen a 90-hour ad, though no evidence was provided. The most substantial confirmation came when a Redditor shared an image of a two-hour and 52-minute ad playing before a 49-minute video.

Google’s Response

Google has officially confirmed that its standard unskippable ads remain capped at 15 seconds on mobile and 60 seconds on TV. However, it reiterated that ads are crucial for supporting the platform and its creators. While YouTube does not serve hour-long ads to regular viewers, Google hinted that these excessive ads might be a deterrent for those using adblockers.

Some users speculated that the lengthy ads were a glitch, while others suggested that adblockers themselves might be interfering with YouTube’s normal ad-skipping functionality. Notably, YouTube also reserves the right to stop video playback entirely for users who refuse to comply with its ad policies.
Image by The Verge