Ublock Origin Not Working on YouTube (6 Easy fixes)

Now, this is how you can fix the issue with uBlock Origin not working on YouTube. For those of you who just want to remove ads from YouTube, you’ve probably noticed that YouTube has blocked many ad blockers last year. A common solution has been to use uBlock Origin with a custom script or code. However, for some users, even uBlock Origin is no longer working, and they are seeing a blank homepage on YouTube.

This blog post is the ULTIMATE Guide, tailored specifically for users facing this issue. We’ve gathered insights from Reddit and forum comments, so you can easily learn how others are tackling and resolving the problem. Plus, we’ve included all the necessary screenshots to guide you through it.

How I Fixed the UBlock Origin Not Working

Fix 1. Use Incognito/Private Tab Without Logging into YouTube

When I first encountered the issue, I tried browsing YouTube in Incognito Mode, and it made a significant difference. Using an incognito or private session without logging in disables extensions like uBlock Origin, and YouTube doesn’t seem to push ads as aggressively. Interestingly, I realized that when you’re not logged in, YouTube’s tracking mechanisms are limited, which makes ad blocking more effective.

Steps to try this:

• Open your browser and press Ctrl + Shift + N (or Cmd + Shift + N on Mac) to open an Incognito window.
• Go to YouTube but don’t log into your account.
• Test if videos load without ads.

u/AchernarB mentioned on Reddit:

“A temporary solution is to open the video in an incognito/private tab not logged into YT. Or use a container (Firefox) with another YT account or unlogged.”
For me, it worked instantly, though the downside is you lose access to your playlists and history, but at least you get ad-free viewing.

Fix 2. Switch YouTube Accounts or Use a Fresh Account

I discovered that switching YouTube accounts worked surprisingly well. YouTube seems to apply different ad algorithms to each account, and sometimes one account can get flagged, triggering more aggressive ad policies. I found that creating a new account or switching to an alternate account can bypass the ads altogether.

Steps to try this:

1. Log out of your current YouTube account.
2. Create a new account or switch to another one (even if it’s a temporary fix).
3. Check if videos play without ads.

Fix 3. Use Picture-in-Picture (PiP) Mode to Skip Ads

I stumbled across this trick when I was casually multitasking. By using Picture-in-Picture Mode in Firefox, I could skip straight to the video and bypass any ads. PiP effectively “jumps” to the core content of the video, avoiding ad triggers. It’s a simple trick that works surprisingly well in certain cases, especially for longer videos where ads are sprinkled throughout.

Steps to enable PiP mode:

1. In Firefox, right-click on the video and choose Picture-in-Picture.
2. You’ll see a small pop-up window playing the video—skip ahead, and you should bypass ads.

u/Tzukaya noted:
“Using Picture-in-Picture mode inside Firefox allowed me to skip ahead straight to the video start, essentially bypassing the ads.”
This trick saved me time, especially when I didn’t want to sit through multiple ads.

Fix 4. Switch to Firefox for Better Ad Blocking

I’ve been using Chrome for years, but as YouTube ramped up its ad-blocking defenses, I decided to give Firefox a try. In my experience, uBlock Origin works better on Firefox because it doesn’t have the same ad-block restrictions that Chrome is introducing (via Manifest V3). Firefox continues to support uBlock Origin in its full capacity, which made a noticeable difference in how ads were blocked.

Steps to switch:

1. Download and install Firefox.
2. Install uBlock Origin from the Firefox Add-ons store.
3. Open YouTube and see if the ads are gone.

Fix 5. Switch to Brave Browser with Built-In Ad Blocker

If you’re not interested in switching to Firefox, another excellent option is Brave Browser. Brave comes with a built-in ad blocker, and it supports the same Chromium-based structure as Chrome, which means it’s familiar to use. In my case, Brave handled YouTube ads better than Chrome, and I didn’t even need to install an additional ad blocker most of the time.

Steps to switch to Brave:

1. Download and install Brave Browser.
2. Turn on its built-in ad blocker under Settings > Shields.
3. Visit YouTube and enjoy ad-free viewing.

Fix 6. Try Another Ad Blocker Temporarily

In situations where uBlock Origin wasn’t cutting it, I experimented with other ad blockers like AdGuard or AdBlock Plus. While I prefer uBlock for its efficiency, I found that switching to another ad blocker temporarily gave me the break I needed from YouTube ads until uBlock Origin released an update. It’s good to have a backup.

Steps to try an alternate ad blocker:

1. Disable uBlock Origin in your browser.
2. Install a different ad blocker like AdGuard or AdBlock Plus.
3. Test YouTube and see if the ads are blocked.

u/iamaduck0 suggested:
“Use a different adblocker for now since they all seem to work normally.”
In my case, AdGuard worked really well while waiting for uBlock Origin updates.

Fix 7. Reload the Page After Disabling/Enabling uBlock Origin

One quick and effective fix I discovered was simply toggling uBlock Origin off and on again, followed by reloading the YouTube page. I don’t know the exact technical reason for this, but it seems to refresh the extension’s capabilities. This temporary fix worked more often than I expected, especially when ads started appearing after I thought they were blocked.

Steps to do this:

1. Click on the uBlock Origin icon in your browser.
2. Toggle it off.
3. Reload the YouTube page, then toggle uBlock Origin back on.

Fix 8. Use Container Extensions in Firefox

Firefox has another handy feature called Container Extensions, which helps separate your browsing sessions. This can prevent YouTube from detecting that you’re using an ad blocker. I found that using containers not only helped with YouTube but also kept my browsing more private across different websites.

Steps to use containers:

1. Install the Multi-Account Containers extension for Firefox.
2. Open YouTube in a separate container.
3. Test if it blocks ads better.

u/AchernarB mentioned containers as part of their solution:
“Use a container (FF) with another YT account or unlogged.”
This helped me isolate my YouTube session from the rest of my browsing, improving ad-blocking efficiency.

Fix 9. Wait for Updates from uBlock Origin Developers

One thing I’ve learned is that uBlock Origin is constantly being updated. Sometimes, you just have to wait for the developers to release an update that addresses YouTube’s latest anti-adblock measures. In the meantime, I check for updates frequently, and when one rolls out, it usually fixes the problem for a while.

Steps to check for updates:

1. Go to the extensions menu in your browser.
2. Check for updates for uBlock Origin.
3. Update to the latest version if available.

u/Naud1993 explained:

“The developers test uBlock every day and start working on a fix that same day.”
It’s reassuring to know that the developers are always on top of things, and checking for updates regularly can keep your ad-blocker effective.

Fix 10. Check for Browser and Extension Updates

u/Dramatic_Pepper_551 shared:
“I’m not paying for YouTube. I switched accounts MANY accounts, and I still have the same problem. Hopefully, they can update uBlock today…”

Keeping your browser and extensions up to date is essential for effective ad-blocking. I found that when either my browser or uBlock Origin was out of date, ads slipped through. Once everything was updated, uBlock Origin went back to blocking ads flawlessly.

Steps to update:

1. In Chrome or Firefox, go to the extensions menu and check for updates.
2. Make sure your browser itself is up to date.

Fix 11. Use Tampermonkey to Load Polyfills

For those of you who prefer sticking with older versions of Chrome or Firefox, you can use Tampermonkey scripts to load polyfills. These scripts help when YouTube introduces new elements that block ad blockers. I’ve only done this once, but it worked well as a temporary fix until uBlock Origin caught up.

Steps to use Tampermonkey:

1. Install Tampermonkey from the Chrome Web Store.
2. Find a script that helps bypass YouTube’s anti-adblock measures.
3. Add it to Tampermonkey and activate it.

u/AchernarB from uBO Team commented:
“You could load polyfills with Tampermonkey if they exist.”
It’s a bit more technical, but for those who like digging into code, it can be a helpful workaround.

Fix 12. Bypass Ads by Downloading the Video

As a last resort, you can always download the YouTube video to avoid ads. While not the most ideal solution, it works when you really need to skip the ads altogether. I’ve done this a few times using YouTube downloaders or external media players like mpv.

Steps to bypass ads with downloads:

1. Use a YouTube downloader (or the “send to mpv” extension).
2. Download the video or play it in mpv to avoid ads.

u/Slenderman7676RBLX shared:
“You can use the ‘send to mpv’ extension. The video will open in mpv instead of the browser.”

Conclusion

In my experience, these solutions have helped me continue using uBlock Origin while bypassing YouTube’s increasing efforts to push ads. Whether you switch browsers, use incognito mode, or try a temporary alternative ad blocker, these tricks should tide you over until the uBlock Origin team releases updates. Each method has its own advantages, so you can pick the one that suits your browsing habits best.

When I started having issues with uBlock Origin not working on YouTube, it felt like an endless cat-and-mouse game. YouTube constantly updates its anti-adblock measures, while the ad blockers fight to keep up. After digging deep into forums and testing different approaches, I found several working fixes. I’ll break down each fix, expand on it with real-life examples, and share steps to get it done.