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Since ads are almost inevitable on the official YouTube app on Android devices, I was wondering if those can be skipped automatically. This post is only about those ads which can be skipped, let's ignore ads which can not be skipped.

For example: When a YouTube video starts, for some ads, there is an option to "Skip this ad in 5 sec". Once the "Skip ad" label is enabled, we can click on it to move to the video. Of course, this is all manual, and as a user, you need to focus on EXACT timing to HIT the skip button. And it becomes worse if the video is having multiple ads (a few of which will be shown in the future time), where when an ad plays, the user needs to click manually to skip it again.

Can this be AUTOMATED, meaning when there is an ad which can be "Skipped", then just let YouTube skip it without the user's intervention? This will be especially useful for those videos which have multiple ads spanned across the video length and few of them can be skipped. Looking for a solution on a non-rooted device.

Update: It seems like Google is introducing new ad format called Bumpers. Bumpers, which are unskippable 6-second shorts placed in front of videos.

So, soon we may not see an ad which can be skipped, forget about skipping it via automation!

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    I agree with @Baronz here. Even it could possibly be done (I don't know of a mainstream automation app for Android can emulate touch data, even after which this would need root for getting access to YouTube's data as it runs, to recognize an advertisement)
    – Tamoghna Chowdhury
    Feb 8, 2016 at 17:13
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    @TamoghnaChowdhury gives a good clue too. It looks like the app "Tasker" may get you most of the way. I don't know much about it, and don't own it, but it can "see" some things on the phone and respond with emulated touch events
    – Baronz
    Feb 9, 2016 at 4:03
  • i guess the intention is not to disrupt the Ad model of YouTube. the intention is : if ad can be skipped, let the settings/software do it in automated way, instead of doing it manually.
    – AADAndroidEnthusiasts
    Feb 9, 2016 at 6:08

6 Answers 6

Reset to default
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You're interested in the YouTube AdAway Xposed module. It requires root access and the Xposed Framework.

It completely removes the following:

  • YouTube ads
  • Channel logos
  • Video suggestions
  • Information card teasers

To the best of my knowledge, what you've requested (auto-skipping advertisements in the stock YouTube application) cannot be done without root access. Root access is required to 1) draw over other apps and 2) record/replay touches.

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    You are assuming device is rooted. OP has not confirmed this. More importantly, please explain how this addresses automation OP wants to implement. That is the key element in the question, which is not answered by you
    – beeshyams
    Feb 10, 2016 at 12:11
  • As @beeshyams said, mine is non-rooted device. The idea is to skip those ads which are marked as "skip this ad after 5 sec" in an automated way.
    – AADAndroidEnthusiasts
    Feb 11, 2016 at 4:58
  • @AADTechnical The problem with what you want is, there are three ways to do it, which all requires root.
    – SarpSTA
    Feb 16, 2016 at 11:30
  • Yes, I get that. I use AdBlock Plus plug-in in Google Chrome browser on Desktop which exactly do this. This is what I was looking for in YouTube app
    – AADAndroidEnthusiasts
    Feb 16, 2016 at 11:52
  • Even proper ad blocking on Android requires root (e.g. MinMinGuard Xposed module or editing /etc/hosts). If you don't have root then you have to rely on using a browser with a built in ad-blocking or configuring proxy servers that perform that blocking. So unless you use a third-party YouTube app, there's simply no way around it.
    – Six
    Feb 16, 2016 at 11:59
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As @Six stated very correctly, it is NOT possible to do without root access at all. His answer is pretty good but there is still some things I can add.

A non-rooted phone quite literally means a phone that can only be used the way manufacturer wants it to be. Its power is limited to how much the manufacturer wants you to have (and for good reason according to some people, which sometimes includes me too)

On a non-rooted phone, no third party app can emulate screen touches, modify the loaded or running copies of other apps or access to data of other apps. All for security reasons.

So your wish can't be granted without root access.

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  • hm, what about setting proxy on the phone which filters traffic?
    – Marian Paździoch
    Apr 9, 2019 at 14:01
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You can subscribe to YouTube Red and as a subscriber, you wouldn’t see ads and the people who make the videos you love will still make a living.

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  • well, that service is only available in USA as of this writing and I don't live in USA.
    – AADAndroidEnthusiasts
    Feb 17, 2016 at 11:37
  • Neither do I, but you don’t actually need to live there to use the service. ;)
    – Daniel
    Feb 18, 2016 at 10:35
  • can you help understand how to use YouTube Red service in countries where service is not supported? Is there a legal way to access it?
    – AADAndroidEnthusiasts
    Feb 19, 2016 at 9:39
  • You need a US credit card. There are many companies that sell pre-paid “gift” credit-cards that can be used when you subscribe to US-only services.
    – Daniel
    Feb 19, 2016 at 17:19
  • Fast forward to now, this is now known as YouTube Premium and is available in more countries.
    – Andrew T. ♦
    Jan 31 at 4:25
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Clue: use old versions of YouTube app. Try to find the balance between maturity and modern.

For example, I use v4.5.17 and it perfectly plays HD but completely lacks ads ;)

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One more way to skip ads. Adguard for Android in the latest version released yesterday (17 Dec 20), let's you skip ads.

It doesn't require root.

You need to click the share icon under the video and it prompts you a choice which has Adguard included. Select Adguard and your video opens up in a separate window without ads.

I am not associated with the app but love it's performance for Ad-blocking and a host of other features such as this

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The best solution i've found for this is using an extensions-enabled browser like Firefox Beta, and then install uBlock.

(I know there are also Chome-based browsers with adblock support, but i haven't tried them.)

Unlike unofficial 3rd party apps this will allow to use your YT account features like posting comments, like, subscribe, etc.

For more ads skipping, the SponsorBlock extension will also help.

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