When you watch videos in the DuckDuckGo browser, on YouTube or elsewhere, we block ads that appear before and throughout the video.
How does YouTube Ad Blocking work?
To detect and block YouTube ads, we use community-driven filter lists sourced from uBlock Origin. These lists are maintained by an active open-source community and are regularly updated to keep up with changes to how ads are served. We may also apply our own rules to improve compatibility and reduce breakage.
How do I manage YouTube Ad Blocking?
YouTube Ad Blocking is enabled by default for all users. You can turn YouTube Ad Blocking on or off in Settings > Ad Blocking > Block ads on YouTube. You can also turn it on and off while you’re watching a video. On desktop, click the video icon next to the green shield in your address bar. On mobile, tap ☰ > Disable YouTube Ad Blocking. When enabled, ads are removed automatically — there's nothing else you need to do.
Is YouTube Ad Blocking different from Duck Player?
Yes. YouTube Ad Blocking blocks video ads in YouTube videos so you can watch without interruption. It's the full YouTube experience, just without ads.
Duck Player is the browser’s built-in video player that lets you watch YouTube videos in a distraction-free theater mode. It also protects you from tracking cookies and personalized ads by enforcing YouTube’s strictest privacy settings for embedded video, so what you watch in Duck Player won't influence your YouTube recommendations. You can use the browser with both YouTube Ad Blocking and Duck Player enabled.