Easily blocking youtube ads (for now)

In addition to an adblocker, this is a solution to fight the buffering that YouTube has implemented into the website as an annoyance.

1. Close all tabs in your browser (in my case, Google Chrome).

2. Uninstall uBlock and all others adblockers.

3. Clear your browser cache and YouTube cookies.

4. Install uBlock and ensure the extension is disabled (https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/ublock-origin/cjpalhdlnbpafiamejdnhcphjbkeiagm)

After installed,this extention can be maintained by going to the extension settings and going to filters, hitting 'purge all caches' and then 'update filter lists'. I have found uBlock to be the most effective adblocker in general, as well as keeping updated lists to fight YouTube ads.

5. Install User Agent Switcher: (https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/user-agent-switcher-and-m/bhchdcejhohfmigjafbampogmaanbfkg?pli=1)

6. Switch the user-agent to Opera version 102.0.0.0 (You can enter 120.0.0.0 in the filter, and it will appear).

Apply the changes to all windows and then refresh. This version has proven helpful in resolving YouTube slow and lag issues. Ublock can also be enabled

Additionally, you can try using chromium/Chrome 102.0.5005.167 with ublock

Steps to further maximizing your youtube experience

1. Blocklists for youtube shorts

You can paste these into your custom filters section with Ublock Origin

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/gijsdev/ublock-hide-yt-shorts/master/list.txt

https://letsblock.it/filters/youtube-shorts

2. Other extensions

Distraction Free Youtube - A firefox and chrome extension that eliminates distractions for YouTube. It removes the autoplay, the homepage, and more.

Memex - Sort of like a personal database for your browser. It allows you to save and annotate webpages and YouTube videos. However, I haven't found the workflow to be smooth and not really useful.

SponsorBlock - A crowdsourced extension that allows you to skip sponsored segments of YouTube videos.

Youtube on Mobile

Something you probably always thought of but never thought was possible was elminiating ads YouTube (and Spotify) on iOS. Yes, an iPhone. This can be accomplished through sideloading. Note that sideloading is NOT jailbreaking.

My personal method of sideloading is with AltStore, which makes use of an Apple Developer account, where the free tier allows you to sideload up to 3 apps. The process is simple, and you can find a guide here: https://altstore.io/faq/

Personally, I have found this iPA to be the best and most reliable to replace YouTube Features include ad blocking, sponsor blocking, shorts blocking, themes, and more. You will have to update this once a week however, as the certificates expire. I have not found a way to use AltServer over the local network, and only found it to work on Windows. Hopefully this will change in the near future, and America follows the footsteps of the EU and allows sideloading and improves right to repair regulations as well.