Twitch is a popular streaming platform for gamers and content creators, but it’s not uncommon for viewers to be bombarded with ads during streams. While ads help support the platform and its creators, they can also be intrusive and disruptive to the viewing experience. If you’re tired of dealing with ads during your Twitch streams, you’re in luck.
This guide will show you how to block ads on Twitch, whether you’re using a browser or an ad-blocking extension. While ads are important for the creators and the platform, we understand that it could be bothering for some viewers, that’s why we will provide you with a step-by-step guide on what to use to block ads, as well as tips and tricks to make your streaming experience more enjoyable, if ads really are irritating for you.
How to Block Ads on Twitch
Blocking ads on Twitch can be difficult, as Twitch serves up its ads in the same stream as the video you’re watching, making it hard for ad-blockers to determine what is an ad and what is part of the video stream. This means that instead of blocking the ads outright, a more creative solution may be needed to remove these ads on a long term basis. AdBlock themselves admit how hard it is
, and its their job!
What you might find is that these solutions may work or may not, and if they do work they may not work indefinitely.
Ad Blockers
Ad-blocking software, such as AdBlock and UBlock, are commonly used to block ads on Twitch. However, it’s important to note that Twitch is incredibly fast at catching up with these blockers, and they may work now but stop working in a week. These ad-blockers are easy to use but may be unreliable. In this guide, we will describe the features of AdBlock and UBlock in detail, to help you make an informed decision on which ad-blocker is best for you.
AdBlock Plus
AdBlock Plus is a browser extension that allows users to block ads on Twitch by using filter lists. These filter lists are sets of rules that tell the browser which elements to block, giving users the ability to customize their ad-blocking experience. AdBlock Plus also provides certain levels of tracking and malware protection by default.
The software is financed through its Acceptable Ads initiative, which allows non-intrusive ads that comply with certain criteria, but users have the option to disable this feature and browse without any ads. It’s important to note that AdBlock Plus doesn’t specifically collect any user data and is funded through licensing fees from larger entities and the Acceptable Ads initiative. However, it’s worth considering that blocking all ads could lead to reduction of revenue for creators and the platform, which could ultimately lead to a decline in the quality and quantity of content. While AdBlock Plus may be an easy to use and reliable option for blocking ads on Twitch, it’s important for users to weigh the consequences of blocking all ads before making a decision.
I use ABP and I stream Twitch and have never personally seen it work.
UBlock Origin
Ublock Origin is an ad-blocking browser extension that was founded by Raymond Hill in 2014. Hill created the original Ublock extension by forking the codebase of HTTP Switchboard and adding additional features. The extension was first released in June 2014 as an exclusive Chrome and Opera extension, and in late 2015, it expanded to other browsers under the name Ublock Origin. In 2016, a collaborative comsource and Sourcepoint industry research survey reported an 833% growth rate over a 10-month period, making it the most rapidly growing software in the industry at that time.
This growth is attributed to the users’ demand for “pure” blockers that operate outside the “acceptable advertising” program used by other industry extensions like AdBlock. Ublock Origin is actively developed by its founder and lead developer, Raymond Hill, and it is available for several of the most widely used browsers including Chrome, Chromium, Edge, Opera, Firefox and all Safari releases prior to 13. Ublock Origin refuses donations and advises its clients, users, and supporters to donate to block list maintainers.
Purple AdBlock
Purple AdBlock is a video ad-blocking browser extension that uses an external proxy located in an ad-free country to retrieve an ad-free, full-quality stream. It doesn’t collect or store personal information and it is open-source. The author of the extension accepts no responsibility for its use and urges users to visit their Github for contributions or for extension upkeep. It’s worth noting that Purple AdBlock does not work with Alternate Player for “Twitch”, “Twitch” ad-block userscripts or other “Twitch” ad-blockers. The use of the extension is the total responsibility of the user.
But, it has been noted on Reddit that is is reliable but for Firefox only.
How to install ad block extensions?
To install ad-block extensions, such as AdBlock, UBlock, and Purple AdBlock, you can go to the browser’s extension store (e.g. Chrome Web Store, Mozilla Add-ons, Microsoft Edge Add-ons) and search for the desired ad-blocker, then add it to your browser (e.g. Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari) by clicking on “Add to Chrome”, “Add to Firefox” etc.
Virtual private networks (VPN)
A VPN, or Virtual Private Network, is a service that allows users to securely connect to the internet by routing their internet connection through a remote server. This allows users to hide their IP address and location, and encrypt their internet connection for added security. Using a VPN can also be used to block Twitch ads by connecting to a server in a location where Twitch ads are not being served – some have quoted Romania but then others have said they live in Romania and got ads. In reality, VPNs are under the same scrutiny by Twitch HQ as ad block extensions are.
However, it’s important to note that VPNs often come at a cost, and using a VPN may result in undesired experiences on other websites and programs. Additionally, the effectiveness of using a VPN to block ads on Twitch can vary and may not work in all cases.
There are several different types of VPNs, including:
- Personal VPN: This type of VPN simply shields your IP address and encrypts active data transfers, and spoofs your location, which is how you can access previously inaccessible content from your country.
- Remote Access VPN: This type of VPN is commonly used by employees of a company who need to log into a private network when they’re on open/public internet. It protects the connection and data transfer between the employee and the private network.
- Site-to-Site VPN: This type of VPN is useful for companies that want to establish a single wide area network (WAN) between two or more other networks.
- Mobile VPN: This type of VPN is similar to a remote access VPN, but it’s designed for those using mobile devices when internet service could be on Wi-Fi or a cellular network. It keeps the connection going even when the Wi-Fi goes out.
For blocking Twitch ads, a personal VPN would be the best option, as it would allow you to connect to a server in a location where Twitch ads are not being served (unreliable), effectively blocking the ads while you watch Twitch streams.
There are a lot of VPN roundup reviews on the web and I often find them spammy since all providers have aggressive and lucrative affiliate schemes making it very hard to determine which is the best so we won’t go down that rabbit hole here.
You should do your own research on which is the best and go from there.
AdBlocking Browsers
Brave, Firefox, Opera, Chromium and Edge are some of the best browsers for ad blocking on Twitch but again the results are mixed and likely to change. Brave is built specifically as an ad-free experience and has built-in ad-blocking capabilities and anti-tracking tech, which makes it the smartest choice for blocking ads, however as an actual browser it is not on par with Chrome or Safari.
Firefox has good default privacy settings and lots of options to customize the browsing experience, while Opera blocks ads by default and comes with a free built-in VPN. Chromium and Edge have ad-blocking add-ons but relies on much of Google’s infrastructure from Chrome. Tor doesn’t block ads by default, but it fully anonymizes the user and makes them indistinguishable from other users, so they won’t be able to track you. However, using browser extensions in Tor can differentiate you from others, which can make it easier to track you.
Additional tips and trick for blocking ads on Twitch
- Using a browser extension such as Twitch5 that mutes ads and automatically skips them.
- Using a browser extension such as Video DownloadHelper, which can download Twitch streams, allowing you to watch them offline without ads.
- Manually muting the volume or closing the Twitch app/browser during ad breaks.
- Creating an account on Twitch and subscribing to a streamer, which will remove ads from their stream.
- Using browser add-on Twitch Leecher that will download streams to watch offline without ads.
The Bottom Line of Twitch Ads
It’s no secret that ads are what keep Twitch and its content creators running. Without revenue from ads, the platform and its creators would struggle to survive. However, as a viewer, it’s understandable that you may want to block ads to improve your streaming experience. But before you do, it’s important to consider the potential consequences. If enough viewers block ads, Twitch and its creators may need to find other ways to raise revenue, which could ultimately lead to a decline in the quality and quantity of content. The question is, is blocking ads really worth it? It’s ultimately up to you to decide.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are several ways to block ads on Twitch as a viewer, including using browser extensions, browser with built-in ad-blocking capabilities, and programs that automatically skip ads. However, it’s important to keep in mind that ads are a crucial source of revenue for content creators, so blocking ads may have a negative impact on them. Additionally, it’s worth noting that ad-blocking methods on Twitch can be unreliable and may not always work. Twitch takes their obligations to their advertisers and indeed their board members seriously and work day in and day out to keep the methods we’ve discussed her at bay.
Ultimately, it’s up to each individual to weigh the pros and cons and decide whether or not blocking ads is worth it for their own viewing experience.
