Check Out the New Best Way To Skip YouTube Ads

The rise of YouTube ads has inevitably changed the viewer experience for users who don't partake in the platform's premium streaming subscriptions.

However, a new discovery has allowed some viewers to speed through the ads they're often required to watch at the start or in the middle of their YouTube viewing sessions.

"Ad Speedup," a new extension on the Chrome Web Store, does what its name suggests: the plugin speeds up ads without having to block them for viewers to resume watching their content undisturbed.

Once the extension recognizes an ad, it speeds it up by 16 times, making 30-second ads run for only one to two seconds. Additionally, "Ad Speedup" also mutes ads, and will automatically click "Skip" in its future versions. 

The extension operates by using YouTube's playback speed controls. Although ads cannot be sped up within YouTube's player, this extension utilizes the browser's video player to accelerate playback when it detects an ad, making it a clever and straightforward solution. 

It has yet to be determined whether or not the new extension will affect creator payouts, considering watch times affect the rates of advertisements. 

YouTube's Beef With Ad Blockers

YouTube began testing limiting the usage of ad blockers in June, prompting users to remove them or subscribe to Premium.

This evolved into a full-blown campaign that the company started in November, cracking down on ad blockers worldwide as they violate YouTube's terms of service and prevent access to content. 

Increased efforts are evident with pop-up notifications that restrict video playback for ad-blocker users unless they whitelist or disable it.

YouTube's latest efforts suggested the platform was slowing videos for viewers who use ad blockers as part of its efforts to increase revenue.