How to Block Twitch Ads

Pros	Cons
Easy to install	Frequently shut down by Twitch
Free	Only works on desktop
Open-source	Can cause pages to load incorrectly
Doesn’t affect stream quality	Requires additional configuration to block video ads

Using uBlock Origin, an ad blocking browser extension, is the easiest and quickest way to block on-page advertisements on Twitch. It’s free, open-sourced, and takes less than a minute to setup and use.

However, uBlock Origin is often shut down by Twitch and will not block pre-roll or mid-roll video ads.

To fix this, you’ll need to apply multiple custom scripts within its settings. Once added, uBlock Origin can block all types of Twitch ads.

How to Block Twitch Ads Using uBlock Origin

1. Add the extension. Go to uBlock Origin’s website and locate the link for your preferred browser.
2. Open uBlock Origin’s settings. Select the uBlock Origin icon in your toolbar and click on the three-gear symbol to open settings.



3. Add a new filter. Click on the My filters tab and type in twitch.tv##+js(twitch-videoad). Then click Apply changes.



4. Go to advanced settings. Return to the Settings tab and tick the I am an advanced user box. Click on the cog that appears next to it to access the advanced settings.



5. Apply the custom scripts. Scroll to userResourcesLocation at the bottom and change the text from unset to https://github.com/pixeltris/TwitchAdSolutions/blob/master/vaft/vaft-ublock-origin.js, then add a space and enter https://github.com/pixeltris/TwitchAdSolutions/blob/master/vaft/vaft.user.js.



6. Save your changes. Click Apply Changes and then toggle the ad blocker on and off to ensure that the new scripts are registered.
7. Turn on the ad blocker. Go back to uBlock Origin’s home screen and click on the large power button to start blocking Twitch ads.


uBlock Origin’s power symbol will turn blue when enabled.

By adding this script, any pre-roll or mid-roll ads are supplanted by a low quality version of the stream. Once the ad has finished your stream will return to a normal resolution.

Pros	Cons
Won’t affect how a page loads	Connecting to a distant server can cause the stream to buffer
Provides online anonymity and security	A quality VPN can cost money
Can be used on any browser
Twitch struggles to detect them
Can block all types of ads
Compatible with desktop and mobile

Using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) is the most effective way of blocking all ads on Twitch.

Twitch’s advertising policy varies by country, with some locations like Poland omitting all types of ads.

By connecting to a VPN, you can change your IP location to one of these countries and block all types of Twitch ads permanently.

This may cause your recommendations to change but you’ll still be able to watch live streams from anywhere in the world.

We also experienced some buffering in our testing, however this only happened when first loading the livestream.

VPNs also come with the added benefit of increased privacy and security when browsing online, although this usually requires a small subscription fee.

How to block All Twitch Ads with a VPN

Here’s a video demonstrating how to block Twitch ads permanently with a VPN:

Pros	Cons
Easy to install	Pages take longer to load
Free	Can cause Twitch streams to buffer
Open-Source	Can’t block pre-rolls or mid-rolls

You can also use an ad blocking browser to block on-page Twitch ads. Web browsers such as Opera and Brave block all third-party advertisements and tracking by default, which means you can navigate to Twitch without any disruption.

However, this method cannot block integrated pre-roll and mid-roll ads.

Ad block browsers function in the same way as an ad block extension but the software used is implemented at a browser level. This can cause websites to load incorrectly or even break.

This is a free and simple way to block on-page ads, but Ad block browsers lack the speeds of their mainstream competitors. Twitch livestreams tend to buffer when played on an ad block browser and drops in video quality are not uncommon.

Popular ad block browsers include Opera, Firefox, and Brave. Based on our tests, Opera is not safe to use and Firefox is unable to load Twitch.

Instead, we recommend using Brave as it has the simplest setup and will not compromise your online privacy or security.

We’ve tested some of the best private browsers available and each one can offer its own benefits to your setup.

Pros	Cons
Easy to install	Requires access to your Twitch ID and personal IP
Free	Regularly blocked by Twitch
Open-source	Shady developer behavior
Can block all types of ads	Can’t choose your new location

A proxy acts as an intermediary between you and the website you want to connect to. Your web traffic is routed through a proxy server which connects to websites on your behalf.

The website you want to connect to only sees your proxy server’s IP address, allowing you to spoof your virtual location.

Similar to using a VPN, you can use a proxy server to connect to a country that is exempt from advertising on Twitch. This is an affordable way to block all Twitch ads, but proxies are not as secure as VPN services.

The two most reliable Ad block proxies available are TTV LOL and Purple Ads Blocker. Both extensions are built specifically for blocking ads on the Twitch platform. However, we do not recommend installing TTV LOL as its effectiveness at blocking Twitch ads comes at the cost of exposing your IP and collecting your personal data.

Why You Shouldn’t Use an Ad Block Proxy

An adbock proxy relies on access to your IP address to function. This raises privacy and security concerns as a proxy may store and leak this identifying information.

In May 2021, it was revealed that TTV LOL leaked users’ Twitch ID and IP address when connecting to its endpoint server.

Furthermore, TTV LOL’s privacy policy is vague and non-committal stating that it “may collect your IP address and “other diagnostic data.” TTV LOL also ambiguously states that it may collect further information “in the future” including your filter settings.

It’s not certain what this information would entail as access to your filter settings suggests that TTV LOL can see which websites you are connecting to. This would be far more invasive than just collecting “usage data.”

Access to your IP address and Twitch ID, as well as confirmed reports of data leaks, confirms that this is a dangerous extension which could compromise your online anonymity. We do not recommend using TTV LOL to block Twitch ads.

Purple Ads blocker’s privacy policy is even more opaque with a brief, poorly-written statement:

The lack of clarity surrounding its data collection practices, coupled with reported IP leaks, means that we can’t recommend using an ad block proxy. To block all Twitch Ads without compromising your online security, we suggest using a VPN.

Pros	Cons
Easy to use	You can’t earn Channel Points
Free	You can’t participate in Twitch Drops
Open-source	Twitch ads will appear on occasion
	Can cause Twitch streams to buffer

Twitchls is an open-source platform that allows you to open Twitch streams in an embedded video.

This will block all types of Twitch ads, but it does come with some restrictions.

Interaction-based rewards such as Channel Points and Twitch Drops are blocked, but you can still access the stream’s chat.

Entry to the streamer’s chat will require your Twitch account login details. We have no reason to distrust Twitchls as it has not suffered any known data breaches, but it is a third-party platform with no formal affiliation to Twitch. It is up to your own discretion if you want to share your personal details with it.

There’s also some missing quality of life features, namely a lack of a ‘dark mode’ option for the platform as well as automatically loading the stream at a 360p quality. If you want to view the livestream in 1080p you’ll have to manually select the option in the video settings and reload the entire stream.

In our testing, streams loaded in at 1080p suffered from frequent buffering and fluctuations in quality. Lower video resolutions did not have have this issue. We also experienced an occasional mid-roll ad, but this was not common.

Pros	Cons
Easy to use	You can’t earn Channel Points
Free	You can’t participate in Twitch Drops
Open-source	You can’t interact with Twitch chat

Multistre.am is an alternative streaming platform which automatically blocks all types of Twitch advertisements. It does block Twitch ads, but it comes at the cost of total isolation from the Twitch platform.

You aren’t able to earn Channel Points or Twitch Drops, and you can’t interact with the streamer’s chat.

In our testing we also experienced the Twitch ‘Purple Screen of death’ at irregular intervals.

The screen appears infrequently and doesn’t indicate that your account has been suspended or compromised in any way. It is, however, a slight inconvenience from a platform that promises a disruption-free viewing experience.