YouTube Viewers Report Extremely Long Unskippable Ads—Google Responds

Ad Blockers Could Be Causing the Issue, Says YouTube

ISLAMABAD: YouTube users have been complaining about unusually long, unskippable ads, with some claiming durations of up to an hour or more. While YouTube maintains that non-skippable ads are limited to 15 seconds on mobile and 60 seconds on TV, many users report experiencing ads lasting over an hour—raising concerns about what’s behind this frustrating issue.

Google’s Response

Following a growing wave of complaints, Google has responded, clarifying that ad blockers may be interfering with the ‘Skip’ button or distorting ad playback.

"Ads are a vital lifeline for our creators, and ad blockers violate YouTube’s Terms of Service," a Google spokesperson stated.

The company further confirmed its global crackdown on ad blockers, warning that continued use may disable playback entirely.

The Ad Blocker Connection

Some reports suggest that ad blockers might be unintentionally causing longer, unskippable ads by interfering with YouTube’s ad-serving process.
Users have reported ads as long as 58 minutes, two hours, and even 90 hours, though these extreme cases remain unverified.
A Reddit user shared an image of a 2-hour, 52-minute ad playing before a 49-minute video, further fueling the controversy.

YouTube has not acknowledged serving excessively long ads intentionally and insists that any such cases are likely due to ad blockers or technical glitches.

The Future of Ads on YouTube

YouTube has been steadily pushing for more ads and longer ad breaks for free users while aggressively discouraging ad blockers. The platform offers YouTube Premium as an ad-free alternative but acknowledges that some users may still experience issues.

What Can You Do?

If you’re seeing long, unskippable ads:
✅ Check if you're using an ad blocker—it might be interfering with normal ad playback.
✅ Consider disabling your ad blocker and refreshing the page.
✅ Use YouTube Premium for an ad-free experience.
✅ Report unusually long ads through YouTube’s feedback system.