Same as title, I’m on iPadOS and wanted to know if NextDNS can block YT ads and if not how can I do so?
Unfortunately, NextDNS primarily operates at the domain level, which means it’s effective for blocking specific domains associated with ads, but it may not directly block YouTube ads. Since YouTube serves ads from the same domain as its content, blocking them becomes tricky with domain-level blockers like NextDNS.
A simple approach would be using a web browser with an ad blocker extension to watch YouTube instead of using the YouTube app.
If privacy isn’t your top priority and your thread model allows, another worthwhile choice to explore is YouTube Premium. Despite requiring a subscription fee, YouTube Premium guarantees an ad-free viewing experience on all your devices, including iPadOS.
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Just like the other answers here, NextDNS cannot block YT video ads. You could either try Firefox with uBlock Origin, or the Brave Browser.
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Because of Apples restrictions (Uumm… I mean IOS limitations) Firefox cannot use gecko, thus cannot use extentions.
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Oh, sorry about that, I was unaware that Firefox cannot use uBlock as of yet on iOS. Well yeah in that case @anon762545 Brave is probably your best bet.
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For blocking youtube ads on iOS (sorry don’t know enoug about iPadOS specifically) I am aware of a few approaches:
- Yattee is a youtube frontend, it is the equivalent to Newpipe (Android) on iOS. But it is much newer and much rougher around the edges, I would consider it not yet ready for general use but a good option to be aware of.
- Youtube in a web browser:
- Safari + Adguard (is what I use and recommend for iOS)
- Brave Browser
- Orion Browser (which has a built-in adblocker, but also allows you to use uBlock Origin)
With one very important caveat: Web Browser Adblocking on iOS works differently depending on whether you are viewing a page in the browser in the traditional way or if you ‘install’ a webapp (in iOS speak that is “add to homescreen”). Adblocking is less effective on iOS/Safari when you add a site to your homescreen to simulate the experience of a standalone app (which is probably what most people want in the context of youtube).
As others have already noted, DNS level adblocking isn’t capable of blocking youtube ads (or instagram, facebook, twitch). For these more pernicious ads. you need either a browser based adblocker or a 3rd party app or frontend.
There may be more options, but these are the options I am aware of.
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Anyway to add Brave as PWA on iOS? Or maybe just add a shortcut to home screen
anyway to add jt to homescreen
Brave is not a website, it’s a separate browser app. You can get it from the App Store.
I hope this solved your confusion? It’s an alternative browser to Safari with an in-built ad-blocker and tracker blocker.
I’m aware. Just the way you can add websites from safari onto home screen I was looking if we can do that with brave.
Ah, I see. You can give it a try and see if it works. In case there are any doubts, maybe browse through https://community.brave.com. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately 
), I don’t use Apple so I don’t have any personal insights on the matter.
As of late 2021, it was not possible on iOS. Not sure if anything has changed since that time.
I briefly tried to confirm this on my own phone, I couldn’t find a way to ‘install’ a PWA to homescreen from within Brave, but it could just be user error, I still find iOS pretty unintuitive.
But Safari can use extensions.
I watch YouTube in Safari with an ad blocking extension and it works great.
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Can u please guide how to add extensions
Sure thing. Apple’s support page has a step by step:
You download them from the App Store and enable them in Safari settings. For ad blocking I use Firefox Focus and Wipr.
Same here with AdGuard. Combos as a great privacy, security tool as well
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