Does uBlock Origin block Twitch ads? Answered

The cat-and-mouse game between Twitch and the various ad-blocking software developers has been ongoing for years. With the commercialization of streaming services, ads have become commonplace in Twitch streams, typically requiring viewers to pay for premium benefits to enjoy an ad-free stream. It is no wonder that ad-blocking services are in more demand than ever.

uBlock is one of the many popular ad blockers compatible with Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Firefox. It blocks ads and protects users from trackers, miners, popups, and malicious URLs. However, it appears to have lost the battle against Twitch this time.

Related: The 5 best Twitch clip downloaders, and how to use them

Can you block Twitch ads using uBlock Origin?

According to several user reports on its Reddit page, users have recently started to see ads in their Twitch streams, even with uBlock enabled. uBlock no longer blocks in-stream Twitch ads as of now.

Twitch ads loosely fall into two groups: Static Ads that appear on the webpage and In-Stream ‘Pre-roll’ and ‘Mid-roll’ ads that play before or during a livestream. Of the two, the latter is harder to avoid and is more disruptive to the viewing experience as it cuts into the livestream itself.

Many third-party ad blockers follow a cycle of functioning as intended, then becoming redundant when Twitch decides to update their advertising methods, then updating to block this new kind of ad delivery, rinse and repeat. So while they effectively block Twitch ads, users will undergo unexpected downtime if Twitch decides to crack down on third-party ad blockers. This has likely happened to uBlock, as it can no longer prevent video ads from being shown to the user.

Although uBlock can no longer block video ads, a select few best Twitch adblockers are still available that do the job.