uBlock is one of the most popular browser extensions out there, particularly for content filtering and ad-blocking purposes. Millions of people around the globe have used it. The majority of them use it to block ads and unwanted pop-ups on the websites to make their surfing experience better. However, many of them are reporting that uBlock has suddenly stopped working on the YouTube website and failed to block ads and promotional pop-ups.
If you are also facing the same error, then don’t worry. We have got you covered with our latest post. In this post, we will look for the possible reasons and fix the uBlock extension not working on YouTube.
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Possible reasons for uBlock not working properly
There could be multiple reasons behind the uBlock browser extension not working properly or failing to stop ads on YouTube. It’s very hard to outline any one particular reason. It could be a simple browser compatibility issue or maybe YouTube itself has released a patch that stops the extension from doing its work in a better way. But regardless of the reason affecting it, let’s have a look at all the possible methods to solve the issue and make the uBlock extension work again.
How to solve uBlock origin not working on YouTube?
Several ways are used in which we can fix the issue of uBlock origin not working on the YouTube platform. We are highly confident that the methods mentioned below will do the work for you and once you’re done reading and applying the methods, the extension will start working once again. As mentioned earlier, YouTube keeps updating its platform in regular intervals which sometimes creates problems for the uBlock extension to work properly. So if you face the issue again after a few weeks or so, please repeat the method to patch it again. There’s no other way.
1. Update the uBlock to the latest version
Sometimes, the main reason the uBlock extension does not work properly is because of it getting outdated. The developers update it regularly to make sure it works properly and hence updating it is very important. To fix the issue of it not working on YouTube, you will have to update uBO to the latest version available.
After updating it to the latest version, you will have to make sure that you have disabled all the custom filters and additional lists. Now you are supposed to force update your “Filters list.”
The developers have released a comprehensive guide alongside a video tutorial on how you can update and disable all the custom filters manually. You can get the video tutorial from this Reddit thread.
2. Disable other unnecessary browser extensions
The developers of uBlock origin highly suggest that if uBlock origin is not working properly or is facing some errors in YouTube, then other browser extensions could very well be the reason behind this. Sometimes, we forget to remove unnecessary browser extensions which keep taking up space and may also create problems for other extensions.
So you need to get the list of your installed browser extensions checked and if some unnecessary extensions are of no use, then we suggest you remove them as soon as possible. Once you have removed all the unnecessary stuff, re-check whether the uBlock origin is working again or not.
3. Update all the filters on uBlock origin
Filters are one of the most useful features given on the uBlock origin. They sometimes create unnecessary mess and end up creating problems for the extension itself. For this, you will have to cross-check all the available filters on your extension. Open the menu and start looking for them carefully.
Once you are done reviewing all the available filters, check whether the YouTube website has been added to the ad-block filter or not. Also, if any filters are not in use or you haven’t used them for a long time, consider removing them. Now given that you have removed the unnecessary stuff and added YouTube to the ad-block filter, check whether the extension is working or not. You can do so by playing some random short video on YouTube.
4. Check whether the uBlock extension is Unpaused
uBlock allows the users to pause the extension for a while or any particular website. Once you have paused the browser extension, it will not perform any tasks and will not stop any ads from popping up. Many websites can’t be accessed without turning off the uBlock or any other ad-blocker extension.
There might have been a case where you had visited any such websites in the past and then forgot to unpause the extension again. And because of this, it’s not working properly. So please check once again whether you have unpaused the uBlock browser extension or not. We recommend restarting the browser once you have unpaused the extension to make it work better.
5. Re-install the uBlock origin extension
Last but not least, if you have tried all the methods mentioned above and the extension is still not working for you, then the only option you are left with is to re-install the uBlock origin browser extension. There might have been a case like the browser got updated, or some back-end error that stops it from behaving properly. In any such scenario, you can try to resolve the issue by re-installing the extension.
Re-installing it is fairly easy, Just simply remove the extension from your browser and then search for uBlock origin on Google or go to Chrome Web Store and look for the same. Hit the “add to browser” button and that’s it. You may have to go through some on-screen instructions but that’s pretty simple. This will re-install the extension and it will start working fine once again.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Does YouTube have any compatibility issues with the extension?
Particularly, No. YouTube doesn’t have any sort of compatibility issues with any of the extensions. But do note that YouTube keeps updating their platform which creates problems for the ad-blockers to work properly. They update it so that their platform bypasses the ad blockers and makes them useless. Therefore, it’s necessary to update the extensions regularly.
2. What should I do if none of the methods mentioned above are working?
It’s a very rare case if none of the methods mentioned above are working for you. In this case, you may have to update or re-install your browser. If that also is not working then the best you can do is to report the issue to the uBlock developers and wait for their assistance. You can also try to reach out to their community if needed.
3. uBlock origin sometimes works well but sometimes, it doesn’t. What could be the cause?
If it’s not working properly, then most probably it’s an issue with YouTube. They might have updated their platform. There is no direct way to solve this. But if you update the uBlock origin and then clear the cache of your browser or YouTube, then it will make it work once again. You may have to repeat the process several times. It’s very easy and you should look for this option only when the aforementioned steps aren’t working for you.