I hate YouTube ads – and I just discovered how to get rid of them without an ad-blocker

For years, YouTube has been locked in a battle with ad blockers. Google has steadily tightened its detection systems, and many popular ad-blockers now struggle to work consistently on the platform. Even when they do, they're often limited to desktop browsers, leaving people watching on phones, smart TVs, or streaming devices stuck with incredibly frequent and intrusive ad breaks.

Of course, there's always YouTube Premium. But with subscription prices continuing to rise across the board, paying just to avoid ads isn't always appealing. During my own testing, though, I found there's another workaround that works surprisingly well.

By using one of the best VPNs to spoof my location to Albania, it's possible to effectively eliminate ads on YouTube. It sounds unusual, but the reason it works is actually quite simple.

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Any quality VPN with a server location in Albania will block ads, but Surfshark provides the best mix of powerful privacy tools, ease of use, and excellent value.

Pros and cons:

🔖 Fully audited privacy
📺 Excellent streaming unblocking
💸 7-day free trial with no upfront payment
❌ Apps aren't hugely customizable

After your 7-day free trial, Surfshark costs $1.99 per month, which works out at about $53 for two years of cover. There's also a 30-day refund period after the free trial so you can make sure it works well for you.

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How does connecting to an Albanian VPN server get rid of YouTube ads?

This neat little trick works because YouTube doesn't show ads everywhere in the world. In order to display ads on videos, Google needs a functioning advertising market in that country. Albania currently isn't part of YouTube's monetized markets under the YouTube Partner Programme, meaning creators typically don't earn ad revenue from viewers there.

As a result, far fewer ads are produced for that region. When I connect to a VPN server in Albania, YouTube believes I'm watching from there, and in my testing I haven't seen a single ad in months of regular viewing, both on my laptop and my Apple TV.

To make this work reliably, you'll need a good VPN. That means fast servers, reliable IP addresses, and an actual server location in Albania. Unfortunately, none of our top-rated free VPNs offer any servers in Albania, so a paid VPN is usually necessary.

It's also one of the only reliable and simple ways to reduce YouTube ads on streaming devices like Apple TV, Fire Stick, and smart TVs, where traditional ad blockers don't work.

How to block YouTube ads with a VPN

Blocking YouTube ads with this method is fairly simple. The key step is connecting to a VPN server located in Albania before opening YouTube. Here's how I do it:

• Choose a VPN with servers in Albania. Not every VPN offers Albanian servers, so check this before signing up. You'll also want a service with fast speeds so videos stream smoothly. Surfshark, NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and Proton VPN are all good choices that offer servers in Albania.
• Install the VPN app on your device. Download the app for whichever device you're using. Most major VPNs support iPhones and Android devices, Windows PCs and Macs, as well as streaming devices like Fire TV Sticks and Apple TV.
• Connect to an Albanian server location. Open the VPN app and select Albania from the server list. Once connected, your internet traffic will appear to come from that country.
• Open YouTube and start watching. With the VPN active, launch YouTube as normal. In my experience, videos start playing immediately without the usual pre-roll ads. If you're watching on a smart TV or streaming stick, you can either install the VPN app directly on the device or connect the VPN through your router.

Which VPNs work for blocking YouTube ads?

Not every VPN will work well for this trick. To reliably reduce YouTube ads, you need a service that offers a combination of speed, stable connections, and servers in Albania.

Fast speeds are particularly important because all of your video traffic is routed through the VPN. A slow connection can lead to buffering or lower video quality, especially when watching in HD or 4K.

You'll also want a VPN that supports a wide range of devices. If you plan to watch YouTube on a Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, smart TV, or phone, the provider should have dedicated apps or easy setup instructions for those platforms.

Strong privacy protections matter too. Look for services that have independently audited no-logs policies, meaning they don't record your browsing activity.

Among the most reliable options are Surfshark, NordVPN, and ExpressVPN. Surfshark is one of the most affordable and offers a 7-day free trial, NordVPN is consistently rated as one of the best VPNs overall, and ExpressVPN is particularly easy to use for beginners.