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Seeing Ads on YouTube Premium? Here’s the Simple Fix for an Amazing Ad-Free Experience.
Have you noticed ads appearing on YouTube, even though you pay for a Premium subscription? You are not alone. Many users have reported this confusing and frustrating experience. It can feel like a broken promise. If you thought you paid to get away from commercials, seeing one pop up is jarring. However, YouTube isn’t sneaking ads into its main Premium service. The real reason is a bit more complicated and comes down to a different subscription plan that many people don’t realize they have.
This guide will walk you through what is happening. We will explain the different YouTube plans. You will learn how to check which one you are subscribed to. By the end, you will understand why you might be seeing ads and know exactly how to get the completely ad-free experience you want.
The Rise of a New Option: Premium Lite
The main source of this confusion is a subscription tier called Premium Lite. YouTube introduced this plan as a cheaper alternative to the full Premium subscription. When the company launched this new option, it also changed some of its existing pricing plans. During this transition, some subscribers were automatically moved to different plans. This is how some people ended up on Premium Lite without choosing it themselves.
Premium Lite is significantly less expensive than the full Premium plan. For example, it might cost around $7.99 a month, while the full Premium is closer to $16.99, depending on where you live. That price difference comes with a major trade-off: you will still see some ads.
The promise of Premium Lite is an “ad-free experience on most videos.” That word “most” is key. Here is where you will still see ads with a Premium Lite plan:
- YouTube Music: If you listen to music videos or use the platform as a music player, you will get ads.
- Shorts: The popular short-form videos on YouTube will still have ads.
- Search Results: Some ads may appear when you search for content.
- Home Page: You may see video ads on your home feed.
For someone who was used to a completely ad-free experience, this change is very noticeable. Suddenly, commercials start appearing during music playlists or while scrolling through Shorts. It is understandable why many users thought YouTube was breaking its promise. In reality, they were on a different service tier with different rules.
Is YouTube Adding Ads to the Full Premium Plan?
This is a fear for many users, but the answer is no. The standard, full YouTube Premium subscription remains completely ad-free. If you are a full Premium subscriber, you should not see any ads on any type of content. This includes regular videos, YouTube Music, and Shorts. YouTube is not testing ads for its top-tier subscribers.
The complaints seen on forums like Reddit make sense in this context. Users who were enjoying a completely ad-free experience suddenly started seeing ads, especially on music content. They believed YouTube was going back on its word. What really happened is that their subscription had changed to Premium Lite, or they signed up for Lite without realizing its limitations.
The full Premium plan offers more than just an ad-free experience. It also includes:
- Background Play: You can listen to videos on your mobile device while using other apps or when your screen is off. This is perfect for podcasts or music.
- Video Downloads: You can download videos to your device to watch offline later.
- YouTube Music Premium: You get full access to the YouTube Music streaming service, which is also completely ad-free.
These features are not included with Premium Lite. The Lite plan only removes ads from most long-form videos.
How to Check Your Plan and Get the Experience You Want
If you are seeing ads, the first thing you should do is check which YouTube plan you are actually subscribed to. It is a simple process that will clear up any confusion.
Here’s how to check your subscription:
- Log In to Your YouTube Account: Go to the YouTube website or open the app and make sure you are signed in.
- Go to Your Profile: Click on your profile picture in the top-right corner.
- Select “Purchases and memberships”: In the menu that appears, click on this option.
- Review Your Subscription: This page will show you exactly which plan you have. It will clearly say “Premium” or “Premium Lite.”
If you find that you are on the Premium Lite plan and you want a completely ad-free experience, you will need to upgrade to the full Premium subscription. You can usually do this directly from the “Purchases and memberships” page. The price will be higher, but you will get the full ad-free experience across the entire platform, plus background play and downloads.
Which Plan Is Right for You? A Simple Comparison
Choosing between Premium and Premium Lite depends on your viewing habits and how much you dislike ads.
| Feature | YouTube Premium | YouTube Premium Lite |
|---|---|---|
| Ad-Free Viewing | Yes, on all content | Only on most long-form videos |
| Background Play | Yes | No |
| Video Downloads | Yes | No |
| YouTube Music Premium | Yes | No |
| Typical Price | Higher (around $16.99/month) | Lower (around $7.99/month) |
Think about how you use YouTube.
- If you cannot stand ads anywhere and frequently listen to music or want to download videos for offline viewing, full Premium is the best choice for you.
- If you mainly watch regular, long-form videos and don’t mind seeing ads on music or Shorts, Premium Lite could be a great way to save money.
The confusion over ads was not a sign of YouTube betraying its paid subscribers. It was the result of a confusing rollout of a new subscription tier. The company could have done a better job of explaining the changes to users. Now that you know the difference, you can check your account and make an informed decision. By choosing the right plan, you can get the YouTube experience that best fits your needs and your budget.