Twitch is an interactive live streaming platform dedicated to streaming content ranging from gaming, entertainment, sports, music, and more. Streamers show the live stream while playing games and chatting with other people having the same interests. The platform offers several built-in tools that enable the creators to live broadcast themselves while gaming and interacting with other users simultaneously. Static: These are on-page advertisements scattered throughout the Twitch website/web client. Video: These ads usually pop up before the Livestream is about to commence or between the streaming sessions. They are known as pre-roll and mid-roll ads, respectively. Twitch is infamous for targeting users with tons of ads that notoriously ruin the viewing experience, especially the ones that roll at those most crucial moments of Twitch streaming. No wonder many users are looking for a sure-shot way to block these bad ads on Twitch. In this comprehensive guide, we have put together the different techniques you can adopt to block ads on Twitch. So keep scrolling below to know what options you have to do the intended.
#1. Use Ad Blocker Extensions for Chrome
The easiest way to block those pesky ads on Twitch is to use one of those ad-blocking browser extensions. These extensions can safely stop most of the on-page advertisements on the live video streaming service. Let’s see some of the ad blockers that efficiently perform the job.
uBlock Origin
uBlock Origin is one of the most popular and open-source ad blocker extensions you can use to block ads on Twitch. Apart from Chrome, it works perfectly fine with other popular browsers like Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and Opera. uBlock Origin effectively blocks all the on-page ads on Twitch without degrading the streaming quality. This ad blocker can enforce thousands of filters not provided on any other platform without hogging the system resources. uBlock boasts of having the lowest memory footprint of any of the ad blockers out there.
#2. Use VPNs with a built-in Ad Blocker
Using Virtual Private Network (VPN) is another possible way of blocking the advertisements on Twitch. Twitch advertising policy varies from country to country, and the ads do not appear in some countries like Poland, Russia, Ukraine, Serbia, Colombia, and others. VPNs help spoof your location by assigning a different IP Address belonging to a different country. This way, you can enjoy the live streams without worrying about the annoying pre-roll ads. Some VPNs also have in-built ad blockers that can block ads on different streaming platforms, including Twitch. The VPNs with ad-blockers successfully block the ads integrated into the stream along with the homepage carousel and banner ads. Below are the most popular VPNs with ad-blockers:
NordVPN
NordVPN is equipped with an effective ad-blocker that prevents distracting and malicious ads from following you online and ensures a safe and smooth streaming experience on Twitch. NordsVPN blocks the ads even before they reach your system. Less number of ads improves the loading time and consumes less amount of data. To use the ad-blocking feature of NordVPN, you need to purchase a subscription. Once you subscribe to NordVPN, follow the steps below to enable an ad blocker:
Launch the NordVPN app on your PC. Next, click the shield icon. Look for the Threat Protection option and turn on the toggle next.
Proton VPN
Proton VPN is another one that includes an integrated ad blocker known as NetShield. This ad-blocker works two ways- it blocks malware and ads from annoying you on different platforms, including Twitch. The Proton NetShield is platform-independent, so you can use it on any device to block ads, be it Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, or Linux. NetShield uses the DNS Filtering mechanism to stop online trackers and marketing companies from tracking your online activities and bombarding you with ads. The ad blocker prevents your device from downloading unnecessary ads and thus reducing the load type and improving the streaming quality.
#3. Twitch Client Apps
Some third-party Twitch apps allow the users to enjoy live streams without being bothered by adverts. Apart from supporting ad-free streaming, they also offer features like instant replay, Audio only mode, and the ability to customize the interface per one’s requirements. The most popular ones are:
Pocket Plays for Twitch
Pocket Plays for Twitch is a popular alternative platform for users using Twitch on Android devices. The app offers all the features typically provided by the official Twitch app. The app is easy to use and bypasses the ads visible on Twitch, offering an ad-free experience. Pocket Plays has a beautiful and comfortable user interface for viewing many live streams and videos on demand (VOD). You can customize the notifications you wish to be alerted about and chat with other users while watching the videos in fullscreen mode.
Impulse – Twitch Client
Impulse is another Twitch Client you should check out to reduce the number of ads visible on Twitch. It blocks the on-page ads allowing you to watch your favorite live streams, VODs, and clips without getting distracted by unpleasant ads. However, the ads directly embedded into the stream can occasionally pop up during the streaming sessions. Apart from offering an ad-free experience, the app also provides other useful features like Sleep Timer, Picture in Picture support, Multi-Support window, and more.
#4. Subscribe to the Channel
If you are fond of a particular channel, you can subscribe to that channel to support the creator. You will no longer be troubled by absurd ads anymore. You will get access to subscriber-exclusive chat rooms, subscriber-only streams, a nifty sub badge, and a custom emote. However, it is recommended to check the perks you can avail of after subscribing to the channel and see if ad-free viewing is one of them. There can be a rare scenario when creators do not offer ad-free viewing even after subscribing to the channel.
Twitch Turbo
If you want to subscribe to Twitch instead of a particular channel, you can sign up for Twitch Turbo. This premium version of Twitch is available at a monthly subscription plan of USD 8..99 per month. Twitch Turbo gives access to Ad-free Viewing Across Twitch; this means no more pre-rolls, mid-rolls, companions, or display ads. Apart from the Ad-free Twitch experience, Twitch Turbo also offers other features which can further enhance your streaming experience:
Exclusive Chat Badge: The exclusive chat badge is displayed next to your username, distinguishing you from other users. Emote Expansion Pack: Option to choose one from the two sets of emote- Glitch and Monkey emote. It is possible to switch between them at any moment. Custom Chat Username Colors: Users can choose a unique username color after subscribing to Turbo Twitch. This makes them stand out so that the streamers can spot their comments. Extend Broadcast Storage: This feature is a boon for creators who can save the broadcasts from the last 60 days instead of the previous 14 days.
Closing Thoughts
If you are someone who loves to spend time on Twitch to unwind after a hectic day, annoying ads can certainly ruin your experience. If you do not want to be bombarded with advertisements on the video streaming platform, then employing one of the workarounds mentioned above will help alleviate the problem. You may also check the most watched Twitch streamers of all time.
