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Unlike most streaming services, those who can’t stomach YouTube’s latest price hike have an alternative. Free users can browse and stream as many YouTube videos as they want, but they will have to deal with ads. The site expanded the use of non-skippable 30-second ads in the TV app this year, after generating more than $40 billion in ad revenue in 2025. Previously, the longest you had to wait to get back to your video was 15 seconds.
But viewers have increasingly pointed to longer ad breaks. In recent days, reports of 90-second non-skippable ads have increased rapidly. The company has responded to the kerfuffle, saying, “YouTube does not have a 90-second non-skippable ad format. It’s not something we’re testing right now.” The company’s post on X has since been “noted by the community”, confirming the existence of the 90-second non-skippable ads.
Despite YouTube’s assurances, many viewers report seeing these longer commercials, and there are several images that show non-skippable 90-second ad breaks. YouTube users have accused the company of lying or using misleading language in its denials.
Some viewers report that these extra-long breaks are a mixture of ad types. They start with a 30-second skippable ad, and then the player rolls into a few shorter skippable ads. However, the interface only shows the standard “Skip In” text with a countdown until all ads have finished. The good news is that this is an error and YouTube is working on it.
The YouTube interface makes it seem like an unskippable 90-second ad, even though it’s not.
Credit: /u/Ok_Neat1652
The YouTube interface makes it seem like an unskippable 90-second ad, even though it’s not.
Credit: /u/Ok_Neat1652
YouTube now says it has determined that these long non-skippable ads are an interface bug. A spokesperson for the company said, “We have determined that this was the result of a bug that was resulting in high, incorrect timers for short ads being shown.” “We are now rolling out a fix. As we’ve said, we don’t have a 90-second non-skippable ad format and this was not a test.”
YouTube is no longer free streaming video for all. If you want to watch YouTube content you have to pay somehow. The site will either take up a huge chunk of your budget, or you’ll have to sit through more ads than ever before. There are alternative YouTube clients that can remove ads, and ad-blockers can do the same on the web. However, it is a cat-and-mouse game as YouTube works to circumvent blockers.
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