How To Get Ad-Free Browsing on Brave Without Payment

Understanding Brave's Built-In Ad Blocker

Brave browser comes with a built-in ad blocker, known as Brave Shields, which helps protect users from most ads and trackers. However, this feature may not block all ads, especially on platforms like YouTube. Here’s how you can optimize Brave to achieve ad-free browsing without additional payments.

Enabling and Customizing Brave Shields

1. Accessing Brave Shields:

   • Open the Brave browser and click on the Brave icon in the address bar. This will open the Brave Shields panel.
   • Here, you can see the number of ads and trackers blocked.

2. Global Shield Defaults:

   • To customize the ad-blocking settings, go to the Brave menu, select "Settings," and then navigate to "Shields" under the "Security and privacy" section.
   • Ensure that "Block ads and trackers" is enabled. You can also adjust other settings like blocking cookies and fingerprinting protection.

3. Disabling Brave Rewards:

• Brave Rewards is a feature that pays users to view select ads. To disable this and avoid seeing any ads, go to the Brave menu, select "Settings," then navigate to "Brave Rewards" and turn off the rewards feature.

Handling YouTube Ads

YouTube ads can be particularly challenging to block due to YouTube's detection mechanisms. Here are some strategies to help you bypass these ads:

1. Using the YouTube AdBlock by Friendly Extension:

   • This extension plays ads extremely fast, essentially skipping them. However, it must be configured to only work on YouTube to avoid triggering YouTube's ad blocker detection.
   • To configure the extension, go to the extension settings and specify that it should only operate on YouTube.

2. Disabling Brave Shields for YouTube:

   • If you prefer not to use extensions, you can disable Brave Shields specifically for YouTube. This will allow you to watch videos without the ad blocker interfering, but keep in mind that you will see ads.

3. Alternative Method: Using DuckDuckGo Search:

• Another method to watch ad-free YouTube videos is by searching for them via DuckDuckGo. This method works regardless of the browser you are using.

Additional Tools for Enhanced Ad Blocking

1. Using AdGuard:

   • For more comprehensive ad blocking, you can use AdGuard in conjunction with Brave. AdGuard can block ads system-wide, including on YouTube, without triggering ad blocker detection.

2. Installing Additional Extensions:

   • If Brave's built-in ad blocker is not sufficient, you can install additional extensions like uBlock Origin or Privacy Badger. These extensions can provide more robust ad-blocking capabilities.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

1. YouTube Ad Blocker Detection:

   • If YouTube detects and blocks your ad blocker, you may need to adjust your settings or use a different approach. Disabling Brave Shields for YouTube or using the YouTube AdBlock by Friendly extension can help.

2. Ensuring Shields Are Correctly Configured:

   • Make sure that your Brave Shields are correctly configured. Sometimes, adding custom filters can cause issues. Stick to the default settings or use recommended filters to avoid problems.

By following these steps, you can significantly reduce the number of ads you see while browsing with Brave, including on YouTube, without needing to pay for any additional services.