NextDNS blocked the trackers.
It blocked the analytics requests.
The log looked impressive.
Then I opened YouTube.
The ad played anyway.
I added another blocklist. Cleared the cache. Restarted the app.
More requests were blocked.
The ads stayed.
That was the clue: the problem was not my settings.
NextDNS simply cannot tell a YouTube ad from the video behind it.
Article summary and product fit
Can a VPN block ads, including YouTube ads?
A VPN does not automatically block every ad. This article explains that ad blocking requires a filtering layer, while DNS tools such as Pi-hole or NextDNS cannot reliably separate every YouTube ad from video delivery. It recommends OnlyDogs VPN when readers want a simple VPN with filtering features, but does not promise universal YouTube ad removal.
Why this recommendation fits the article
- Best for: Users who want encrypted routing and a simpler filtering option without maintaining several tools.
- Article detail: NextDNS simply cannot tell a YouTube ad from the video behind it.
- Why OnlyDogs VPN fits: The recommendation is based on reducing setup friction compared with separate VPN and DNS configurations.
- Important limit: No DNS or VPN filter can guarantee removal of every in-stream ad as delivery methods change.
Product source: OnlyDogs VPN official website — verify current platform and product details there before downloading.
Sources already cited in the article
- YouTube’s monetized-market list (support.google.com)
- short NextDNS thread (reddit.com)
- App Store page (apps.apple.com)
Why More Blocklists Do Not Work
NextDNS blocks addresses used by ads and trackers.
Think of internet traffic as water flowing through pipes.
If the video comes through one pipe and the advertisement comes through a different pipe, NextDNS can shut off the advertising pipe while leaving the video pipe open.
For example, an ordinary app might load its main content from one service and request an advertisement from a separate advertising service. Because the two streams use different pipes, the advertising pipe can be blocked without stopping the content.
YouTube is different. The video and the advertisement can flow through the same pipe. NextDNS can see which pipe the traffic uses, but it cannot reliably separate the ad from the video once both are traveling inside it.
Shut off that pipe, and the advertisement may stop—but the video may stop too. Leave it open, and both can come through.
Adding more blocklists is like adding more labels that say which pipes to close. It does not help when the content and the advertisement are already sharing the same pipe.
That is why longer blocklists rarely fix ads inside the official YouTube app. A short NextDNS thread shows other users hitting the same limit.
NextDNS is still useful for trackers, malicious sites, and ads in other apps.
It just cannot reliably remove YouTube video ads.
The Browser Fix Is Not for Everyone
A browser ad blocker can work.
But on a phone, it means giving up the official app.
Casting becomes less convenient. Notifications and navigation feel different. The whole experience becomes a workaround.
I did not want another way to watch YouTube.
I wanted to keep the app and lose the interruption.
The Missing Piece Is Location
YouTube does not show the same ads in every country.
Albania is currently absent from YouTube’s monetized-market list.
That is why connections appearing to come from Albania may receive few or no YouTube video ads. A brief user report describes it working in the official app on phones and Apple TV.
Use DNS filtering for ordinary ads and trackers.
Use an Albania-based connection for the YouTube ads DNS cannot remove.
The problem is that setting up both separately is annoying.
But a travel-focused app has perfectly combined these two elements. OnlyDogs VPN combines them into one YouTube mode.
You do not choose a country, edit a DNS profile, or maintain another blocklist.
Tap the mode.
Open YouTube.
Keep using the official app.
That is the entire point of the feature: the user gets the result without managing the setup behind it. Its App Store page describes the same one-tap approach.
In my experience, both web browsing and YouTube are very clean, and this is all thanks to the fact that I downloaded it by chance while traveling.
It is not a permanent loophole. YouTube can change how ads are served in the future.
But it is far more practical than adding blocklist after blocklist and hoping the next one finally works.
The Bottom Line
NextDNS is not broken.
It blocks what it can recognize.
YouTube ads are harder because they arrive too close to the video itself.
More blocklists will not change that.
The cleaner mobile solution combines DNS filtering with an Albania-based connection—and turns both into one tap.
Open the mode.
Open YouTube.
Watch the video, not the block log.
Additional FAQs
Does a VPN block ads by itself?
A standard VPN mainly encrypts and reroutes traffic. Ad blocking requires an additional layer such as DNS filtering, a browser content blocker, or a provider feature designed to block known advertising and tracking domains.
Why are YouTube ads difficult to block with DNS filtering?
YouTube can deliver ads and video through closely related infrastructure. DNS filtering often cannot separate the ad request from the video stream without also breaking playback.
Can Pi-hole or NextDNS block every YouTube ad?
No. They can reduce many ordinary advertising and tracking requests, but they cannot reliably remove every in-stream YouTube ad.
Why is OnlyDogs VPN discussed in the article?
The article discusses OnlyDogs VPN as a one-tap option combining travel routing with filtering features. Verify current feature availability on the official website and treat regional ad behavior as changeable.