The YouTube ads that play out during a video are common, and users are used to being able to skip them after a few seconds. However, recent changes to how the “Skip” button appears are starting to confuse users. What once came with a visible countdown timer is shifting in a way that might throw off users expecting the familiar signal to skip an ad.
This tweak, which removes the countdown timer for when the Skip button becomes available, was first noticed by users on the desktop. It has now made its way to mobile devices, leaving users questioning if this is the new normal.
A subtle change that’s causing a stir
Ads are nothing new on YouTube; they’re the platform’s bread and butter, with most videos interrupted by ad breaks. To keep things bearable, YouTube typically allows viewers to skip ads after the first few seconds, and a visible countdown timer has always guided users on when they can expect the option to skip. Recently, however, that timer has been disappearing, with many desktop users first reporting a gray box over the Skip button instead.
Now, the same behavior is being seen on mobile devices, specifically on the Android version of the YouTube app. Unlike the desktop version, where a gray rectangle temporarily covers the button, there’s no timer on mobile. The Skip button still appears after the usual few seconds, but without the visual cue users have come to expect, leaving many thinking they’re stuck watching the entire ad.
Could this be YouTube’s next permanent feature?
According to YouTube, this is not a permanent change, but we may never know since it’s being broadcast to mobile users. Knowing that ads could be skipped without watching the timer count down was a big part of the appeal of using YouTube, and users will have to get used to this new ad experience.
For now, YouTube continues to show the ad’s duration in the search at the bottom of the screen, so attentive users may still find ways to estimate how long an ad will last. Whether this change is here to stay or part of a broader test remains to be seen, but it’s certainly shaking up how users interact with the platform’s ever-present ads.
Featured image credit: Szabo Viktor/Unsplash
