How to Watch YouTube Without Ads on Firestick and Fire TV
The only official way to watch YouTube without ads on a Firestick or any other Fire TV device is a YouTube Premium membership. Sign in to the official YouTube app on the Fire TV with the Google account that holds Premium and ads disappear on regular videos. The cheaper Premium Lite plan removes ads on most videos, but music content, Shorts and search or browse pages can still show ads.
This guide covers what each plan removes on a Fire TV, how to activate it on the TV app, what third-party YouTube clients are and the risks they carry, and why Fire TV's own home screen ads are a separate matter.
How YouTube Premium removes ads on Fire TV
YouTube Premium removes ads on Fire TV because the ad-free benefit is tied to your Google account, not to the device. YouTube's Premium benefits page states that Premium removes ads on all devices and platforms where you can access YouTube, including compatible smart TVs and gaming consoles. A Fire TV Stick, Fire TV Cube or Fire TV smart TV running the official YouTube app counts as one of those platforms.
The only requirement is that the YouTube app on the TV is signed in with the account that pays for Premium. If you share the TV, check the profile in the top left of the YouTube app before you start a video: a family member signed in with a free account still sees ads.
Premium does not remove everything that looks like advertising. YouTube lists these exceptions:
- Sponsor segments, branding and promotions that creators place inside the video itself.
- Promotional links and shelves for a creator's merch, website, memberships or tickets.
- Ads or promotions on Primetime Channels and during some live events, such as sports.
Premium also includes YouTube Music Premium, downloads and background play, although the last two matter more on phones than on a TV.
YouTube Premium vs Premium Lite on a Fire TV
YouTube Premium is fully ad-free on regular videos, while Premium Lite is ad-free on most videos only. According to YouTube's Premium Lite help page, Lite removes ads on most videos including gaming and news, but ads may still appear on music content, Shorts and when you search or browse. Lite is also available only in selected countries, and Google's help page does not say whether its ad-free benefit applies in TV apps, so test it on your Fire TV during any trial before you rely on it.
| Feature | YouTube Premium | Premium Lite |
|---|---|---|
| Ads on regular videos | None | None on most videos |
| Ads on music content and Shorts | None | May appear |
| Ads when searching or browsing | None | May appear |
| YouTube Music Premium | Included | Not included |
| US launch price per month | $13.99 | $7.99 |
Prices change and differ by country, so check the current rate at youtube.com/premium before you subscribe. If you mainly watch tech, gaming or news channels on the TV, Lite covers most of it. If you play music videos or concert streams on the Fire TV, the full Premium plan is the one that actually ends the ads. Households can split the cost with a family plan, but members must live in the same household; see how YouTube checks family plan households.
How to get ad-free YouTube on a Firestick
Getting ad-free YouTube on a Firestick takes a Premium or Lite membership and a sign-in on the TV app. Follow these steps:
- Subscribe to YouTube Premium or Premium Lite on a phone or computer at youtube.com/premium, using the Google account you want to watch with.
- On the Fire TV, open the official YouTube app. If it is not installed, search for YouTube on the Fire TV home screen and install it from the Amazon Appstore.
- In the YouTube app, open the account menu and choose to sign in. The TV shows a code.
- On your phone or computer, open the address shown on the TV (youtube.com/activate), enter the code and pick the account that holds the membership.
- Start any video. With Premium active, it plays without pre-roll or mid-roll ads.
If ads still appear, the TV is usually signed in to the wrong account or profile. Switch accounts in the YouTube app, or sign out and repeat step 4. Also confirm the membership is active under youtube.com/paid_memberships, since a lapsed payment ends the ad-free benefit on every device at once.
Third-party YouTube apps on Fire TV and their risks
Third-party YouTube clients for Android TV and Fire TV can play videos without ads, but they are not offered in the Amazon Appstore, carry security risks and conflict with YouTube's rules. YouTube's help page on ad blockers says that blocking ads violates YouTube's Terms of Service and that YouTube may block playback for users who keep doing it.
The security risk is real. SmartTube, the open source client this article recommended in 2020, was compromised in November 2025: the computer used to build its official APKs was infected, and some official releases shipped with malware, as Android Authority and BleepingComputer reported. Google Play Protect disabled the app, and Android Authority reported that Amazon removed it from devices too. The developer later published a rebuilt version with a new signature.
Before you consider any app from outside the Appstore, weigh these points:
- Apps installed from outside the Appstore get no store review and can be removed remotely if flagged.
- A compromised update can reach your TV automatically and run with the app's permissions.
- Signing in with your Google account inside such an app exposes that account if the app is compromised.
- Your Google account can face playback restrictions under YouTube's Terms of Service.
If you installed an affected SmartTube build, Android Authority advises a factory reset of the device and a review of your Google account permissions and YouTube activity.
Why Fire TV still shows ads with YouTube Premium
Fire TV shows ads even with YouTube Premium because the home screen banners, sponsored rows and screensaver promotions come from Amazon, not from YouTube. YouTube Premium only controls ads inside the YouTube app. Once a video plays in the signed-in YouTube app, Amazon's interface no longer appears, so what you see inside YouTube is governed by your YouTube membership alone.
This distinction helps when you troubleshoot. An ad before or during a YouTube video points to the YouTube account or membership. A promotional banner on the Fire TV home screen or a featured trailer that autoplays is Fire OS behavior, and YouTube Premium will not change it. Check the Fire TV settings menu for autoplay and preference options that reduce some of this, as the available toggles vary by Fire OS version.
Ad load on YouTube itself keeps growing, which is why the question comes up so often on TVs, where browser content blockers are not an option. Ghacks covered the background in YouTube's move to show ads on non-partner videos and later in YouTube's more aggressive ads in its mobile app.
FAQ
Is there a free way to watch YouTube without ads on a Firestick?
There is no free official option. Ad-free viewing in the official YouTube app requires a paid YouTube Premium membership (Premium Lite covers most videos where it is offered), and YouTube treats ad blocking as a violation of its Terms of Service.
Does YouTube Premium work on every Fire TV in my home?
Yes, as long as each Fire TV's YouTube app is signed in with the Premium account or with a member account of a Premium family plan. Premium is tied to the account, not to a single device.
Does YouTube Premium skip sponsor segments in videos?
No. Sponsor reads and promotions that creators record into their videos are part of the content, and YouTube says they can still appear with Premium.
Can I cancel YouTube Premium from the Fire TV?
Manage or cancel the membership in a web browser at youtube.com/paid_memberships, where you select Manage membership and then Deactivate. Ads return on the Fire TV when the paid period ends.
Related: skipping ads on Netflix and Prime Video in the browser, watching age-restricted YouTube videos, fixing the YouTube "watch history is off" screen
For those who don’t like to type (within the FireTV keyboard), I made this:
https://preview.tinyurl.com/yeabbe33
https://github.com/yuliskov/SmartTubeNext/rel
eases/download/latest/smarttube_stable.apk
https://tinyurl.com/yeabbe33 <=====
PS – Thanks for this! I was SICK of YT's ads!!
How can I ask Alexa to play a specific video o. SmartTubeNext?
Anyone know? Just saying that don’t work
Perfect! I have missed this for years. Because the aggressive advertising is getting worse and worse. Finally I can protect myself against it on the FireTV.
Is anyone having issues where the firestick will not pause or fast forward/rewind while watching Smart YouTube?
The button in the middle of the circle on your remote should pause, and you can use the left or right side of the circle to skip forward or back. That works for me at least
I would if it wasn’t so expensive. If it was say a 2-3 bucks/month for ad-free I’d get it.
It’s only 1-2 bucks/month in some countries like Russia and Brazil. You can get it cheaper via a VPN to those countries but they should just offer it here too. Maybe a basic option, no ads but also no premium music or original series.
Sadly this app is broken as of a few days ago. YouTube changed something and the UI doesn’t work properly any more.
It doesn’t record watched videos in your history, which is the biggest issue. More minor issues are that smooth animation and animated previews in the UI don’t work any more.
There is a new version called Smart Youtube Next but it’s only in beta and has a number of issues. Hopefully it will continue to improve, but ideally the author will fix Smart Youtube TV because I much prefer it’s interface.
SmartTubeNext has a better, more customizable interface than the previous app. The author updates it quite often, and he has done a great job of making it bug free. I am impressed that the author of the original article updated it to point people toward SmartTubeNext… way to keep people informed about the best option available!
The problem with these addons is that you need a shit load of time to maintain them on many devices.
I’m done updating tens of devices for me and even more for family. So, as a daily set and forget driver, I would not recommend those. Only use those softwares on a box/tablet/mobile that you use daily and can take care of updates.
SmartTubeNext is incredibly easy to update. I just opened up the app, and it prompted me to install the update. I was using the app just a couple clicks and a few seconds later. I also installed it for Chromecast with Google TV, where it is equally easy to update. The app is also easy to customize. Your criticism is not at all well founded, and I would rank this as the best app on the Fire TV Stick.
Or you could just pay for YouTube Premium.
Do what now? are you crazy?
No thanks
Does this work on a FireStick too?
I agree with SmartTubeNext
https://github.com/yuliskov/SmartTubeNext
this one is better
Firestick does not seem to support downloading an APK file then install it. Am I missing something here? Also as of January 2022, even though “Smart YouTube TV” is no longer being maintained, but it “seems” to still work fine (to block ads). Can someone please confirm this? Thanks!
Yep… the original page has been updated with a link to it, and there is no reason not to get SmartTubeNext. I wouldn’t bother reading the rest of the comments that refer to the previous version… People should just get the new app because it is bug free, updated often, easy to update, easy to customize, and offers voice search.