YouTube is changing how ads work during livestreams, and the goal is simple: keep the momentum going when a live chat is buzzing.
The platform announced that it will now automatically hold back ads during livestreams when chat engagement hits a peak. In other words, if a stream is having a big moment and the conversation is flying, YouTube’s system may pause ad interruptions for everyone watching. The company says it wants to “protect that collective vibe” when the energy is high, rather than break it up with ads.
This is a notable shift for viewers because, until now, the most reliable way to avoid ads on YouTube was paying for a YouTube Premium subscription. With this update, there are now situations where livestream viewers may get temporary relief from ads without being Premium members—specifically when the chat is popping off and YouTube detects that engagement is unusually strong.
Creators also get a boost from the change. YouTube says this is designed to help maintain viewer momentum by reducing interruptions at the exact moments when excitement and participation are highest. For livestream creators, those peaks are often when big announcements happen, major plays unfold, or communities rally together—so preserving that flow can matter.
At the same time, YouTube is adding a second ad-related perk tied directly to fan support. When a viewer purchases Super Chat, Super Stickers, or gifts during a livestream, they’ll be rewarded immediately with a personal ad-free window right after the purchase. Super Chat lets viewers pay to highlight a message in the live chat, while Super Stickers are paid images meant to stand out and get attention in the conversation. The new “ad-free right after you support” benefit is meant to feel instant, giving supporters a smoother experience immediately after contributing.
Alongside the ad changes, YouTube shared several additional livestream updates aimed at expanding creator tools and improving the viewing experience across devices:
More creators are now eligible to receive gifts from viewers, as gifting expands to Canada, Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, Australia, and New Zealand.
Viewers can now send GIFs on horizontal livestreams, not only vertical ones, and can do it directly from mobile devices.
Creators can now go live in both vertical and horizontal formats at the same time, while keeping everyone in a single shared chat. YouTube says this matters because connected TVs are a major part of live viewing, noting that over 30% of live watch time in the U.S. came from connected TVs in 2025. Supporting both formats helps creators tailor streams for phones, TVs, and everything in between without splitting the audience.
The announcement also arrives shortly after YouTube increased its YouTube Premium prices in the United States. The individual plan is rising from $13.99 to $15.99 per month, and the family plan is increasing from $22.99 to $26.99 per month.
Taken together, these updates show YouTube leaning harder into livestreaming as a core experience—one where chat activity, creator earnings, and viewer engagement all intersect. For fans, the biggest change is that high-energy livestream moments may now come with fewer ad interruptions, and direct support through features like Super Chat may come with an immediate ad-free benefit.
