YouTube Desktop will no longer be showing overlay ads, which are displayed on top of videos, This change will take effect from April 6, 2023.

Overlay ads are those ads that pop up over the video you’re watching and don’t allow you to skip them. YouTube has admitted that these types of advertisements have irritated users, resulting in the closure of this format.

YouTube says that the goal of this change is to make the user experience more “pleasant and engaging.” With the removal of overlay ads, viewers will be able to watch their videos uninterrupted.

YouTube has claimed that the removal of overlay ads won’t make much of a difference for most content creators, and they will be replaced with different types of advertising. Marketers will still have the option to use pre-roll, mid-roll and post-roll ads.

It is worth noting that the removal of overlay adverts on mobile devices in the past went without substantial objection. This decision was made in order to achieve the company’s goal of making the user experience more pleasant by removing desktop overlay advertisements.

If you are a YouTube producer, you should be aware of all the different ad formats that will still be available after April 6; further details can be found on YouTube Help’s page. It is likely that creators need to adjust their approach to advertisement placement in light of this change, so their content still generates revenue.