**Opera GX Users Face YouTube Accessibility Issues Linked to Built-In Ad Blocker**
Users of the Opera GX browser are currently experiencing significant problems accessing YouTube, and the root cause appears to be tied to the browser’s built-in ad blocker. These issues have led to a frustrating user experience, casting a shadow over YouTube’s streaming services for affected individuals.
### What’s Happening?
Reports emerged on November 7 that users listening to music on YouTube in the background suddenly found the site stopped working. The page would go dark, and video thumbnails vanished, leading some to believe YouTube was experiencing server outages. However, further investigation revealed a different culprit: conflicts involving ad blockers.
Many Opera GX users noted that the problem was isolated to their browser. While YouTube was inaccessible or broken when using Opera GX with its ad blocker enabled, opening the site on different browsers did not present the same issues. One user shared, “Mine was also broken, seems to be Adblock related, as the site loads fine without it, and completely breaks with it. At least on my end.”
Interestingly, some users reported that accessing YouTube in Google Chrome—even with an ad blocker enabled—worked without any problems, further pointing to Opera GX’s built-in ad blocker as the cause. User SH4DE_RL specifically stated that disabling the built-in ad blocker in Opera GX “fixes the problem.”
### Historical Context: YouTube and Ad Blockers
This isn’t the first time YouTube has been in conflict with ad blockers. Earlier this summer, users reported videos slowing down or buffering excessively when using ad blockers. YouTube responded by reportedly throttling streaming speeds for users with ad blockers enabled, sending some to a Google support page that recommended disabling such extensions.
Over the years, YouTube has intensified its efforts to combat ad blockers. One notable strategy involved trialing a complete halt to video streaming unless users disabled their ad blockers or subscribed to YouTube Premium.
### What Can Opera GX Users Do?
If you’re an Opera GX user facing these access issues on YouTube, a simple fix may be to disable the browser’s built-in ad blocker when visiting the site. Alternatively, using a different browser or a version of Opera GX without the ad blocker activated may also resolve the problem.
For many users, these workarounds have restored access, but the persistent nature of these issues highlights the ongoing tug-of-war between ad-blocking technology and content providers like YouTube.
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**Summary:**
Opera GX’s built-in ad blocker is causing widespread YouTube accessibility problems, with videos failing to load properly and thumbnails disappearing. Disabling the ad blocker appears to solve the issue. This latest development continues YouTube’s long-standing battle against ad blockers, which has previously included throttling video streams and restricting playback unless ad blockers are turned off or users subscribe to YouTube Premium.
https://www.androidcentral.com/apps-software/youtube/why-youtube-is-not-working-for-users-of-opera-gx-with-ad-blockers
