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kboghdady/youTube_ads_4_pi-hole · source
Snapshot 0 · 2026-11-04T12:47:25Z · Shell ·
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abf5d8e2ce65e9472a37a0bc6dc76ea3b733029ff94ca6b7a1037293a26270f3GitHub description at capture
YouTube ad-serving domain blocklist for Pi-hole (v5 & v6), AdGuard Home, pfBlockerNG and other DNS blockers - add one URL and block YouTube ads on every device on your network. Updated daily.
README at capture
<div align="center"> # 🚫 YouTube Ads Blocklist for Pi-hole **A community-maintained list of YouTube ad-serving domains — add one link to Pi-hole and you're done.** <!-- Status badges: change the text/colour when something changes. update.ps1 rewrites the date automatically. -->    <!-- Plain-text copy of the badge facts so search engines and AI assistants can read them. update.ps1 keeps it current. --> Last updated: **Nov 2nd 2026** - **16,090 domains** in the list - works with **Pi-hole v5 and v6**, **AdGuard Home**, **pfBlockerNG**, **Technitium** and any other DNS blocker that accepts a hosts-style domain list. [](https://paypal.me/KBoghdady?locale.x=en_US) [](https://buymeacoffee.com/xmh7j53o1) </div> --- ## 📋 Table of contents - [Option 1 · Add the list to Pi-hole (recommended)](#-option-1--add-the-list-to-pi-hole-recommended) - [Option 2 · Run the script](#-option-2--run-the-script) - [Other DNS blockers (AdGuard Home, pfBlockerNG, Technitium, Blocky)](#-other-dns-blockers-adguard-home-pfblockerng-technitium-blocky) - [What it does and doesn't do](#-what-it-does-and-doesnt-do) - [How it works](#-how-it-works) - [The crowd list (optional)](#-the-crowd-list-optional) - [Troubleshooting](#-troubleshooting) - [Privacy](#-privacy) - [Contributing](#-contributing) - [Support the project](#-support-the-project) --- ## ⚡ Option 1 · Add the list to Pi-hole (recommended) The easiest way — nothing to install. Pi-hole downloads the list itself and refreshes it every time gravity updates. 1. Open the Pi-hole web interface → **Lists** (Pi-hole v6) or **Group Management → Adlists** (Pi-hole v5). 2. Paste this address into the **Address** field and click **Add**: ``` https://raw.githubusercontent.com/kboghdady/youTube_ads_4_pi-hole/refs/heads/master/youtubelist.txt ``` 3. Update gravity so the list takes effect: **Tools → Update Gravity**, or from the terminal: ```bash pihole -g ``` That's it. Pi-hole re-downloads the list on every gravity update (weekly by default — run `pihole -g` any time to get the latest version sooner). The published list already excludes everything in `ignore.list`, so videos keep playing. > 💡 Using Pi-hole's default blocklist (StevenBlack hosts)? It blocks `s.youtube.com`, which breaks video playback. Allow it once: > ```bash > pihole allow s.youtube.com # Pi-hole v6 > pihole -w s.youtube.com # Pi-hole v5 > ``` --- ## 🧰 Option 2 · Run the script Prefer to have every domain as an exact entry in your denylist (visible under **Domains** in the web interface), add your own never-block entries, or pick up new domains every hour instead of at the next gravity update? Use `youtube.sh`. Every time it runs it: 1. downloads the latest `black.list` from this repo, 2. drops everything that matches `ignore.list` (so videos keep playing), 3. adds **only the domains your Pi-hole doesn't have yet** — the first run takes a few minutes, later runs finish in seconds, 4. reloads Pi-hole's lists so the new domains are blocked right away. It works with **Pi-hole v5 and v6**, needs nothing beyond what Pi-hole already installs, and re-runs itself with `sudo` if you forget. ### Install ```bash git clone https://github.com/kboghdady/youTube_ads_4_pi-hole.git cd youTube_ads_4_pi-hole sudo ./youtube.sh ``` You should see something like: ``` YouTube ads blocker for Pi-hole v6 [i] Downloading the latest YouTube ad list... [+] 15855 domains in the list (0 skipped because of ignore.list) [i] Adding 15855 new domain(s) to the denylist... [i] This takes a few minutes the first time - later runs only add what is new ................................................................................ [+] Added 15855 domain(s) [i] Reloading Pi-hole's lists... [+] Shared 12 googlevideo.com hostname(s) from your query log - thank you! [+] All done. Pi-hole is blocking 15855 YouTube ad domains. ``` ### Keep it updated automatically Add the script to root's crontab so it picks up new domains on its own: ```bash sudo crontab -e ``` Add this line to run it every hour (change the path if you cloned somewhere else): ``` 0 * * * * /home/pi/youTube_ads_4_pi-hole/youtube.sh > /dev/null 2>&1 ``` > Tip: [crontab.guru](https://crontab.guru) explains the schedule syntax if you'd like a different interval. ### Options | Option | What it does | |--------|--------------| | `--dry-run` | Show what would change without touching Pi-hole — great for a first look | | `--no-share` | Don't send `googlevideo.com` hostnames from your query log (see [Privacy](#-privacy)) | | `--crowd` | Also block the unfiltered crowd list (see [The crowd list](#-the-crowd-list-optional)) | | `-h`, `--help` | Show the help text | The same settings live at the top of `youtube.sh` if you'd rather change them permanently. To add your own never-block entries, put them in the `ignore.list` next to the script (one per line — a full hostname or just a part of it, such as `n4v7sne7`). Your entries are merged with the latest `ignore.list` from this repo on every run. --- ## 🌐 Other DNS blockers (AdGuard Home, pfBlockerNG, Technitium, Blocky) `youtubelist.txt` is a plain list of hostnames, one per line, so it works with any DNS-level ad blocker that can subscribe to a domain list — not only Pi-hole. Use the same address everywhere: ``` https://raw.githubusercontent.com/kboghdady/youTube_ads_4_pi-hole/refs/heads/master/youtubelist.txt ``` | Blocker | Where to add it | |---------|-----------------| | **AdGuard Home** | **Filters → DNS blocklists → Add blocklist → Add a custom list**, paste the URL | | **pfBlockerNG** (pfSense) | **Firewall → pfBlockerNG → DNSBL → DNSBL Groups**, add a feed with the URL (format *Auto*) | | **Technitium DNS** | **Settings → Blocking → Block List URLs**, add the URL | | **Blocky** | Add the URL under `blocking.denylists` in `config.yml` | | **OPNsense Unbound** | **Services → Unbound DNS → Blocklist**, add it as a custom blocklist URL | Whatever you use, keep `s.youtube.com` and the hostnames in `ignore.list` allowed — they are needed for videos to play. --- ## ✅ What it does and doesn't do **It does** - Block the DNS lookups for known YouTube ad-serving hostnames, network-wide, on every device that uses your DNS server — smart TVs, phones, consoles and browsers alike, with nothing to install on them. - Stop many pre-roll and mid-roll video ads from loading at all, instead of showing a skippable ad. - Stay current: the list is refreshed every day or two from the hostnames users report (see [Privacy](#-privacy)). **It doesn't** - Block every ad. YouTube serves ads and videos from the same `googlevideo.com` domains and rotates them constantly; some ads will always slip through, and new hostnames take a day or two to reach the list. - Block ads that are stitched into the video stream itself (server-side ad insertion). No DNS blocker can — that needs a browser extension such as uBlock Origin or SponsorBlock on the device. - Remove sponsor segments, banners, or ads inside the YouTube app on devices that bypass your DNS (for example, with DNS-over-HTTPS enabled or a hard-coded DNS server). - Track you. Option 1 sends nothing anywhere; Option 2 shares only the hostnames described under [Privacy](#-privacy), and you can turn that off. For the best result, use this list on your DNS blocker **and** a browser extension on the devices where you can install one. --- ## 🧠 How it works YouTube serves ads and videos from the same family of domains (`*.googlevideo.com`), so a normal blocklist can't tell them apart. This project keeps a curated list of the hostnames that only serve ads, and an `ignore.list` of the ones that break video playback. Both published lists are filtered against `ignore.list` before every update. | File | What it is | |------|------------| | `youtubelist.txt` | The list to add to Pi-hole ([Option 1](#-option-1--add-the-list-to-pi-hole-recommended)) | | `black.list` | The same list, downloaded by `youtube.sh` ([Option 2](#-option-2--run-the-script)) | | `ignore.list` | Hostnames (or parts of them) that must **never** be blocked because they break videos | | `crowed_list.txt` | Raw, unfiltered domains gathered from the community — see [The crowd list](#-the-crowd-list-optional) | | `youtube.sh` | The script behind Option 2 | The list is refreshed every day or two. --- ## 👥 The crowd list (optional) `crowed_list.txt` contains every `googlevideo.com` hostname reported by users of the script — **including the ones that serve videos**. It blocks more ads but is far more likely to break playback. - As a Pi-hole list: `https://raw.githubusercontent.com/kboghdady/youTube_ads_4_pi-hole/refs/heads/master/crowed_list.txt` - With the script: `sudo ./youtube.sh --crowd` (or set `INCLUDE_CROWD_LIST=true` at the top of the script) Only use it if you know how to find and allow a blocked hostname in Pi-hole's query log. --- ## 🛠 Troubleshooting <details> <summary><b>Videos won't play, keep buffering or YouTube reloads in a loop</b></summary> 1. **Make sure `s.youtube.com` isn't blocked.** Pi-hole's default list (StevenBlack hosts) includes it, and blocking it breaks playback: ```bash pihole allow s.youtube.com # Pi-hole v6 pihole -w s.youtube.com # Pi-hole v5 ``` 2. **Get the latest list.** Run `pihole -g` (Option 1) or `sudo ./youtube.sh` (Option 2) — the hostname may already have been removed from the list. 3. **Find the culprit.** Open the Pi-hole query log while the video fails and look for a *blocked* `r?---sn-xxxxxxx.googlevideo.com` entry. Allow it in Pi-hole, then please [open an issue](https://github.com/kboghdady/youTube_ads_4_pi-hole/issues) or a pull request adding the `sn-xxxxxxx` part to `ignore.list` so everyone benefits. Script users can also add it to their local `ignore.list` and run `sudo ./youtube.sh` again — it removes the domain from the denylist for you. </details> <details> <summary><b>Remove everything the script added</b></summary> ```bash pihole-FTL sqlite3 /etc/pihole/gravity.db "DELETE FROM domainlist WHERE type = 1 AND domain LIKE '%googlevideo.com';" pihole reloadlists # Pi-hole v6 pihole restartdns reload-lists # Pi-hole v5 ``` If you also want the other ad domains gone (`doubleclick.net`, `googlesyndication.com`, …), delete by the comment the script writes instead: ```bash pihole-FTL sqlite3 /etc/pihole/gravity.db "DELETE FROM domainlist WHERE comment = 'YouTube ads (youtube.sh)';" ``` </details> <details> <summary><b>"The 'pihole' command was not found"</b></summary> The script has to run on the machine (or in the container) where Pi-hole is installed — it talks to Pi-hole through the `pihole` command. If Pi-hole runs in Docker, use [Option 1](#-option-1--add-the-list-to-pi-hole-recommended) instead. </details> <details> <summary><b>Nothing happens when cron runs the script</b></summary> - Use **root's** crontab (`sudo crontab -e`), not your user's. - Use the full path to the script, e.g. `/home/pi/youTube_ads_4_pi-hole/youtube.sh`. - Run it by hand once with `sudo ./youtube.sh` to see any error messages. </details> --- ## 🔒 Privacy Option 1 sends nothing anywhere — Pi-hole just downloads a text file from GitHub. To keep the list up to date, the **script** (Option 2) shares the `googlevideo.com` hostnames that your Pi-hole has seen in the **last 24 hours**. That's all it sends — no IP addresses, no client names, no other domains. The hostnames are collected through a Google Form and reviewed before anything is added to the list. Don't want to share? Run the script with `--no-share`, or set `SHARE_LOGS=false` at the top of `youtube.sh`. Everything else works exactly the same. --- ## 🤝 Contributing - **Found an ad domain that isn't blocked?** Open an issue / pull request against `youtubelist.txt` and `black.list` — or run the script with log sharing on and it will reach the list. - **A domain breaks video playback?** Open a pull request that adds it to `ignore.list`. - **Something in the script or docs is unclear?** Issues and pull requests are very welcome. --- ## ☕ Support the project Keeping the list current takes daily work. If it saves you from a few ads, consider buying me a coffee: [](https://paypal.me/KBoghdady?locale.x=en_US) [](https://buymeacoffee.com/xmh7j53o1) | Coin | Address | |------|---------| | **Bitcoin** | `36fD957SDWHJYYzuH2xmceJ6T2qE9vNiV4` | | **XRP** | `rw2ciyaNshpHe7bCHo4bRWq6pqqynnWKQg` | Thank you! 🙏