YouTube to hold back ads during peak livestream moments

YouTube is rolling out new features aimed at helping creators sustain engagement during peak live moments, while expanding monetisation options across formats and devices.

At the centre of the update is a new system designed to “protect the vibe” of livestreams. The platform said it will now automatically hold back ads when live chat activity reaches high engagement levels, allowing creators to maintain momentum during key moments without interruption. The feature will apply to creators who have automatic ads enabled.

The move reflects a broader push by YouTube to prioritise real-time interaction, particularly as livestreaming becomes a more community driven format where audience participation shapes the viewing experience.

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Alongside this, YouTube is expanding its gifting feature, enabling viewers to send gifts during horizontal livestreams in addition to vertical formats. The feature, previously limited in scope, is now available to more creators globally, including those in markets such as Canada, South Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, Australia and New Zealand. The platform added that it is working to roll out localised gifts tied to holidays and events in more regions.

To further support monetisation, YouTube is also introducing ad-free viewing windows for users who purchase "Super chats", "Super stickers" or gifts. The update will automatically create a temporary ad-free experience immediately after a transaction, ensuring that moments of fan support are not disrupted by ads. This will also apply to creators with automatic ads turned on.

In addition, the platform is enhancing viewing flexibility across devices. Creators will now be able to stream in both vertical and horizontal formats simultaneously, while maintaining a single shared live chat. The update comes as viewing habits continue to shift, with YouTube noting that more than 30% of live watch time in the US in 2025 came from connected TVs.

Further customisation tools are expected in the coming months, including vertical cropping options in Live studio and the ability to manage multiple stream keys, giving creators more control over how content is delivered across different formats.

These moves build on YouTube’s broader efforts to refine its ad and subscription offerings in the region. In July last year, the platform launched its “Premium lite” plan in Singapore, offering users a more affordable way to watch most videos ad-free. Priced at SG$7.98 a month, the tier began rolling out with full availability expected in the following weeks.

The move came as YouTube looked to grow its subscription base in Asia, after YouTube Music and Premium crossed 125 million subscribers worldwide. Unlike the full Premium plan, Premium Lite offers ad-free viewing across most standard YouTube videos, including content in categories such as gaming, comedy, cooking and learning, while ads still appear on music videos, Shorts and during search or browsing sessions.

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