SkipYTAds

Hate YouTube ads but don't want to use an ad blocker? You don't mind those ads because some are good or introduces you to new things but you don't want those extra long annoying ones? Well, here's a python script just for that!

I welcome advertisements because I discover new things I may not discover on my own so I don't use ad blockers. However, I don't want to manually skip every time when I'm working on something else at my desk or I'm watching something to relax. This script allows me to leave a video on and not have to tend to advertisements—specifically the ads that are 10+ minutes like the 1 hour ones or longer. (Why?! Why do these companies think anyone would want an ad that long??!)

This script automatically searches for the skip button every 6 seconds (adjustable) and if there is a skippable ad, it'll skip it for you. And if you're in the middle of watching a skippable ad but interested in continuing, just press the pause button (before it does it's thing) and it'll pause the script. Then returns your cursor back to where it was (but does not refocus your original window; a desired feature possibly added).

Best for when you are doing something not necessarily on PC and you have videos playing as background tv.

!Important: The skip button has to be visible! It cannot be hidden behind another window.

(A python script that uses python-imagesearch to search for matching various YouTube's skip buttons and uses PyAutoGUI to click the button.)

Table of Contents

• SkipYTAds
  • Table of Contents
  • What this is and what this is NOT
  • Prerequisites
  • Running the script
  • Pausing/Unpausing script
  • Verbosity Modes
  • Adjustable Interval
  • Running multiple monitors?
  • Compatibility
  • Other settings
  • Ad not skipping? Want script to match other images to click?
  • Known issues
  • Features to implement
  • Libraries used
  • Specs
  • Dev note

What this is and what this is NOT

What this is: A simple script that auto skips YouTube ads handsfree. It can get in the way if you're also doing something on your computer. What this is NOT: NOT an Adblocker. This is not an Adblocker in any way. And this is not a polished piece of program either. It's got flaws.

_{*See Specs & Dev note for further details.}

Prerequisites

*To do. Python 3?

Running the script

In a cli, traverse into the directory and run $ py ./skip_ads.py or double click script to run.

Alternatively, create a shortcut to either skip_ads.py or skip_ads_minimized.bat (for windows) to click to run or placed in startup folder for auto starts.

Pausing/Unpausing script

Press the keyboard pause button to toggle between pausing and resuming the script.

Verbosity Modes

Adjustable in file/overridable with cli arguments.
'a' = Show all outputs
't' = Show toggle (pause/unpause) outputs & also when it skips an ad (Default)
'q' = Quiet
Show all example: $ py .\skip_ad.py -v a

Adjustable Interval

Default interval is 6 seconds but is adjustable in file/overridable with cli arguments. Accepts float number greater than or equal to 1. $ py .\skip_ad.py -i 1

Running multiple monitors?

Use the opt_verify_corner_pos script to find out the position value of your top-left corner.
I have a 2x2 setup where my bottom-right monitor is the main display. So, my top-left corner are negative values. My monitors are 2560x1080 so I have to override the screen min values like so override_screen_min = Point(-2560, -1080) in user settings section.

If you're like me with a 2x2 setup, uncomment all code sections under "Ref: Stick Corner Workaround". This solution isn't foolproof. It's simply code that centers the cursor on my main monitor or the monitor above depending on where is the button/cursor destination and then moves it to avoid the center corners where it's a little sticky by going horizontally/vertically rather than diagonally.

Mismatched monitor sizes can cause problems.

Compatibility

Tested on Windows 10. Not tested on Linux/MacOS.

Script is not browser dependent so you can use your favorite browser. (If button image is different size, screenshot and replace the original images.)

Other settings

~~accuracy accuracy of the image match. See python-imagesearch docs for more info. Default is 0.8. min: 0, max: 1~~ Accuracy is now 0.9 and not a settings anymore because anything less than ≈0.87 accuracy will have false positives with YT's video titles with capital 'A'.

Ad not skipping? Want script to match other images to click?

Note: The screenshots of the button is with a browser zoom at 90%. If your browser zoom is not 90%, replace with your own cropped screenshots.

If button image is a different size or different color, the imagesearch will not match because it's not an AI script; it literally matches pixels.

Simply add additional or replace original images in the images folder. No need to add anything like "filename.png" in the script.

Known issues

• Does not match button when a (non-solid black color) video is in the background of the button. Basically anything that does not match any images in the images folder. This problem won't be fixed in this project because that would require a different implementation (i.e. AI image recognition).

  Ideal working example	Example of what will not work

Features to implement

• Set focus back to original window to minimize interruption
• More robust solution
• GUI notification for pause/resume
• Run in background
• Auto start up app

Libraries used

• python-imagesearch
• PyAutoGUI
• pynput
• ctypes
• time
• os
• threading
• argparse

Specs

What I wanted:

• Skips ads for me so that I don't have to physically do it for whatever reason
• Does not completely block ads because I want to see some ads
• Offer a way to stop from skipping

Dev note

This script may be clunky and not robust but it works to my specs. I wanted something that clicks the button for me when I'm doing stuff and have a video playing.

It doesn't work while in a game that centers your cursor and not allowing it outside of the window which I'm okay with.

I don't use ad blockers because I actually like to see some of the ads. But other ads like an ad of a tutorial on a brand of smart lights that is several minutes long is extremely displeasing. I DON'T OWN ANY. Why is an ad showing me how to use smart lights!? Just assuming that it's popular or everyone owns them.

ctypes is used even though pyautogui can also move cursor because I came across an issue when the click area is near edge/corner of 1 of my monitors at some point in making this script. So, I used ctypes and stuck with it and don't care if it's unnecessary.