YouTube Without Ads on iPhone: Best Tweaked Versions
YouTube ads have become increasingly aggressive. Pre-roll ads, mid-roll ads, unskippable 30-second ads, banner ads overlaid on the video: the free YouTube experience on iPhone is genuinely frustrating in 2026. YouTube Premium is a paid monthly subscription, which is a lot to pay just for ad-free viewing and background playback. Tweaked YouTube IPA files solve both problems: no ads, background playback, video downloads, and more, all free, installed through Scarlet iOS without a jailbreak.
What Tweaked YouTube Versions Are Available?
Several popular YouTube tweaks exist, each with slightly different feature sets and update cadences. Here are the most widely used options in 2026:
uYouPlus
uYouPlus is one of the most feature-rich tweaked YouTube clients, but the original project was archived on GitHub in April 2025; uYouEnhanced is the fork that is still maintained. It combines the uYou tweak with dozens of additional plugins. Key features include:
- Complete ad removal (pre-roll, mid-roll, banner, and end-screen ads)
- Background playback: music and videos continue playing when you switch apps or lock your screen
- Picture-in-picture without Premium (in most countries YouTube limits PiP to Premium; in the US it is free for most non-music videos)
- Video download in MP4 and MP3 formats directly to your camera roll or Files app
- SponsorBlock integration: automatically skips sponsored segments within videos
- Return YouTube Dislike: shows the real dislike count restored via community data
- Extra playback speed options beyond the stock menu
- OLED dark mode with true black backgrounds
- Pinch-to-zoom for any video regardless of aspect ratio
- No shorts redirection: disables forced Shorts redirect when tapping from notifications
If you choose this route, look for uYouEnhanced, which still gets updates.
YTLitePlus
YTLitePlus is a lighter alternative to uYouPlus. It has a smaller file size and a simpler feature set, which some users prefer. It covers the essentials: ad removal, background playback, and video downloads. It does not include SponsorBlock or Return YouTube Dislike by default. Note that YTLitePlus is now marked deprecated by its developers, so builds may be outdated.
Cercube for YouTube
Cercube was one of the original YouTube tweaks. It is a paid tweak and updates have been less frequent than the open-source projects, so check the build date before you install it. Its interface integrates more cleanly with the stock YouTube UI than some alternatives. It offers ad blocking, background playback, video downloads, and a built-in download manager that organizes saved videos. Some users prefer Cercube’s download management system over uYouPlus’s approach.
How to Install a Tweaked YouTube on iPhone
Prerequisites
- An iPhone on iOS 17 or later, which current YouTube builds require. Scarlet is confirmed on iOS 14 through iOS 26; iOS 27 support is reported by third parties but not officially confirmed.
- Scarlet iOS installed: get it at scarletios.com
- A Google account (sign in after installation)
- The official YouTube app deleted from your phone (to avoid conflicts)
Installation Steps
- Open Scarlet iOS on your iPhone
- Look for a YouTube tweak such as uYouEnhanced in Scarlet’s library or a repo you added, or import an IPA you already have (library contents change over time)
- Select the version you want and review its features and iOS compatibility
- Tap Install: Scarlet downloads and signs the IPA automatically
- If iOS asks, trust the developer in Settings > General > VPN & Device Management; you normally do this only once, when you first install Scarlet
- Open the tweaked YouTube app and sign in with your Google account
The whole process takes about three minutes. Your watch history, subscriptions, and playlists all load from your Google account as normal.
Configuring uYouPlus After Installation
Once installed, tap your profile icon and you will see a “uYou Settings” option in the menu. This is where you control all the tweak-specific features. Recommended settings to configure on first launch:
- Enable SponsorBlock: Turn on and configure which segment types to skip (sponsors, intros, outros, self-promotion)
- Background playback: Enable this and set your preferred behavior for audio-only vs video continuation
- Downloads: Check where the tweak keeps downloaded videos and how to export them to Photos or Files
- Default video quality: YouTube’s own Settings > Video quality preferences sets the default for Wi-Fi and mobile data
- Return YouTube Dislike: Enable to see dislike counts on videos
Comparing Tweaked YouTube to YouTube Premium
YouTube Premium is a paid monthly subscription. Here is how tweaked YouTube compares:
- Ad removal: Both remove ads; a tweak’s ad blocking can stop working for a while when YouTube changes how it serves ads
- Background playback: Both support this
- Offline downloads: Premium uses in-app downloads; tweaked YouTube downloads actual MP4/MP3 files you keep permanently
- YouTube Music: Premium includes YouTube Music; tweaked YouTube does not
- Content creators: Premium ad revenue supports creators; tweaked YouTube does not
- Reliability: Premium is the official app and does not depend on a certificate; tweaked YouTube may break after YouTube updates and stops opening when the certificate is revoked
Handling Certificate Revocation
The most common issue with any sideloaded app is certificate revocation. When Apple revokes the certificate used to sign your tweaked YouTube, the app stops opening, and iOS shows a message such as “Unable to Verify App” or that the app is no longer available. Once Scarlet iOS works again with a newly signed build, reinstall the tweaked YouTube through it. Your data stays as long as you do not delete the app first.
Does Tweaked YouTube Work on iPad?
Yes. uYouPlus and other tweaked YouTube clients work on iPad as well as iPhone. The iPad version uses the tablet-optimized YouTube layout and all tweaks apply equally. Install through Scarlet iOS on your iPad following the same steps as above.
Other Video Apps Worth Sideloading
While you have Scarlet iOS installed, consider exploring other tweaked video apps:
- Twitch tweaked: Remove ads, enable VOD downloads
- Reddit tweaked: Download videos without watermarks
- Twitter/X tweaked: Download any video from your timeline
Learn about the best tweaked social media apps to get more out of your sideloading setup.
Get Started Today
Tweaked YouTube is one of the most impactful app changes you can make to your iPhone. Removing ads, getting background playback for free, and being able to download any video for offline viewing: these are features that significantly improve daily use. Head to scarletios.com to install Scarlet iOS and start exploring tweaked apps today.