Streaming platforms haven't been around for very long, and yet today it would be very difficult to imagine life without them. They know this, and they're taking advantage of it by raising prices and launching new plans. In the case of Netflix, its cheapest subscription includes ads, something that doesn't appeal to everyone. Luckily, there are more than a few alternatives. trick to avoid seeing ads on Netflix or at least to reduce it as much as possible without giving up the cheapest rate.
Don't worry, because to skip the ads you won't have to do anything unusual that could get your account canceled. In fact, one of the tricks is completely official and Netflix itself has made it public, while others are based on... advertising system failures or in making the most of the configuration options and certain network tools.
Netflix's ad-supported plan
Gone are the times when we could share an account between several people and spread the cost of the monthly subscription. Netflix was the first to take measures to avoid a habit that was causing it to lose a lot of money.
Since a time ago, Sharing accounts is prohibited when they are going to connect from a different IP from their main residence. Therefore, many users have decided switch to the cheapest membership on the platform to continue enjoying their favorite movies and series, even if it means putting up with ads.
As Netflix explains on its website, your plans with ads they imply that Advertising will be displayed before and during content playback.Furthermore, due to licensing issues, Not the entire catalog of the platform is available These cheaper plans limit some of the content you can watch.
On the other hand, it is limited to 15 the number of content downloads These are the number of times you can watch content per month with an ad-supported subscription. If you often download TV shows or movies to watch offline, this detail might be important in your decision to choose this type of plan.
Typically, an average of about four minutes of ads for every hour of viewing of content. This isn't much compared to the advertising time on broadcast television, but streaming users have become accustomed to uninterrupted consumption and the feeling is very different.
Netflix also lets you see how many ads will air during each commercial break, which helps you plan for short breaks. What it doesn't allow is skipping or fast-forwarding through advertisements.: You have to watch it all at a normal playback speed.
How much does Netflix's ad-supported plan cost?
Currently, the streaming platform offers several subscription options. In many markets, the specific figures are:
- Standard plan with ads for €5,49 per month, the most economical option that includes advertising breaks during playback.
- Standard membership for 12,99 euros per month, without ads and with a better user experience.
- Premium plan for 17,99 euros per monthwith higher image quality and more simultaneous screens, without advertising.
Until a few weeks ago there was a Basic plan without ads for 7,99 eurosBut it has been removed in many markets. Netflix's move has been clear: to push undecided users towards the plan with advertising or towards plans without ads at a higher price.
Trick to avoid ads on Netflix: the “binge ad” system
Let's get back to what interests us. We'll assume you've opted for a standard plan with ads, but you don't want to see ads all the time. What can you do without breaking the platform's official rules?
Netflix has announced the launch of a new ad format, known as “binge ad”which takes into account user behavior. It works simply: if you spend a lot of time watching content consecutivelyYou'll have to endure less advertising during your long series sessions.
If you dare to see Watch three episodes of a series in a row, and you'll enjoy the fourth one completely ad-free.What Netflix is trying to do is bring back the classic weekend binge-watching sessions, which became so common when the platform popularized binge-watching. This format began to take off after... 2024 and it gradually spread throughout the first quarter many accounts with the ad-supported plan.
And with ad-supported accounts, the way people watched series had changed. Many users subscribed to these plans no longer binged because They didn't want to see advertising repeatedly.The "binge ad" system is, therefore, an incentive for you to watch several episodes in a row in exchange for a block without ads.
This trick to avoid ads on Netflix by binge-watching is available on accounts with standard plan with ads and it has been gradually rolled out to users. The key is that you don't need to touch anything in the settings: simply, The more episodes you watch in a row, the fewer ads you'll have to see in the next one..
The viral trick of using the "back" button to skip ads
Beyond the official options, in recent times a Viral trick to skip ads of the ad-supported plan using only the remote control or device controls. This is a curious feature of the app that many users have started to take advantage of.
The method is simple: When an advertisement appears, simply press the "back" button on the remote control and, immediately afterwards, Select the series or movie again using the accept button (OK/Enter). By doing so, the Netflix application returns to the content's page and restarts it, but the system considers that the ad has already been shown.
What's surprising is that the trick works with both the ads that appear before starting the content like with those who jump halfway through the chapter or the movieIn practice, whenever an advertisement appears, you can use this quick gesture with the buttons to resume playback without having to watch the entire ad block.
As has been verified, the trick takes advantage of what appears to be a Netflix ad counting system failureWhen an ad starts, the system marks it as "seen" almost immediately, so when you exit and re-enter, it doesn't force you to watch it again. Until this behavior is corrected, users can minimize their exposure to advertising with just a couple of clicks.
It should be noted, however, that this behavior is not documented by Netflix itself, so It could stop working at any time If the platform changes how it tracks ad views, it remains one of the easiest ways to reduce advertising without changing your plan.
On which devices does it work and what limitations does it have?
This "back" button trick works on the vast majority of devices running the official Netflix app: Smart TVs, HDMI sticks, game consoles, media players, and some cable and satellite set-top boxesAll that's needed is for the device to have a back button and for the application to respond smoothly.
The speed at which the ad is skipped will depend largely on the TV or device performanceOn current models, the response is usually almost immediate. On older or slower devices, the app may take a few seconds to exit and re-enter the content, making the trick less efficient than simply watching a short ad.
If your TV is slow to respond to each action, it might be smarter to just leave it alone and watch a 15- or 20-second ad. However, on faster devices, It doesn't matter if the ad lasts 10 seconds or two minutesExecuting the "back" + "OK" combination will take just a moment.
It's also worth remembering that, although this trick is very simple, the platform could change it in future updates. There's no guarantee it will stay that way long-term, but for now... It allows for a significant reduction in ads. in the plan with advertising without paying more.
Other ways to reduce advertising: settings and testing
In addition to the tricks above, there are some less obvious settings and options in your Netflix account that can influence the ads you see. They don't remove ads from the ad-supported plan, but they can help you avoid them. certain experiments of the platform which add additional cuts between chapters.
Netflix routinely does this A/B testing with new features, including short promotional inserts between episodes, or recommendations in the form of mini-trailers. You'll usually be automatically included in these tests if the option to participate in experimental features is enabled in your profile.
To avoid these trials that can add more interruptions, you can disable participation in tests from your account settings:
- Access Netflix from your browser or from the account option on your mobile device.
- Enter the section Account from the menu associated with your profile.
- In the section Configuration, look for the option "Participation in tests" or similar.
- Turn off the switch that includes you in tests and previews of new features.
By doing so, you will no longer be part of the experiments that the platform tests on a limited basis, which can help reduce the appearance of additional advertising between episodesIt doesn't remove ads from the ad-supported plan, but it does prevent some newer formats that haven't yet been rolled out to the rest of the users.
Block ads from the network: DNS and advanced solutions
Another avenue that more and more users are exploring is that of block advertising at the network levelUnlike a classic browser blocker, this solution intercepts requests from advertising domains directly from the router, a filtered DNS server, or tools like Pi-hole or AdGuard Home.
In the case of Netflix, some users have reported that AdGuard DNS or Pi-hole They can help reduce or block ads by filtering certain domains related to ad delivery, such as the well-known "push.prod.netflix" and other servers that are detected. The process consists of:
- Configure your Smart TV or router to use a DNS with ad blocking, such as AdGuard DNS, which provides specific addresses to filter advertising.
- In the case of AdGuard, enter the recommended DNS server address for blocking in the network settings.
- If you use Pi-hole, manually add the Netflix domains associated with ad loading as you detect them in the logs.
This method isn't always perfect, as Netflix can change the domains of its ads or integrate them into the same paths as the content, and there's also the risk of block legitimate functions The platform will fail to filter out too many addresses. Even so, for some advanced users, it's an interesting solution when combined with heavy use of blockers across the entire home network.
If you use these types of systems, it's a good idea to test and check exactly what's being blocked. Tools like Pi-hole allow you to do this. View Smart TV requests in real time and decide which domains to block. This way, you can adjust the filter until you find the balance between reducing advertising and maintaining normal Netflix functionality.
What's changing in Netflix ads: sponsorships and longer formats
Although the above tricks help to mitigate advertising, the truth is that Netflix has found in ads a very powerful source of incomeTherefore, the company is not going to give them up and continues to introduce changes in the way they are displayed.
On the one hand, a system has begun to be implemented sponsorships which is already used in other markets. This means that certain films, series, or even sports broadcasts may appear associated with a specific brand, which sponsors the content. In practice, the sponsor's name may appear prominently on the screen or in the title.
On the other hand, they are also being tested longer-running adsWhile 15-30 second blocks were predominant at first, it's becoming increasingly common to see ads of up to 60 secondsespecially in certain markets. In the United States, in addition, a [missing word - likely a separate, unrelated section] may appear alongside the advertisement. unit’s QR code which takes the user to the advertiser's website.
Everything indicates that Netflix's future lies with combine plans with and without ads, reinforcing the ad-supported version with new, more profitable formats for advertisers, while offering additional benefits (such as better image quality or more simultaneous screens) to those who opt for uninterrupted plans.
A winning bet for Netflix… and a challenge for users
When Netflix announced it was going to limit shared accounts, many believed the plan wouldn't work out well for the platform. But that hasn't been the case: According to its latest results, the company gained 8,8 million subscribers after introducing these measures and adjusting their offer.
Faced with rising prices for standard ad-free plans, many subscribers have switched to the cheaper, ad-supported option. It is estimated that around 40% of new registrations They come from this membership in certain markets. With this, Netflix's profit is twofold, because Gain subscribers while also receiving advertising revenue.
The tactic was risky, but the American company has achieved what it sought. So much so, that it has become an example for its competitorsIn the case of HBO Max or Disney+, similar measures have already been proposed against shared accounts and the introduction of ad-supported plans as a cheaper entry point.
All this activity has generated a clear reaction among users: More and more tricks are being sought to reduce or avoid advertising. without having to give up streaming or pay higher fees. From glitches like the "back" button on Netflix to DNS changes on Smart TVs, the community is showing great creativity in continuing to enjoy the platforms with the least possible impact from ads.
The trick to avoiding ads on Netflix won't completely eliminate them, but it will make binge-watching nights a reality again, and the commercial breaks much less annoying. By combining the official system of “binge ad”With the viral back button trick, some account adjustments, and, if you're feeling adventurous, network solutions like filtered DNS or Pi-hole, you can tailor the experience to your liking and decide how much you want to live with advertising in exchange for paying less for your subscription.