Ever tried to swat away an annoying pop-up only to find the X button has vanished? YouTube just pulled that move on mobile users. According to a post on X by Anthony Higman, the platform has quietly updated its mobile ad experience by removing the close button from side panel ads, and viewers aren’t happy about it.
Image credit – Anthony Higman
These side panel ads typically appear during horizontal video ads on mobile. They take up about half of the screen. Usually, users could dismiss these ads by tapping a close button. With the latest update, YouTube eliminated this close button entirely. Once the side panel ad appears, viewers have no way to dismiss it.
What This Means for Mobile Viewers
The update seems designed to keep the side panel ads visible for longer. This likely boosts engagement or ad impressions. These panels often display shoppable products or site links alongside the main video ad. However, the change makes YouTube mobile ads more intrusive and frustrating for users who just want to watch their content.
Currently, YouTube hasn’t provided an official reason for removing the close button. It remains unclear if this change will be rolled back or refined. For viewers, this means less control over ads interrupting their mobile viewing. The move follows YouTube’s pattern of controversial ad updates. Previous changes included hiding skip button countdowns and showing unskippable ads that can last up to an hour.
If you’re fed up with increasingly aggressive YouTube mobile ads, your options are limited. You can either subscribe to YouTube Premium for an ad-free experience or use third-party solutions. Either way, this latest change shows YouTube’s willingness to prioritize ad revenue over user experience.
