Manage Mid-Roll Ad Breaks in Longer YouTube Videos

On monetized videos that are 8 minutes or longer, you can enable ads that play during the video, known as mid-roll ads.

Mid-roll ads can be configured independently for each video, regardless of your channel’s default upload settings. If eligible, you can also apply mid-roll ads to live streams.

Note: On mobile, you can only turn mid-roll ads on or off. Full placement editing is available in YouTube Studio on desktop.

Types of Ad Slots in YouTube Studio

There are three ways to set up mid-roll ad slots:

Manual Ad Slots

You manually choose specific timestamps where ads may appear. These act as suggested breakpoints, but YouTube ultimately decides whether an ad is shown.

Ads are more likely to appear at natural pauses, such as scene transitions or breaks in speech. Slots placed during continuous action or speech are less likely to be used.

Automatic Ad Slots

YouTube automatically detects natural breakpoints in your video and places ad slots for you using its system.

Combined Manual and Automatic Slots

You can use both manual placements and automatic detection together. This increases the number of potential ad opportunities while still giving you control.

Note: Placing an ad slot does not guarantee an ad will be shown. Ad delivery depends on multiple factors, including viewer experience and advertiser demand.

Mid-Roll Slot Feedback

YouTube Studio provides feedback on your ad placements to indicate which slots are unlikely to serve ads.

Slots marked as low-performing can be adjusted by moving them to more natural breakpoints.

Initial feedback usually appears within an hour of upload, and updates after edits are typically available within minutes.

How to Manage Mid-Roll Ads

For New Uploads

1. Open YouTube Studio (desktop).
2. Upload your video.
3. Under monetization, turn Ads & YouTube Premium ON.
4. Enable “Show mid-roll ads during my video.”
5. Save and continue.

By default, automatic ad placement is enabled. To customize:

• Select Manage Ad Slots
• Add or remove slots using the timeline editor
• Save your changes

For Existing Videos

1. Go to YouTube Studio → Content.
2. Select a video and open Monetization.
3. Turn monetization ON (if needed).
4. Enable mid-roll ads.
5. Adjust ad slots using the editor if desired.

Channel-Level Mid-Roll Settings

You can set mid-roll ads as the default for future uploads:

1. Open YouTube Studio.
2. Go to Settings → Upload Defaults.
3. Select Monetization.
4. Enable “Show mid-roll ads during my videos.”
5. Save changes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do ad slots guarantee ads will appear?

No. YouTube evaluates multiple factors such as viewer experience, ad demand, and slot quality before deciding whether to show an ad.

Why are some ad slots marked as unlikely to serve ads?

This means the placement may interrupt viewing flow or reduce retention, making it less likely for an ad to run.

What if automatic slots don’t appear?

If no automatic slots are generated, you can add manual ones to improve monetization opportunities.

How do automatic mid-roll ads work?

YouTube uses machine learning to identify natural breaks in your content where ads are least disruptive and most effective.

When is feedback updated?

Initial feedback appears shortly after processing (usually within an hour), and updates after edits appear within minutes.

Are mid-roll ads always recommended?

Not always. Some content types (like meditation or ambient videos) may not be suitable for interruptions.