YouTube Denies Hiding Skip Button Amid Ad Interface Changes

The platform confirms a visual update to ad elements, including a new progress bar for the countdown timer.

YouTube users have reported issues with the visibility of the skip button on ads, citing black rectangles and missing countdown timers.
The company asserts that the skip button remains available after five seconds of ad playback, as it has always been.
YouTube is updating its ad interface to feature a cleaner look, replacing the countdown timer with a progress bar at the bottom of the screen.
These updates are part of YouTube's broader efforts to enhance user engagement with ads by reducing on-screen elements.
The changes have led to confusion among users, with some suspecting glitches or geographic testing as potential causes for the skip button's inconsistent appearance.