Twitch Blocks Video for Users with Ad Blockers, Leaves Only Chat Visible

Many Twitch viewers have reported that streams won’t load when their ad blocker is active, showing only chat instead of video. This crackdown mirrors what other platforms have done to enforce ad-supported viewing.Twitch seems to be detecting popular blockers like uBlock Origin and denying video playback until users disable them. Viewers have taken to Reddit to confirm this issue, describing streams that remain black when ads are blocked—video resumes only when ad blocking is turned off.Some users are exploring unofficial workarounds, such as third-party Twitch players or user-agent switchers. Others use alternative browsers like Brave, which often bypass these restrictions. However, these methods may only work temporarily, as Twitch continues updating its systems to detect and block ad avoidance.In addition, Twitch is quietly rolling out 2K (1440p) streaming for a limited set of users. This high-resolution option is currently restricted to viewers in select regions, meaning that many viewers, even with capable devices, can only watch streams in 1080p or lower.Twitch has confirmed that 2K streaming is still in beta and region-dependent, limited to areas including North America, parts of Europe, the Middle East, Latin America, and APAC. The regional testing helps Twitch measure performance impacts before a broader launch.Together, these changes signal Twitch’s push to balance user experience, ad revenue, and technical scalability. Viewers who rely on ad blockers may find their access blocked without notice, while those outside the 2K rollout area will miss out on higher-quality streams.