A tiny Docker container mutes YouTube ads and skips the sponsors on all my TVs, and I didn't have to replace the app

Published Nov 6, 2026, 8:30 AM EST João has been covering the tech world for over 7 years, with a heavy focus on laptops and the Windows ecosystem. I also love all things tech and videogames, especially Nintendo, which he's always happy to talk about. Prior to joining XDA in 2021, he worked at Neowin: https://www.neowin.net/news/poster/jo%C3%A3o-carrasqueira/ I use YouTube quite a bit on my TVs, and one of the most annoying aspects is how merciless the app is with ads. Compared to the desktop or mobile, options for skipping ads are more limited, and ads often run for longer. Add sponsored segments in the videos themselves, and it can sometimes feel like there are more ads than actual videos in the experience. For a while, I thought there was no solution, but I was wrong. iSponsorBlockTV is a tiny Docker container that can skip sponsored segments and more on any number of TVs, all without making any changes to the TV or the app itself. Setting up is relatively easy You can use Docker or Proxmox iSponsorBlockTV is officially available as a Docker container, but like many such projects, there's a Proxmox community script that replicates its capabilities in an LXC. I first tested the tool in Docker on a random tool, but for a long-term deployment, I need it in Proxmox so I can be sure it's always running. Setting up is relatively easy. If you're using Docker, I found the easiest way is to follow the instructions on the official wiki, specifically using the Docker Compose file, since it's usually the simplest. Simply follow the two steps on the page, configure how it should behave, and add compatible devices. This part is crucial because iSponsorBlock TV works by linking to the YouTube app on your TV, as you normally would with a phone. You can also link by searching in the local network, but I just used the TV link code, and that was it. You can add multiple devices, too, so it can block ads in all the TVs in your house, or even devices like the Nintendo Switch, which also runs a variant of YouTube's TV app. Setting up with Proxmox is even easier, in my opinion. Simply run the community script in the host shell, and then go into the container's shell and run the command iSponsorBlockTV setup. From there, setting up is very similar to how you'd do it in Docker. It skips all kinds of unwanted segments The primary function of iSponsorBlockTV is skipping segments of real videos that may not deliver much value. It's based off of the SponsorBlock API, so it supports the same kind of segments. You can skip intros, outros, filler segments, and so on to streamline the videos you watch. Of course, you can also skip sponsored segments, which is arguably what most people want to skip, as well as interaction requests, like creators asking you to like a video or subscribe to the channel. You can go further and specify how long these segments should be to be skipped, so you can choose to only skip overly long segments, for example. You can also whitelist channels you want to support, though this requires a YouTube API key. I'll admit I'm not the biggest fan of this concept in general, as I don't mind watching these sponsored segments when creators are actively putting in the work to make them. Plus, at least these segments support the creators I care about more directly. Typically, I prefer focusing on skipping the YouTube ads themselves, and iSponsorBlockTV can help here, too, but not in the way you might expect. Silence, ads Finally, some peace and quiet The much bigger problem with YouTube on the TV, in my opinion, are the actual ads shown by YouTube itself. As I've mentioned, they're longer and more frequent on TVs, and to make matters worse, they're harder to block. Even using a network-wide ad blocker like Pi-hole or AdGuard Home, I can't get rid of them. iSponsorBlockTV isn't a perfect solution for this, but it does help a lot. My favorite feature in this whole service is that it can automatically mute the TV when an ad starts playing, so I don't have to deal with jarringly loud ads in the middle of a video, forcing me to scramble for the remote to turn them down and eventually back up. What's more, iSponsorBlockTV also automatically presses the Skip ad button once it becomes available, so I don't have to do anything manually. Again, it's not a perfect solution, but it does make ads feel less intrusive and bothersome, so I appreciate it. Personally, I value this more than automatically skipping video segments. Self-hosting keeps on giving iSponsorBlockTV is just the latest reminder that self-hosting can be one of the best hobbies to get into. Even a low-powered machine can run simple services like this to make your home entertainment experience that much better, and it costs very little to run. This is another service that will now become a staple in my home lab, and I recommend it to everyone. iSponsorBlockTV Individual pricing Free Platform(s) Self-hosted