YouTube ad formats explained — pre-roll, post-roll, bumper, Shorts ads, mid-roll slots for videos over 8 minutes and quality feedback (October 2026)
Shortsmith team · Updated
If your videos earn ad revenue, it helps to know which ads run and where. You used to choose pre-roll, post-roll, skippable and non-skippable ads one by one; now, once you turn on ads for a new long video, YouTube shows the right format at the right moment. What you still decide is the mid-roll (ads in the middle) slots for videos over 8 minutes. Shorts show swipeable ads between videos in the Shorts feed.
This post is based on the YouTube Help pages "YouTube ad formats" and "Manage mid-roll ad placement in long videos" (Korean and English versions), checked on October 30, 2026. It covers how ads attach and how to set them, not monetization eligibility or amounts.
What changed — fewer choices
To improve creator revenue, the options around pre- and post-video ads were simplified, and the choices of pre-roll, post-roll, skippable and non-skippable ads individually were removed. When you turn on ads for a new long video, YouTube shows them to viewers at the right time, and the recommended setting that turns on all ad formats became the default for everyone. The mid-roll choice stays as it was.
From April 6, 2023, YouTube no longer serves overlay ads. YouTube explains that overlays ran only on desktop, that other formats had grown in engagement, and that the impact on most creators would be limited.
Ad formats compared
Watch While ads run automatically on monetized videos that cannot use mid-rolls (2–8 minutes long, or over 8 minutes with mid-roll off); viewers can close them at any time or have them close automatically after 30 seconds.
| Format | Description | Length / platform |
|---|---|---|
| Skippable video ads | Skippable after 5 seconds | Computer, mobile, TV and game console players |
| Non-skippable video ads | Viewers must watch to see the video | 15 or 20 seconds (regional standard), sometimes 30 seconds on TV |
| Bumper ads | Short non-skippable ads; turn on automatically when skippable or non-skippable ads are on | Up to 6 seconds |
| Shorts ads | Swipeable video or image ads served between videos in the Shorts feed | See the Shorts monetization policy for how it works |
| Ads outside the player | Feed ads in browse and subscription feeds, and Watch While ads (image ads shown with the video) | Cannot be managed in YouTube Studio |
| Ad pods (back-to-back ads) | Two ads in a row, reducing interruptions during long videos | When ads are on for a long video (at least 5 minutes) |
Mid-roll ad slots — what you decide on videos over 8 minutes
Monetized videos of 8 minutes or longer (as the Help page words it) can have mid-roll ads, managed per video regardless of the channel default. On mobile you can only turn them on or off; editing slots is done in desktop Studio.
| Slot type | How it works |
|---|---|
| Manual slots | You tell the system where you allow ads, and it decides which slots to serve, balancing viewer experience, revenue and advertiser value. Ads are more likely at natural breaks such as an audio pause or scene change, and less likely mid-sentence or mid-action |
| Automatic slots | The system finds natural breaks and places slots itself |
| Manual + automatic | Automatic slots supplement your manual ones to add ad opportunities (placing a manual slot adds automatic slots by default) |
A slot does not mean an ad will run
There is no guarantee an ad serves in a slot. Studio’s mid-roll quality feedback marks slots less likely to serve ads in red and suggests moving them to more natural breaks. Feedback usually appears within an hour of your first manual slot, and usually within a minute after later adjustments.
Setup steps
To turn ads on for many videos, select them in "Content" and choose "Edit" → "Monetization" → "On". To change mid-rolls in bulk, use "Edit" → "Ad settings", check "Place ads during video (mid-roll)", and decide whether to apply it only to videos with no ad breaks or to all videos.
- New video: Studio "Create" → "Upload videos" → choose the file → under "Monetization" turn ads on → check "Place ads during video playback (mid-roll)" → "Next" → "Save". Automatic slots are selected by default.
- To place slots yourself, go to "Manage ad slots" → "Insert ad slot", type a start time or drag the marker, and "Delete" any you do not want. To turn off automatic slots, clear "Automatic ad slots".
- Already-uploaded video: "Content" → the video → "Monetization", turn it on, then enable mid-rolls the same way.
- Channel default: "Settings" → "Upload defaults" → "Monetization" → check "Place ads during video playback (mid-roll)" under ad suitability and "Save".
Shortsmith and ads — where you set them
Ad settings live in the Monetization screen of YouTube Studio; Shortsmith’s Upload & Schedule window has no ads or monetization field. Shortsmith supports long-form videos as well as Shorts, and the credit table on its pricing screen includes a long-form line. If you upload long videos, set the 8-minute rule and mid-roll slots in Studio after uploading.
Ad revenue varies with watch time, the advertiser environment and the nature of the video, and choosing ad formats guarantees nothing. How the nature of a video affects ads is covered in the yellow icon post.
FAQ
Can I choose pre-roll and post-roll myself?
No. When you turn on ads for a new long video, YouTube shows pre-roll, post-roll, skippable and non-skippable ads at the right moments.
Do overlay ads still run?
From April 6, 2023, YouTube no longer serves overlay ads.
From how many minutes can I use mid-roll ads?
The Help page says monetized videos of 8 minutes or longer can have mid-rolls. Videos of 2–8 minutes get Watch While ads automatically.
What does a red slot mean?
It is a slot less likely to serve ads. The feedback suggests moving it to a more natural break.
Will an ad always run in a slot I place?
No. The system decides whether to serve one, balancing viewer experience, revenue and advertiser value.
Can I turn on ads in the Shortsmith upload window?
There is no such field. After uploading, set it on the Monetization screen in YouTube Studio.
Sources
- YouTube ad formats — YouTube Help · checked
- Manage mid-roll ad placement in long videos — YouTube Help · checked