YouTube has begun rolling out a new ad format for livestreams on mobile that displays ads alongside the broadcast rather than replacing the video feed, Google confirmed to Android Authority.

Side-by-side ads run alongside a livestream within the same video player. During an ad break, the stream’s video remains visible while the ad plays. However, the stream’s audio is intentionally muted in favor of the ad’s audio for the duration of the break. The format is designed for automated mid-roll placements.

Google confirmed that side-by-side ads launched on desktop and TV platforms in 2024 before expanding to mobile. YouTube first publicly teased the format at its annual Made on YouTube event in September 2025, according to Tubefilter.

Reddit users first flagged the mobile rollout last week after being served the new format. Several users noted that the ads play with autoplaying sound, requiring viewers to manually mute the ad if they want to follow the stream’s audio. Some reported rewinding streams after the ad break to catch content they missed while the stream audio was suppressed.

Google told Android Authority that the format is intentional: “YouTube introduced side-by-side ads for automated live mid-rolls to reduce disruption to viewers during a livestream. During these ad breaks, the ad runs alongside the livestream within the video player.”

YouTube has also previously offered picture-in-picture ads, which place spots in a minimized window during streams. Side-by-side ads represent the platform’s latest effort to maintain ad revenue from live content while keeping the broadcast visible to viewers.

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