Confirmation: YouTube Interface Missing Due to Shields (Script Blocking) on iOS

Contributing iOS
1

Description of the Issue: When using Brave Browser on iPhone, YouTube videos open in a stripped-down player without the video description, comments section, or suggested videos. The issue is directly caused by Brave Shields.

How to Reproduce:

  1. Open Brave Browser on iPhone.

  2. Ensure Brave Shields are enabled (default setting).

  3. Navigate to YouTube.com and search for a video.

  4. Click on a video. Observe that the page loads but only the video player is visible—no description, comments, or sidebar.

  5. Disable Brave Shields for YouTube (tap the shield icon in the address bar and turn off blocking).

  6. Refresh the page. The full YouTube interface (description, comments, suggestions) reappears.

Expected Result: The full YouTube video page, including description, comments, and related videos, should load correctly even with Shields enabled, after blocking only ads and trackers.

Actual Result: With Shields enabled, the YouTube page structure is broken, suggesting that necessary scripts are being blocked incorrectly.

Troubleshooting Performed:

  • Confirmed issue is resolved by temporarily disabling Shields.

  • Cleared cache and cookies for YouTube.

  • Checked for browser updates (Brave is up to date).

Environment:

iPhone 11

iOS Version: 26.4.1

  • Brave Version: 1.88 (137)

  • Shields Settings: Aggressive (or Standard, same results)

Additional Context: This appears to be related to YouTube’s anti-adblock measures. Other users have reported similar issues where “Block Scripts” in Shields breaks page functionality . A more precise script filtering rule is needed to block ads without breaking the core YouTube experience.

Suggested Fix: Request a review and update of the default filter lists for YouTube on iOS to ensure scripts essential for page layout are not blocked. Consider a per-site exception for YouTube or a smarter content-filtering rule.

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@punkyard

Using a Brave Browser New Window (not a Private Window - meaning, disable Private Browsing Only mode), visit https://www.youtube.com

Brave Browser (iOS) Site-Specific Shields settings - the lion icon at the upper-right of the iPhone screen, near the right end of the URL address field. Click the lion icon.

Select Advanced controls and Disable Block Scripts.

Next, visit https://www.google.com and repeat those steps.

If you want to use Private Browsing Only mode, wait to enable that until after a full restart of your iPhone. The subtle issue is, that some settings - that you want to stick - need to be made when NOT using Private Browsing Only mode.

Shields Basics

How do I configure global and site-specific Shields settings?

How do I use Shields while browsing?