Main highlights:
- The developers of YouTube Vanced have declared that the project would be canceled in the following days, with download links removed.
- While users who now have the app installed on Android will continue to use it, they are anticipated to cease functioning shortly without additional updates.
- According to a Discord discussion acquired by The Verge, an administrator from the Vanced team was asked to delete any references to ‘YouTube,’ redesign the logo, and disconnect all ties to YouTube-related products.
- Vanced is a popular third-party YouTube application for Android because it enables users without a Premium subscription to block all YouTube video advertising.
- Vanced is the latest victim of Google’s war on third-party YouTube-accessing programs. Last year, Google-owned YouTube deactivated two popular Discord music bots only weeks before testing ad-supported YouTube integration in Discord.
After a legal threat from Google, the popular YouTube Vanced software is withdrawn. Vanced’s authors have announced that the project would be discontinued in the following days, removing download links. While the app will continue to operate for anybody who presently has it loaded on Android, it is expected to stop working shortly without further updates. The Vanced owners claim they were forced to abandon the project owing to legal complications.
Google recently delivered a cease and desist notice to the owners of Vanced, forcing the developers to discontinue the distribution and development of the app. According to a Discord chat obtained by The Verge, an administrator from the Vanced team was instructed to erase any references to ‘YouTube,’ replace the logo, and remove all connections to YouTube goods.
Vanced is a popular third-party YouTube software for Android because it enables users without a Premium membership to disable all video advertising on YouTube. Additionally, it features a simple black theme and additional customization options in the original YouTube for Android app.
Vanced has been the latest victim of Google’s crackdown on third-party programs that access YouTube. Last year, Google-owned YouTube took down two popular Discord music bots before testing ad-supported YouTube integration in Discord just weeks later. Additionally, the popular Rythm and Groovy Discord music bots bypassed the service’s advertisements, allowing Discord users to listen to music collaboratively.
As of now, it has been decommissioned, according to a Telegram message from Vanced’s owners. They are aware that this is not what they want to hear, but it is necessary. They’ve contacted Google for comment on the demise of Vanced and will keep you updated.
YouTube Vanced alternatives:
If you’re wondering whether there are any Vanced alternatives, the answer is yes. NewPipe is one such open-source program that is also lighter than the official YouTube client. Individuals who wish to continue using Vanced for the remainder of its life can download the latest version but act quickly as the links may expire.
Not the first unauthorized YouTube application to be removed
Vanced is not the first unauthorized YouTube application to be removed from the store. Indeed, YouTube’s legal team recently delivered identical stop and desisted letters to two popular Discord bots that allowed music listening, Groovy and Rhythm. Yet, Vanced is not the only unauthorized YouTube software available for Android — others, such as the open-source NewPipe, continue to function and, given its open-source nature, may have a greater chance of survival than Vanced. You can continue to use Vanced for the time being, and if you are a current user, you may wish to update to the newest version before the download links expire.