YouTube Vanced was a widely-used, unofficial modification of the YouTube app, designed to enhance the viewing experience by adding premium-like features for free. It blocked ads, allowed background playback, supported picture-in-picture (PiP) mode, and enabled high-resolution video playback regardless of device limitations. Users could customize the interface with AMOLED dark mode, adjust playback speed, and bypass region restrictions. The app also integrated SponsorBlock to automatically skip sponsored segments in videos. With additional features like auto-repeat and swipe gestures for brightness and volume control, Vanced became a must-have for many users. However, due to legal pressure from Google, it was discontinued in 2022. Many users have since turned to alternatives like YouTube ReVanced to retain similar functionalities.