diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/github/libretube/api/obj/Streams.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/github/libretube/api/obj/Streams.kt
index 1aabe0752..aaa1e96f2 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/github/libretube/api/obj/Streams.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/github/libretube/api/obj/Streams.kt
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package com.github.libretube.api.obj
 
 import com.github.libretube.db.obj.DownloadItem
 import com.github.libretube.enums.FileType
+import com.github.libretube.helpers.ProxyHelper
 import kotlinx.datetime.LocalDate
 import kotlinx.serialization.Serializable
 
@@ -54,7 +55,7 @@ data class Streams(
                     videoId = videoId,
                     fileName = stream?.getQualityString(fileName).orEmpty(),
                     path = "",
-                    url = stream?.url,
+                    url = stream?.url?.let { ProxyHelper.unwrapIfEnabled(it) },
                     format = videoFormat,
                     quality = videoQuality
                 )
@@ -71,7 +72,7 @@ data class Streams(
                     videoId = videoId,
                     fileName = stream?.getQualityString(fileName).orEmpty(),
                     path = "",
-                    url = stream?.url,
+                    url = stream?.url?.let { ProxyHelper.unwrapIfEnabled(it) },
                     format = audioFormat,
                     quality = audioQuality
                 )
@@ -85,7 +86,9 @@ data class Streams(
                     videoId = videoId,
                     fileName = "${fileName}_$subtitleCode.srt",
                     path = "",
-                    url = subtitles.find { it.code == subtitleCode }?.url
+                    url = subtitles.find {
+                        it.code == subtitleCode
+                    }?.url?.let { ProxyHelper.unwrapIfEnabled(it) }
                 )
             )
         }
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/github/libretube/constants/PreferenceKeys.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/github/libretube/constants/PreferenceKeys.kt
index 0a38fada7..6f93be93d 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/github/libretube/constants/PreferenceKeys.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/github/libretube/constants/PreferenceKeys.kt
@@ -133,6 +133,7 @@ object PreferenceKeys {
     const val CONFIRM_UNSUBSCRIBE = "confirm_unsubscribing"
     const val CLEAR_BOOKMARKS = "clear_bookmarks"
     const val MAX_CONCURRENT_DOWNLOADS = "max_concurrent_downloads"
+    const val DISABLE_VIDEO_IMAGE_PROXY = "disable_video_image_proxy"
 
     /**
      * History
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/github/libretube/helpers/DashHelper.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/github/libretube/helpers/DashHelper.kt
index b5816c7a7..cc4b81474 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/github/libretube/helpers/DashHelper.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/github/libretube/helpers/DashHelper.kt
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ object DashHelper {
         audioChannelConfiguration.setAttribute("value", "2")
 
         val baseUrl = doc.createElement("BaseURL")
-        baseUrl.appendChild(doc.createTextNode(stream.url!!))
+        baseUrl.appendChild(doc.createTextNode(ProxyHelper.unwrapIfEnabled(stream.url!!)))
 
         val segmentBase = doc.createElement("SegmentBase")
         segmentBase.setAttribute("indexRange", "${stream.indexStart}-${stream.indexEnd}")
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ object DashHelper {
         representation.setAttribute("frameRate", stream.fps.toString())
 
         val baseUrl = doc.createElement("BaseURL")
-        baseUrl.appendChild(doc.createTextNode(stream.url!!))
+        baseUrl.appendChild(doc.createTextNode(ProxyHelper.unwrapIfEnabled(stream.url!!)))
 
         val segmentBase = doc.createElement("SegmentBase")
         segmentBase.setAttribute("indexRange", "${stream.indexStart}-${stream.indexEnd}")
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/github/libretube/helpers/ImageHelper.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/github/libretube/helpers/ImageHelper.kt
index 7e2325504..9419b6e64 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/github/libretube/helpers/ImageHelper.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/github/libretube/helpers/ImageHelper.kt
@@ -51,7 +51,9 @@ object ImageHelper {
      */
     fun loadImage(url: String?, target: ImageView) {
         // only load the image if the data saver mode is disabled
-        if (!DataSaverMode.isEnabled(target.context)) target.load(url, imageLoader)
+        if (DataSaverMode.isEnabled(target.context) || url == null) return
+        val urlToLoad = ProxyHelper.unwrapIfEnabled(url)
+        target.load(urlToLoad, imageLoader)
     }
 
     fun downloadImage(context: Context, url: String, path: String) {
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/github/libretube/helpers/ProxyHelper.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/github/libretube/helpers/ProxyHelper.kt
index 175fbd740..179394f41 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/github/libretube/helpers/ProxyHelper.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/github/libretube/helpers/ProxyHelper.kt
@@ -27,4 +27,17 @@ object ProxyHelper {
             ?.port(proxyUrl.port)
             ?.toString()
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Load the YT url directly instead of the proxied Piped URL if enabled
+     */
+    fun unwrapIfEnabled(url: String): String {
+        if (!PreferenceHelper.getBoolean(PreferenceKeys.DISABLE_VIDEO_IMAGE_PROXY, false)) return url
+        return url.toHttpUrlOrNull()?.let {
+            it.newBuilder()
+                .host(it.queryParameter("host").orEmpty())
+                .removeAllQueryParameters("host")
+                .build()
+        }.toString()
+    }
 }
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/github/libretube/services/BackgroundMode.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/github/libretube/services/BackgroundMode.kt
index d0b1138da..e41a359ce 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/github/libretube/services/BackgroundMode.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/github/libretube/services/BackgroundMode.kt
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ import com.github.libretube.extensions.toID
 import com.github.libretube.helpers.PlayerHelper
 import com.github.libretube.helpers.PlayerHelper.checkForSegments
 import com.github.libretube.helpers.PlayerHelper.loadPlaybackParams
+import com.github.libretube.helpers.ProxyHelper
 import com.github.libretube.util.NowPlayingNotification
 import com.github.libretube.util.PlayingQueue
 import com.google.android.exoplayer2.ExoPlayer
@@ -304,7 +305,7 @@ class BackgroundMode : LifecycleService() {
         }
 
         val mediaItem = MediaItem.Builder()
-            .setUri(uri)
+            .setUri(ProxyHelper.rewriteUrl(uri))
             .build()
         player?.setMediaItem(mediaItem)
     }
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/github/libretube/ui/adapters/CommentsAdapter.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/github/libretube/ui/adapters/CommentsAdapter.kt
index d313e9bca..98cf79bfc 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/github/libretube/ui/adapters/CommentsAdapter.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/github/libretube/ui/adapters/CommentsAdapter.kt
@@ -116,7 +116,10 @@ class CommentsAdapter(
                 }
             }
             root.setOnLongClickListener {
-                ClipboardHelper.save(root.context, comment.commentText.orEmpty().parseAsHtml().toString())
+                ClipboardHelper.save(
+                    root.context,
+                    comment.commentText.orEmpty().parseAsHtml().toString()
+                )
                 Toast.makeText(root.context, R.string.copied, Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show()
                 true
             }
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/github/libretube/ui/fragments/PlayerFragment.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/github/libretube/ui/fragments/PlayerFragment.kt
index 0b9b44911..65ea9ee0c 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/github/libretube/ui/fragments/PlayerFragment.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/github/libretube/ui/fragments/PlayerFragment.kt
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ import com.github.libretube.helpers.PlayerHelper
 import com.github.libretube.helpers.PlayerHelper.checkForSegments
 import com.github.libretube.helpers.PlayerHelper.loadPlaybackParams
 import com.github.libretube.helpers.PreferenceHelper
+import com.github.libretube.helpers.ProxyHelper
 import com.github.libretube.obj.ShareData
 import com.github.libretube.obj.VideoResolution
 import com.github.libretube.services.BackgroundMode
@@ -424,7 +425,7 @@ class PlayerFragment : Fragment(R.layout.fragment_player), OnlinePlayerOptions {
             streams.hls ?: return@setOnLongClickListener true
 
             // start an intent with video as mimetype using the hls stream
-            val uri: Uri = Uri.parse(streams.hls)
+            val uri = Uri.parse(ProxyHelper.unwrapIfEnabled(streams.hls!!))
             val intent = Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW).apply {
                 setDataAndType(uri, "video/*")
                 putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_TITLE, streams.title)
@@ -970,14 +971,12 @@ class PlayerFragment : Fragment(R.layout.fragment_player), OnlinePlayerOptions {
             }
         }
 
-        if (streams.hls != null) {
-            binding.relPlayerPip.setOnClickListener {
-                if (SDK_INT < Build.VERSION_CODES.O) return@setOnClickListener
-                try {
-                    activity?.enterPictureInPictureMode(getPipParams())
-                } catch (e: Exception) {
-                    e.printStackTrace()
-                }
+        binding.relPlayerPip.setOnClickListener {
+            if (SDK_INT < Build.VERSION_CODES.O) return@setOnClickListener
+            try {
+                activity?.enterPictureInPictureMode(getPipParams())
+            } catch (e: Exception) {
+                e.printStackTrace()
             }
         }
         initializeRelatedVideos(streams.relatedStreams.filter { !it.title.isNullOrBlank() })
@@ -1285,7 +1284,7 @@ class PlayerFragment : Fragment(R.layout.fragment_player), OnlinePlayerOptions {
             // DASH
             !PreferenceHelper.getBoolean(PreferenceKeys.USE_HLS_OVER_DASH, false) && streams.videoStreams.isNotEmpty() -> {
                 // only use the dash manifest generated by YT if either it's a livestream or no other source is available
-                val uri = streams.dash?.toUri().takeIf {
+                val uri = streams.dash?.let { ProxyHelper.unwrapIfEnabled(it) }?.toUri().takeIf {
                     streams.livestream || streams.videoStreams.isEmpty()
                 } ?: let {
                     val manifest = DashHelper.createManifest(streams)
@@ -1300,7 +1299,10 @@ class PlayerFragment : Fragment(R.layout.fragment_player), OnlinePlayerOptions {
             }
             // HLS
             streams.hls != null -> {
-                setMediaSource(streams.hls!!.toUri(), MimeTypes.APPLICATION_M3U8)
+                setMediaSource(
+                    ProxyHelper.unwrapIfEnabled(streams.hls!!).toUri(),
+                    MimeTypes.APPLICATION_M3U8
+                )
             }
             // NO STREAM FOUND
             else -> {
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml b/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
index df0ee17e7..68e499e88 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
@@ -453,6 +453,8 @@
     <string name="playing_next">Playing next in %1$s</string>
     <string name="lbry_hls">LBRY HLS</string>
     <string name="lbry_hls_summary">Use LBRY HLS for streaming if available.</string>
+    <string name="disable_proxy">Disable Piped proxy</string>
+    <string name="disable_proxy_summary">Load videos and images directly from YouTube\'s servers. Only enable the option if you use a VPN anyways!</string>
 
     <!-- Notification channel strings -->
     <string name="download_channel_name">Download Service</string>
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/xml/audio_video_settings.xml b/app/src/main/res/xml/audio_video_settings.xml
index b3b6e75a2..b37529fef 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/xml/audio_video_settings.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/xml/audio_video_settings.xml
@@ -96,6 +96,13 @@
             app:title="@string/codecs"
             app:useSimpleSummaryProvider="true" />
 
+        <SwitchPreferenceCompat
+            android:defaultValue="false"
+            android:icon="@drawable/ic_server"
+            android:summary="@string/disable_proxy_summary"
+            android:title="@string/disable_proxy"
+            app:key="lbry_hls" />
+
     </PreferenceCategory>
 
 </PreferenceScreen>
\ No newline at end of file