How to change the YouTube progress bar
Updated · tested in Chrome
Short answer
YouTube’s progress bar is always red and disappears when the controls hide. ytbud for YouTube replaces it: each skin brings its own bar (coin blocks, neon, a rocket to the Moon), and the “Permanent progress bar” tool keeps a thin bar visible while the video plays.
Add to Chrome — it’s freeWhat YouTube does
The bar is red for everyone and fades out a few seconds after you stop moving the mouse. There’s no setting for either.
With ytbud, step by step
- Add ytbud to Chrome.
- Open the Skins page and pick a skin. Its progress bar, playhead and hover preview come with it.
- In Tools, leave “Permanent progress bar” on. A 3 px bar in your skin’s color stays at the bottom when the controls hide.
Good to know
- Story bars
- Space Run flies a rocket from Earth to the Moon across the bar. 16-bit Quest runs a pixel hero over coin blocks.
- Chapters and loops show
- Chapter gaps, A–B loop markers and SponsorBlock segments all draw on top of the skinned bar.
Questions
Why did my YouTube progress bar disappear?
YouTube hides the controls, bar included, a few seconds after the mouse stops. “Permanent progress bar” keeps a thin one visible, and it hides during ads.
Can I change the playhead to a character?
Yes. Several skins use their own playhead, and the skin builder lets you pick a thumb from any skin or from shapes.