YouTube guides

Each guide answers one question: first how to do it on YouTube as it is, then how ytbud does it.

• youtube player skinsHow to put a skin on the YouTube playerYouTube itself only lets you pick a light or dark theme.
• youtube themes extension chromeHow to change the YouTube theme on PCOn a computer, click your profile picture (or the ⋮ menu when signed out), then Appearance, and choose Dark theme, Light theme or Use device theme.
• custom progress bar for youtubeHow to change the YouTube progress barYouTube’s progress bar is always red and disappears when the controls hide.
• youtube true black themeHow to make YouTube true black on an OLED screenYouTube’s dark theme paints the page dark grey, so OLED pixels stay lit.
• youtube cinema mode extensionHow to dim everything around a YouTube videoYouTube has theater mode (a wider player) and ambient mode (a glow around it), but nothing that dims the page.
• how to see dislikes on youtubeHow to see dislikes on YouTubeYouTube stopped showing public dislike counts in 2021; only a video’s creator sees them, in YouTube Studio.
• skip sponsors youtube extensionHow to skip sponsor segments on YouTube automaticallyTurn on “Skip sponsor segments” in ytbud for YouTube.
• youtube dual subtitles chrome extensionHow to show two subtitle languages on YouTubeYouTube shows one caption track at a time.
• how to hide shorts on youtube desktopHow to hide Shorts on YouTube on a computerYouTube lets you close a Shorts shelf with its × button, but it returns after about 30 days.
• youtube speed more than 2xHow to watch YouTube faster than 2xThe YouTube player stops at 2×.
• how to get transcript of youtube videoHow to get the transcript of a YouTube videoOn YouTube, open the description (…more) and click “Show transcript”.
• how to screenshot youtube video without barHow to screenshot a YouTube video without the barA normal screenshot catches YouTube’s controls and is only as sharp as your screen.
• loop part of youtube videoHow to loop just part of a YouTube videoYouTube’s Loop (right-click the player) repeats the whole video.
• youtube playlist length calculatorHow to see how long a YouTube playlist isYouTube shows how many videos a playlist has, not the total running time.
• youtube volume too lowWhy YouTube is quiet at 100% volume, and how to fix itYouTube lowers videos it measures as loud, so 100% on the slider can play at about half the level (“content loudness” in Stats for nerds).
• hide youtube recommendationsHow to hide recommendations on YouTubeYouTube has no switch for the sidebar suggestions.
• youtube thumbnail download hdHow to download a YouTube thumbnail in full sizeEvery thumbnail is at https://i.ytimg.com/vi/VIDEO_ID/maxresdefault.jpg.
• youtube sleep timer extensionHow to set a sleep timer on YouTube on a computerYouTube now has a basic sleep timer in the player’s settings menu.
• youtube time limit chrome extensionHow to set a daily time limit for YouTube on a computerYouTube’s “Remind me to take a break” lives in the mobile app.
• youtube always hdHow to make YouTube always play in HDYouTube’s Auto quality often picks less than the best, especially in a small player.
• block channels on youtubeHow to block a channel on YouTubeOn a video’s ⋮ menu, “Don’t recommend channel” removes a channel from your home feed, but it still shows in search.
• best youtube extensions for chromeThe best YouTube extensions for Chrome in 2026Pick by job.