Improve YouTube! for Firefox — Essential Add-on Guide

How to Install and Configure Improve YouTube! on Firefox

1. Install the extension

1. Open Firefox and go to the Add-ons page: about:addons or Menu → Add Add-ons.
2. Search the Mozilla Add-ons site for “Improve YouTube!” (or visit the extension page URL).
3. Click “Add to Firefox” then confirm by clicking “Add” in the permission prompt.
4. After installation, the extension icon appears in the toolbar or overflow menu.

2. Access extension settings

1. Click the extension icon → click the gear/menu or “Manage extension” (or open about:addons, find Improve YouTube! → click the three-dot menu → Preferences).
2. The settings page opens (either a popup or a new tab).

3. Key configuration sections and recommended settings

• General / Appearance
  • Enable dark theme if you prefer system-wide dark mode.
  • Choose compact layout or default depending on how dense you want the UI.
• Player / Playback
  • Set default playback quality (e.g., 1080p or Auto) to avoid repeated manual changes.
  • Enable remember playback speed if you often change speed.
  • Turn on autoplay block if you want to stop videos from auto-playing.
• Controls / Hotkeys
  • Configure keyboard shortcuts for play/pause, skip, volume adjustments.
  • Enable on-screen controls like frame-by-frame or extended seek if available.
• Info / Metadata
  • Toggle hiding or showing video titles, descriptions, and stats to declutter.
  • Enable timestamped chapters if you prefer quick navigation.
• Layout / Feed
  • Hide recommended videos or comments to reduce distractions.
  • Enable theater or minimal mode by default for a focused view.
• Privacy / Tracking
  • Block external requests and tracking if the extension offers an option.
  • Disable watch-history syncing features if you want stricter privacy.

4. Per-site / per-channel overrides

• Use the extension’s site or channel rules to apply different settings for specific channels or playlists (e.g., lower quality for certain channels).

5. Shortcuts and quick tweaks

1. Right-click the extension icon → pin to toolbar for fast access.
2. Use the extension popup to toggle common options (dark mode, theater mode, hide recommendations) without opening full settings.

6. Troubleshooting

• If features don’t apply, reload the YouTube tab or restart Firefox.
• Disable other YouTube-related extensions to check for conflicts.
• Ensure extension is allowed to run in private windows if needed (about:addons → Preferences → Allow in Private Windows).
• Check the extension’s changelog or support link on the add-ons page for known issues.

7. Keep it up to date

• Firefox updates extensions automatically by default; verify updates in about:addons → Extensions → gear menu → Check for Updates.

If you want, I can provide a short step-by-step checklist tailored to your preferred default settings (quality, theme, and whether to hide recommendations).