freetube

FreeTube is a privacy-focused, open source desktop YouTube player. It enables users to access YouTube content without advertisements and without being tracked by Google's cookies or JavaScript. The application is available for Windows (10 and later), macOS (12 and later), and Linux, built using Electron. The software operates by using a built-in extractor to grab and serve video data, or optionally by using the Invidious API. It does not use any official YouTube APIs. While YouTube can still see video requests, FreeTube prevents tracking via cookies or JavaScript. All user data, including subscriptions, playlists, and history, is stored locally on the computer and is never sent out. The developers highly recommend using a VPN or Tor to hide the user's IP address. Key features include: - Ad-free video watching - Protection against Google tracking via cookies and JavaScript - Two extractor API options (Built-in or Invidious) - Subscribing to channels without an account - Connecting to an external proxy such as Tor - Local searching and viewing of subscriptions, playlists, and history - Organizing subscriptions into "Profiles" for a focused feed - Exporting and importing subscriptions - YouTube Trending and Chapters support - Most popular videos page based on the set Invidious instance - SponsorBlock and DeArrow integration - Opening videos from a browser directly into FreeTube (with extension) - External video player support - Full theme support - Video screenshot capability - Multiple windows and a Mini Player (Picture-in-Picture) - Keyboard shortcuts - Option to show only family friendly content - Distraction free settings to show or hide elements - Viewing channel posts FreeTube supports browser extensions like LibRedirect and RedirectTube to open YouTube links directly in the application. Official downloads are available via GitHub Releases, the FreeTube website, and Flathub. The project is licensed under the GNU Affero General Public License (AGPLv3).