Contact Us
Email us at support@xappnova.com for bugs, feature requests, or anything else. We aim to respond within 48 hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why isn't the playback speed changing?
A few things to check: make sure the extension is enabled in Chrome's toolbar. Try refreshing the YouTube page after enabling it. If the video is an ad, speed changes are intentionally disabled. Also confirm that you've set a speed rule for that video's category in the extension popup.
How does the extension detect the video category?
SpeedByGenre reads the category label that YouTube displays on the video page (e.g., "Music", "Gaming", "News & Politics"). This is the same category the video uploader assigned when publishing. No external API calls are made — it's all read locally from the page.
Can I set a custom speed for a specific channel?
Currently, rules are set per category (e.g., all Music videos at 1x). Channel-specific or creator-specific rules are planned for a future update. If this is important to you, let us know at support@xappnova.com — user feedback shapes our roadmap.
Will my settings sync across devices?
Yes. Your speed preferences are saved in chrome.storage.sync, which Chrome synchronizes across all devices where you're signed into the same Google account. No XAppNova server is involved — the sync is handled entirely by Chrome.
Does the extension slow down YouTube or affect page performance?
No. SpeedByGenre is lightweight and only activates on YouTube pages. It reads a single text element from the page and sets the video playback rate — both are near-instant operations with no measurable impact on page load or performance.
Does it work with YouTube Premium or YouTube Music?
SpeedByGenre works on the standard YouTube website (youtube.com). YouTube Music (music.youtube.com) is a separate app and is not currently supported. YouTube Premium subscribers will find the extension works as normal on the main YouTube site.
How do I reset my settings to the defaults?
Open the extension popup, adjust each category speed back to your preferred value, or uninstall and reinstall the extension to start fresh. All settings are stored locally and removed when the extension is uninstalled.
How do I enable SpeedByGenre in Safari?
After installing from the Mac App Store, open the SpeedByGenre menu bar app and click Open Safari Extension Settings. In Safari → Settings → Extensions, check the box next to SpeedByGenre and allow access to youtube.com when prompted. Then navigate to any YouTube video — the extension activates automatically.
Where do I change my speed settings?
Click the SpeedByGenre icon in your macOS menu bar. The popover shows all 16 YouTube categories with − and + buttons to adjust the speed for each. Changes are saved instantly and take effect on the next YouTube video you open.
Why isn't the playback speed changing?
Check that the extension is enabled in Safari → Settings → Extensions. Make sure you allowed access to youtube.com when Safari asked for permission. Try refreshing the YouTube page. If a video is an ad, speed changes are intentionally disabled. Also confirm a speed rule is set for that video's category in the menu bar app.
How does SpeedByGenre detect the video category?
It reads the category label YouTube displays on the video page (e.g., "Music", "Gaming"). No external API calls are made — everything is read locally from the page content.
Will my settings sync across my Macs?
Not automatically in the current version. Speed preferences are stored locally on each Mac. Cross-device sync is planned for a future update. If this matters to you, let us know at support@xappnova.com.
Does it work with YouTube Music?
The extension runs on youtube.com. YouTube Music (music.youtube.com) is a separate site and is not currently supported.
How do I reset to the default speeds?
Click the menu bar icon and press Reset Defaults at the bottom of the popover. This restores all categories to their original speeds (Music 1×, News 1.5×, Education 1.25×, etc.).
The app only shows in the menu bar — is that normal?
Yes, by design. SpeedByGenre is a menu bar utility with no Dock icon or main window. All controls live in the menu bar popover, keeping your Dock and window list clean.