# Youtube audio\_only

> Listen to Youtube audio, no video is downloaded (save CPU, GPU, bandwidth and battery) It doesn't work on all videos. (Some videos doesn't provide audio only stream.) Live is not supported.

Canonical page: [https://chrome-stats.com/d/youtube-audio\_only](https://chrome-stats.com/d/youtube-audio_only)

## Overview

- **ID:** `youtube-audio_only`
- **Platform:** Firefox
- **Type:** Firefox add-on
- **Status:** Available
- **Publisher:** craftwar
- **Category:** photos-music-videos
- **Daily users:** 1,156
- **Weekly downloads:** 36
- **Rating:** 3.50 / 5 (70 ratings)
- **Version:** 24.1.29
- **Last updated:** 2024-01-28
- **First published:** 2017-11-15
- **Size:** 22 KB
- **Data as of:** 2026-09-09
- **Store listing:** [Firefox Add-ons Store](https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/youtube-audio_only/)
- **Website:** [https://github.com/craftwar/youtube-audio](https://github.com/craftwar/youtube-audio)

## Description

**Youtube Audio Only** is a lightweight Chrome extension that allows you to listen to YouTube videos as audio only. By streaming just the audio, it helps you save CPU and GPU resources, reduce bandwidth usage, and extend battery life on your device. This is especially useful when you want to listen to music, podcasts, or any audio content without the need to load video data.

Note that the extension doesn't work on all videos because some don't provide an audio-only stream, and live streams aren't supported. It requires permission to filter web requests on sites where YouTube videos can be embedded to function properly. This extension is a rewritten and improved version based on the original **Youtube Audio** by Animesh Kundu for Firefox.

## Rankings

- #3,037 — Overall
- #17 — udio
- #26 — audio
- #123 — youtube
- #161 — listen
- #199 — permission

## Permissions and access

### Permissions

- `tabs`
- `webRequest`
- `*://*/*`
- `webRequestBlocking`
- `storage`

### Content script matches

- `*.youtube.com`
- `*.youtube-nocookie.com`

## Safety

- **Risk impact:** Very high risk impact
- **Risk likelihood:** Low risk likelihood

### Analysis details

- Grants access to browser tabs, which can be used to track user browsing habits and history, presenting a privacy concern.
- This extension has low user count. Unpopular extensions may not be stable or safe.

> Some risk analysis details are omitted from this free response. [Upgrade to view the full analysis](https://chrome-stats.com/pricing).

## Review summary

User feedback is split: several reviewers confirm the add-on works well and is simple, but a larger set report it doesn’t work or becomes nonfunctional. Common complaints are intermittent reliability and device/network-specific failures (mobile vs PC, Wi‑Fi vs mobile data). Overall reliability is the main concern.

### Pros

- Works as intended for multiple users — several reviews say "it works" or "works like a charm."
- Simple and effective when functional — users report the add-on successfully provides audio-only playback.

### Cons

- Many users report it does nothing or is not working at all.
- Unreliable/intermittent behavior — it may work for a few videos or a time, then stop.
- Device/network inconsistencies — reports of working on mobile but not PC, and working on Wi‑Fi but not on mobile data.

## Similar extensions and apps

- [Tube Audio Options+](https://chrome-stats.com/d/tube-audio-options) — 135 users, 4.14 / 5
- [Audio Only for YouTube™](https://chrome-stats.com/d/audio-only-for-youtube) — 1,139 users, 3.40 / 5
- [YoutubeAUDIO](https://chrome-stats.com/d/youtubeaudio) — 40 users, 4.38 / 5
- [Stream Audio Only](https://chrome-stats.com/d/stream-audio-only) — 132 users, 3.40 / 5
- [YouTube Video and Audio Downloader (WebEx)](https://chrome-stats.com/d/youtube_downloader_webx) — 60,161 users, 3.76 / 5
- [YT\_Music](https://chrome-stats.com/d/yt_music) — 6 users, 4.43 / 5
- [Youtube Audio](https://chrome-stats.com/d/youtube-only-audio) — 68 users, 3.40 / 5
- [Audio Only on YouTube™](https://chrome-stats.com/d/audio-only-on-youtube) — 21 users, 1.57 / 5
- [YouTube: Play Only Audio](https://chrome-stats.com/d/youtube-play-only-audio) — 9 users, 3.00 / 5
- [YouTube mp3 Downloader](https://chrome-stats.com/d/mp3-downloader-youtube) — 12,843 users, 2.70 / 5
- [YouTube Audio Mode](https://chrome-stats.com/d/youtube-audio-mode) — 205 users, 4.11 / 5
- [Video/Audio Downloader](https://chrome-stats.com/d/v_a_downloader) — 196 users, 3.33 / 5

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Source: [Chrome-Stats](https://chrome-stats.com/d/youtube-audio_only)