# YT Siphon

> Redirect YouTube URLs to alternative frontends

Canonical page: [https://chrome-stats.com/d/yt-siphon](https://chrome-stats.com/d/yt-siphon)

## Overview

- **ID:** `yt-siphon`
- **Platform:** Firefox
- **Type:** Firefox add-on
- **Status:** Available
- **Publisher:** f3.al
- **Category:** privacy-security,photos-music-videos
- **Daily users:** 1,583
- **Weekly downloads:** 6
- **Rating:** 4.44 / 5 (18 ratings)
- **Version:** 1.0.6
- **Last updated:** 2023-10-15
- **First published:** 2023-10-14
- **Size:** 169 KB
- **Data as of:** 2026-09-09
- **Store listing:** [Firefox Add-ons Store](https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/yt-siphon/)
- **Website:** [https://github.com/d3vr/yt-siphon/issues](https://github.com/d3vr/yt-siphon/issues)

## Description

**YT Siphon** is a handy browser extension designed to redirect YouTube URLs to alternative frontends, improving user privacy and avoiding ads. With this extension, users can press <code>Alt+J</code> on a YouTube video page to open the same video in a configured alternative frontend or <code>Shift+Click</code> on any video link to open it in a new tab using the alternative frontend. This helps bypass YouTube's ad enforcement and enhances browsing flexibility. Easily customizable shortcut keys add to the user experience, making video watching more convenient and privacy-focused.

## Rankings

- #2,514 — Overall
- #20 — phone
- #154 — configure

## Permissions and access

### Permissions

- `tabs`
- `scripting`
- `activeTab`
- `storage`

### Host permissions

- `*://*.youtube.com/*`

### Content script matches

- `www.youtube.com`

## Safety

- **Risk impact:** High risk impact
- **Risk likelihood:** Moderate 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

YT Siphon is praised for significantly improving the YouTube experience by blocking ads and improving usability, helping users who find YouTube frustrating. However, multiple users report technical problems such as slow performance or infinite loading on alternative sites, as well as difficulty with customization like changing shortcuts. Installation issues were also noted by a user. Overall, while the add-on is highly valued for enhancing YouTube viewing, it may face technical challenges on certain setups.

### Pros

- Effectively improves YouTube viewing experience by bypassing ads and annoying features.
- User-friendly and solves usability issues causing frustration with YouTube.
- Gratefully received by users who find YouTube almost unusable without it.
- Helps protect users from YouTube's excessive advertisements, enhancing user control.

### Cons

- Some users experience technical issues such as infinite loading or slow video performance on alternative platforms like Piped.
- Difficulty in changing keyboard shortcuts or unclear instructions for customization.
- At least one user reported inability to install due to corrupted extension file.

## Similar extensions and apps

- [YouTube Alternative Switch](https://chrome-stats.com/d/youtube-alternative-switch) — 16 users, 4.00 / 5
- [YT Redirect](https://chrome-stats.com/d/yt-redirect-tab) — 1 users
- [YoutubeVid2Invidious](https://chrome-stats.com/d/youtubevid2invidious)
- [Deviation](https://chrome-stats.com/d/deviation) — 1 users
- [YouTube Adblock Bypass](https://chrome-stats.com/d/youtube-adblock-bypass) — 2,669 users, 4.69 / 5
- [YT2Invidious](https://chrome-stats.com/d/yt2invidious) — 1 users
- [YouTube Anti Adblock Definitive Fix](https://chrome-stats.com/d/youtubeantiadblock) — 86 users, 5.00 / 5
- [Piped Watch](https://chrome-stats.com/d/piped-watch) — 1 users
- [Yewtu.be](https://chrome-stats.com/d/yewtu-be) — 3 users, 2.00 / 5
- [Youtube Piped redirect](https://chrome-stats.com/d/youtube-redirect) — 40 users, 5.00 / 5
- [Invidious Redirect](https://chrome-stats.com/d/invidious-redirect-2) — 78 users, 4.80 / 5

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