SpeedByGenre Support
Need help with SpeedByGenre? Browse the FAQs and troubleshooting tips below, or reach out to us directly.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does it detect the video category?
It uses a multi-layer detection pipeline that reads YouTube's internal data, meta tags and structured data-all entirely on your device.
Does it work with YouTube Music?
Yes, it supports both standard YouTube and YouTube Music.
Which speed applies to which category by default?
There are no fixed defaults. You set the speed per category yourself in the extension popup. Most people set Music to 1.0x, Education to 1.25x or 1.5x and News to 1.5x but the choices are entirely yours.
Can I override the speed for a specific video?
Yes. Change the speed using YouTube's built-in controls or the extension popup and it will stay at that speed for the rest of that session. SpeedByGenre only sets the initial speed when a new video loads.
Does it remember my manual overrides between sessions?
Manual overrides apply for the current video only. When you open a new video the extension applies your category rule again. Your per-category speed settings are saved permanently in your browser.
Does it work on YouTube videos embedded on other sites?
No. SpeedByGenre only runs on youtube.com. Embedded players on third-party sites do not have the category metadata the extension needs to detect the content type.
Troubleshooting
Speed is not changing when a video loads
Make sure the extension is enabled and the YouTube page has been refreshed after installing it. During ad playback the extension intentionally holds speed at 1x — this is by design and resets when the video begins.
A YouTube category is missing from the popup
Not all categories appear on every video. The extension only sets a speed when YouTube provides a category label on the page. Open the video in question and check what category YouTube assigns it.
Settings are not syncing to my other computer
Chrome syncs settings via your Google account if Chrome Sync is enabled for extensions. The Safari version stores settings locally per device — cross-Mac sync is not yet supported.
Extension is not working on YouTube Music
SpeedByGenre runs on youtube.com only. YouTube Music (music.youtube.com) uses a different page structure and is not supported.
Still need help?
If you can't find the answer you're looking for, please email us and we'll get back to you as soon as possible.