> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/yuliskov/SmartTube/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# SponsorBlock Integration

> Automatically skip sponsored segments, intros, outros, and more with community-powered SponsorBlock

SmartTube includes built-in SponsorBlock integration, allowing you to automatically skip sponsored segments and other unwanted parts of videos.

## What is SponsorBlock?

<Info>
  SponsorBlock is an open-source crowdsourced project that lets you skip sponsor segments in YouTube videos using a privacy-preserving query system.
</Info>

From the [SponsorBlock website](https://sponsor.ajay.app/):

> SponsorBlock is an open-source crowdsourced browser extension and open API for **skipping sponsor segments** in YouTube videos. The extension automatically skips sponsors **it knows about** using a privacy preserving query system. It also supports skipping **other categories**, such as intros, outros and reminders to subscribe \[and non-music parts in music videos].

### How It Works

<Steps>
  <Step title="Community Submissions">
    Users around the world watch videos and submit timestamps for different segment types (sponsors, intros, etc.) to the SponsorBlock database.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Privacy-Preserving Queries">
    When you watch a video, SmartTube queries the SponsorBlock API using only the video ID - no personal information is shared.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Automatic Skipping">
    If segments are found in the database, SmartTube automatically skips them based on your configured preferences.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Seamless Playback">
    The video continues playing smoothly, as if the unwanted segments never existed.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Segment Categories

SponsorBlock can skip multiple types of segments. You can choose which categories to skip in SmartTube's settings:

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Sponsor" icon="dollar-sign">
    **Paid promotion segments**

    When a creator promotes a product or service in exchange for payment or sponsorship. This is the most common category.

    Example: "This video is sponsored by NordVPN..."
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Unpaid/Self Promotion" icon="bullhorn">
    **Unpaid promotions**

    When a creator promotes their own products, services, or other channels without direct payment from a third party.

    Example: "Check out my merch store..."
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Interaction Reminder" icon="bell">
    **Reminders to like, subscribe, or follow**

    Segments where creators ask viewers to like, subscribe, follow on social media, or engage with the video.

    Example: "Don't forget to hit that like button and subscribe!"
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Intermission/Intro Animation" icon="film">
    **Intro sequences**

    Intro animations, channel branding, or segments that occur at the start of videos before the main content.

    Example: Animated logo sequences or standard intro clips
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Endcards/Credits" icon="credit-card">
    **Outro sequences**

    Credits, end cards, or outros at the end of videos after the main content has finished.

    Example: "Thanks for watching" segments with suggested videos
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Preview/Recap" icon="rotate-left">
    **Previews and recaps**

    Quick previews of what's coming in the video, or recaps of previous episodes/videos.

    Example: "In today's video we'll be..." or "Last time on..."
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Music: Non-Music Section" icon="music">
    **Non-music sections in music videos**

    Parts of music videos that don't contain music, such as talking segments or skits.

    Example: Dialogue or story segments in music videos
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Filler Tangent" icon="comment-dots">
    **Tangential content**

    Tangential scenes or jokes that aren't required to understand the main content.

    Example: Long unrelated stories or extended jokes
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## How to Configure SponsorBlock

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open SmartTube Settings">
    Launch SmartTube and navigate to the Settings menu (gear icon).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Find SponsorBlock Settings">
    Look for the SponsorBlock section in the settings menu.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select Categories">
    Choose which segment categories you want to skip automatically. You can enable or disable each category individually.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Configure Skip Behavior">
    Choose whether segments should be:

    * **Auto-skip**: Automatically skipped without notification
    * **Show in seek bar**: Highlighted but not skipped
    * **Manual skip**: Show a skip button you can choose to press
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save and Enjoy">
    Your preferences are saved automatically. Start watching videos and SponsorBlock will work in the background!
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  Start by enabling just the "Sponsor" category to see how it works, then add other categories based on your preferences.
</Tip>

## Limitations

<Warning>
  SmartTube's SponsorBlock integration has some limitations compared to the browser extension.
</Warning>

### Cannot Submit Segments

**You cannot submit new segments** from SmartTube. TVs and TV remotes aren't great devices for precise timestamp operations required for segment submission.

**Why?**

* Requires precise timestamp marking
* Needs detailed category selection
* TV interfaces aren't optimized for this workflow
* Remote controls lack precision for frame-accurate editing

**Alternative**: If you want to contribute segments, use:

* The SponsorBlock browser extension on desktop
* The YouTube ReVanced app on mobile

### Depends on Community

SponsorBlock is a **free and voluntary project** based on user submissions.

<Note>
  Don't expect SponsorBlock to work 100% of the time. The effectiveness depends on:

  * Whether someone has watched and submitted segments for that video
  * How recently the video was uploaded
  * The video's popularity and view count
</Note>

**Common scenarios:**

* **New videos**: May not have segments yet (usually added within hours/days for popular channels)
* **Unpopular videos**: May never receive segment submissions
* **Server issues**: SponsorBlock servers can occasionally be offline or overloaded
* **Inaccurate segments**: Sometimes timestamps may be slightly off (community voting helps improve accuracy)

## How SponsorBlock Protects Privacy

SponsorBlock is designed with privacy in mind:

1. **No account required** - works anonymously
2. **Only video IDs are sent** - no personal information
3. **No tracking** - doesn't monitor your viewing habits
4. **Open source** - code is publicly auditable
5. **Minimal data** - only queries what's necessary

## Coverage Statistics

SponsorBlock has impressive coverage:

* **Millions of segments** submitted across YouTube
* **Popular channels**: Nearly 100% coverage within hours of upload
* **Active community**: Thousands of daily contributors
* **Multiple languages**: Works on content in any language

## Frequently Asked Questions

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Why didn't SponsorBlock skip a sponsor?">
    Possible reasons:

    * The segment hasn't been submitted yet (especially for new videos)
    * SponsorBlock servers are temporarily unavailable
    * The category is disabled in your settings
    * The video is too new or unpopular for submissions

    Check your internet connection and settings. For new videos, try again later.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I see what was skipped?">
    Yes! Look at the video seek bar - skipped segments are typically highlighted in different colors based on their category. You can also manually seek to those segments if you want to watch them.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Will this work on live streams?">
    SponsorBlock works best on VODs (video on demand). For live streams:

    * **During live**: No segments available yet
    * **After stream ends**: Segments may be added by the community
    * **Stream archives**: Full SponsorBlock support
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I report incorrect segments?">
    Not directly from SmartTube due to TV interface limitations. However:

    * Incorrect segments are often downvoted by the community
    * Community moderation helps maintain quality
    * Most segments are accurate due to voting systems
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Does this violate creator rights?">
    SponsorBlock is legal and doesn't violate copyright:

    * You still watch the full video file
    * Creators retain all their content
    * It's similar to manually skipping forward
    * Many creators support viewer choice

    However, sponsorships help creators financially, so consider supporting them through other means.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How accurate are the segments?">
    Generally very accurate! The community voting system ensures:

    * Bad submissions get downvoted
    * Good submissions get upvoted
    * Multiple submissions are averaged
    * Trusted users' submissions are weighted higher

    Occasionally you may encounter slightly off timestamps, but these are rare.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Best Practices

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Start Conservative" icon="user-shield">
    Begin by enabling only the "Sponsor" category, then add more categories as you get comfortable with the feature.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Check Seek Bar" icon="chart-bar">
    Glance at the seek bar to see what segments are available before they're skipped - you might want to watch some of them.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Support Creators" icon="heart">
    Remember that sponsors help creators earn a living. Consider supporting your favorites through Patreon or memberships.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Be Patient" icon="clock">
    For very new videos, segments may not be available yet. Check back in a few hours for popular channels.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Combining with Ad Blocking

<Tip>
  SmartTube's [ad blocking](/features/ad-blocking) removes YouTube's ads, while SponsorBlock removes in-video sponsors. Together, they provide a completely uninterrupted viewing experience!
</Tip>

* **YouTube ads**: Blocked by SmartTube's architecture
* **Sponsored segments**: Skipped by SponsorBlock
* **Result**: Pure content, zero interruptions