> ## 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.

# Quick Start

> Get up and running with SmartTube in minutes

# Quick Start Guide

Welcome to SmartTube! This guide will help you get started with your new ad-free viewing experience.

<Info>
  Make sure you've already [installed SmartTube](/installation) before following this guide.
</Info>

## First Launch

When you first launch SmartTube, you'll see the home screen with recommended videos based on your region.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Launch SmartTube">
    Find and open the SmartTube app from your Android TV launcher.

    The app icon should be visible in your list of installed apps.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Wait for update check">
    SmartTube will automatically check for updates a few seconds after launch.

    If an update is available, you'll see a notification with the changelog. You can update now or skip and update later.

    <Tip>
      It's recommended to update to the latest version to get the newest features and bug fixes.
    </Tip>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Explore the home screen">
    You'll see recommended videos, trending content, and various content categories.

    Use your remote's directional pad to navigate through the interface.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Signing In (Optional)

<Note>
  **Signing in is completely optional.** SmartTube works perfectly without a Google account, but signing in allows you to:

  * Access your subscriptions
  * View your watch history
  * Get personalized recommendations
  * Sync your watch progress across devices
</Note>

### How to Sign In

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Settings">
    Navigate to the **Settings** option in the left sidebar (usually at the bottom).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select Accounts">
    Choose **Accounts** from the settings menu.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add account">
    Select **Add account** and follow the on-screen instructions.

    You'll receive a code to enter at a specific URL on your phone or computer.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Complete sign-in on another device">
    1. On your phone or computer, go to the URL shown on your TV
    2. Enter the code displayed on your TV
    3. Sign in with your Google account
    4. Approve the connection

    <Info>
      SmartTube uses **one-time connection codes** with limited permissions. These codes cannot change your password or access sensitive account information.
    </Info>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Wait for confirmation">
    Your TV will automatically detect when you've signed in successfully.

    Your subscriptions and personalized content will now appear.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  You can add multiple accounts and switch between them in the accounts settings.
</Tip>

## Basic Navigation

Get familiar with the SmartTube interface:

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Remote Controls">
    ### Navigation Basics

    * **D-pad (arrows)** - Navigate through menus and content
    * **OK/Select** - Select items and play videos
    * **Back** - Go back to previous screen
    * **Home** - Return to Android TV home (video continues in PiP if enabled)
    * **Play/Pause** - Control video playback

    ### During Video Playback

    * **OK/Select** - Show/hide player controls
    * **Up arrow** - Access video quality and settings
    * **Down arrow** - Access video description and comments
    * **Left/Right arrows** - Skip backward/forward
    * **Play/Pause** - Pause or resume video
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Main Menu">
    ### Left Sidebar Sections

    The left sidebar contains all main navigation options:

    * **Home** - Main feed with recommendations
    * **Subscriptions** - Your subscribed channels (requires sign-in)
    * **History** - Videos you've watched (requires sign-in)
    * **Playlists** - Your saved playlists (requires sign-in)
    * **Trending** - Popular videos
    * **Music** - Music videos and content
    * **Gaming** - Gaming-related content
    * **News** - News content
    * **Settings** - App settings and preferences

    <Tip>
      Press the **left arrow** from anywhere to quickly access the sidebar menu.
    </Tip>
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Video Player">
    ### Player Controls

    When playing a video, press **OK/Select** to show the player controls:

    **Top Row:**

    * **Quality indicator (HQ)** - Change video quality and codec
    * **Speed indicator** - Adjust playback speed
    * **Chat icon** - View live chat (for live streams)
    * **More options** - Additional video options

    **Bottom Row:**

    * **Play/Pause** - Control playback
    * **Previous/Next** - Navigate playlist
    * **Timeline** - Seek through video
    * **Time remaining** - Shows current position and duration

    **Progress Bar Colors:**

    * **Red segments** - Ads or promotional content (will be skipped with SponsorBlock)
    * **Yellow segments** - Sponsored segments
    * **Green segments** - Intro/outro segments
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Search">
    ### How to Search

    <Steps>
      <Step title="Open search">
        Navigate to the **Search** option at the top of the home screen.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Enter search query">
        Use the on-screen keyboard to type your search.

        <Info>
          SmartTube uses Android TV's built-in keyboard, which follows Google's official design.
        </Info>
      </Step>

      <Step title="View results">
        Search results will appear as you type. Select any result to view it.
      </Step>
    </Steps>

    ### Voice Search

    Voice search requires additional setup. See the [Voice Search guide](/features/voice-search) for detailed instructions.
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

## Setting Up Video Quality

Choose the right video quality settings for your device and internet connection:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Go to Settings">
    Navigate to **Settings** in the left sidebar.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Open Video Player settings">
    Select **Video Player** from the settings menu.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Configure Video Presets">
    Select **Video Presets** to choose your default quality:

    <Tabs>
      <Tab title="Recommended Settings">
        **For most users:**

        * Select "**VP9 1080p 60fps**" or "**VP9 4K 60fps**" if you have 4K TV
        * VP9 offers the best balance of quality and performance on most devices

        **For older devices (pre-2015):**

        * Select "**AVC 1080p**" or "**AVC 720p**"
        * AVC works best on older hardware

        **For newest devices (2020+):**

        * Select "**AV1 1080p 60fps**" or "**AV1 4K 60fps**"
        * AV1 offers best compression but requires hardware support
      </Tab>

      <Tab title="Understanding Presets">
        Video presets set the **initial quality** for each video:

        * **None** - Remembers your last manual selection
        * **Preset options** - Automatically selects that quality when available
        * You can still change quality manually during playback
        * If your preset isn't available, the next best option is used

        <Note>
          Currently, there is no automatic quality switching based on bandwidth. Set a maximum resolution that works for your internet speed.
        </Note>
      </Tab>

      <Tab title="Codec Selection">
        **Which codec to choose:**

        | Codec | Best For | Hardware Support |
        | - | - | - |
        | **AV1** | Newest devices (2020+) | Limited, but best compression |
        | **VP9** | Most devices (2015+) | Widely supported, great compression |
        | **AVC** | Older devices (pre-2015) | Universal support |

        <Tip>
          Use the newest codec your device supports. Lower bitrate = better compression = same quality with less bandwidth.
        </Tip>

        See the [Video Quality guide](/features/video-quality) for detailed codec information.
      </Tab>
    </Tabs>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Adjust buffer settings (optional)">
    In **Video Player** settings, you can also adjust:

    * **Buffer size** - Set to "High" for smoother playback (recommended)
    * **Hardware acceleration** - Keep enabled for best performance
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Changing Quality During Playback

You can change video quality anytime while watching:

1. Press **OK/Select** to show player controls
2. Press **Up arrow** to access video settings
3. Select **HQ** button (quality indicator)
4. Choose your desired quality and codec

## Remote Control Pairing (Casting)

<Note>
  To cast videos from your phone, you need to link your device to SmartTube. Unlike the official YouTube app, SmartTube doesn't automatically appear on your network.
</Note>

### Link Your Phone to SmartTube

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open SmartTube Settings on TV">
    Navigate to **Settings** in SmartTube.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Go to Remote Control">
    Select **Remote control** (second option in settings).

    You'll see a TV code displayed on screen.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Open YouTube app on phone">
    On your smartphone, open the official YouTube app.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Link devices">
    In the YouTube app:

    1. Go to **Settings** > **General** > **Watch on TV**
    2. Tap **Connect using TV code**
    3. Enter the code shown on your TV
    4. Confirm the connection

    ![Screenshot guide](https://t.me/SmartTubeEN/8514)
  </Step>

  <Step title="Start casting">
    Now when you play videos in the YouTube app on your phone, you'll see the cast icon. Tap it to cast to SmartTube.

    <Info>
      You need to have SmartTube open on your TV before casting. SmartTube cannot automatically wake up your TV.
    </Info>
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Essential Settings to Configure

Customize SmartTube to your preferences:

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="SponsorBlock Settings">
    SmartTube includes SponsorBlock to automatically skip sponsored segments:

    1. Go to **Settings** > **SponsorBlock**
    2. Enable/disable categories:
       * **Sponsor** - Paid promotions
       * **Intro** - Intro sequences
       * **Outro** - Outro sequences and credits
       * **Interaction** - Subscribe reminders
       * **Self Promotion** - Unpaid self-promotion
       * **Music: Non-Music Section** - Non-music parts in music videos
    3. Choose skip behavior:
       * **Auto-skip** - Skips automatically
       * **Show skip button** - Shows button to skip manually
       * **Don't skip** - Just highlights on timeline

    <Tip>
      SponsorBlock is crowdsourced. New videos may not have segments yet, and sometimes the SponsorBlock servers may be offline.
    </Tip>
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Autoplay Settings">
    Control how videos play in sequence:

    1. Look for the **loop button 🔁** in the video player (top row)
    2. Click it to cycle through modes:
       * **Autoplay** - Plays next recommended video
       * **Loop playlist** - Repeats current playlist
       * **Loop one** - Repeats current video
       * **Stop after video** - Stops playback after each video

    Or configure default in **Settings** > **Video Player** > **Autoplay**
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Background Playback & PiP">
    Enable Picture-in-Picture mode:

    1. Go to **Settings** > **General** > **Background playback**
    2. Select **Picture in picture**
    3. Configure activation:
       * **Home button** - PiP when pressing home
       * **Back button** - PiP when pressing back

    Now videos will continue playing in a small window when you exit SmartTube.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Interface Customization">
    Customize the app appearance:

    **Settings** > **General**:

    * **Language** - Change app language
    * **Country** - Affects recommendations and trending
    * **Theme** - Choose light or dark theme
    * **Scale UI** - Adjust interface size

    **Settings** > **Player buttons**:

    * Customize which buttons appear in the video player
    * Rearrange button order
    * Show/hide specific controls
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Subtitle Settings">
    Configure subtitle appearance:

    1. While playing a video, press **OK** to show controls
    2. Press **Up arrow** and select **CC** (closed captions)
    3. Choose subtitle language and style

    Or set defaults in **Settings** > **Video Player** > **Subtitles**
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Tips for First-Time Users

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="No Ads by Design" icon="ban">
    SmartTube is programmed to be **unable** to display ads. You won't see any video ads, banners, or intermissions - ever.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Updates Are Built-In" icon="arrows-rotate">
    SmartTube checks for updates automatically. You'll get a notification when updates are available. No need to reinstall manually.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Signing In Is Optional" icon="user">
    You don't need a Google account to use SmartTube. Sign in only if you want subscriptions and personalized recommendations.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Use the Highest Codec Your Device Supports" icon="gauge-high">
    Newer codecs (VP9, AV1) offer better quality at lower bandwidth. Don't worry about lower bitrates - that's a feature, not a bug!
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

### Common Misconceptions

<Warning>
  **Lower bitrate ≠ worse quality**

  At the same resolution, modern codecs (AV1, VP9) have lower bitrates than AVC because they're more efficient. YouTube targets the **same quality** regardless of codec. Using AV1 or VP9 gives you the same quality with less bandwidth usage!
</Warning>

<Info>
  **Recommendations are based on your country and watch history**

  If you see unrelated recommendations, you can:

  * Change your country in settings
  * Sign in to get personalized recommendations based on your watch history
  * Clear your watch history to start fresh
</Info>

## Troubleshooting Common First-Launch Issues

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Video shows unknown codec or won't play">
    **Solution:**

    1. Wait 5 seconds for the video to buffer
    2. If still not working, press the **HQ** button
    3. Select **Video formats**
    4. Choose **VP9** instead of AV01

    Most devices don't support AV01. VP9 works on almost all devices from 2015+.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Video buffers constantly">
    **Possible solutions:**

    1. Lower the video quality
    2. Change codec to AVC (more compatible)
    3. Increase buffer size in settings
    4. Check your internet connection speed
    5. Try a different DNS (like NextDNS)

    See the [troubleshooting guide](/troubleshooting/playback-issues) for detailed solutions.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="App crashes on launch">
    **Possible causes:**

    * App installed to SD card/external storage
    * Corrupted installation
    * Insufficient storage space

    **Solution:** Uninstall and reinstall SmartTube to **internal storage**.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can't find subscriptions or watch history">
    **Solution:** You need to sign in with your Google account to access subscriptions and watch history.

    See [Signing In](#signing-in-optional) above for instructions.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Next Steps

Now that you're set up, explore more features:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Features Overview" icon="star" href="/features/overview">
    Discover all the features SmartTube offers
  </Card>

  <Card title="Video Quality Guide" icon="gauge-high" href="/configuration/video-quality">
    Deep dive into codecs, resolution, and optimization
  </Card>

  <Card title="SponsorBlock" icon="forward" href="/features/sponsorblock">
    Learn how to skip sponsored segments automatically
  </Card>

  <Card title="Settings" icon="sliders" href="/configuration/settings">
    Customize SmartTube to match your preferences
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Need Help?

<Info>
  Before asking for help, check the [FAQ](/faq) - most common questions are answered there!
</Info>

Join the friendly international community:

* **Telegram**: [@SmartTubeEN](https://t.me/SmartTubeEN) (English only)
* **Discord**: [SmartTube Official](https://discord.gg/Wt8HDDej5z)
* **GitHub Issues**: [Report bugs](https://github.com/yuliskov/SmartTube/issues)

Enjoy your ad-free viewing experience! 🎉