Question 1

How do I use wildcards and pattern matching in CleanTube?

Accepted Answer

CleanTube supports wildcards (* and ?) and full regex patterns. Use * to match any characters (REACT* blocks REACTION, REACT TO), ? for single characters (VID?O blocks VIDEO, VIDIO). For advanced users, wrap regex in forward slashes: /^REACT.*/i. Common patterns include *PRANK* (blocks anything with PRANK), SHORTS* (channels starting with SHORTS), and *GAMING (channels ending with GAMING).

Question 2

What content types can CleanTube block?

Accepted Answer

CleanTube blocks 5 main content types: Videos (regular YouTube videos by channel or keywords), Comments (from blocked users), Shorts (YouTube Shorts by title keywords only - channel blocking not supported for Shorts), Live Chat (real-time chat messages in live streams by user, channel, or keywords), and Notifications (from blocked users/channels). All blocking happens instantly without page refresh and includes live statistics tracking.

Question 3

How do the block icons work?

Accepted Answer

CleanTube adds 🚫 icons in multiple locations: Video overlays (appear on hover), Comment authors (next to usernames), Channel names (on video pages), and Shorts (bottom-left corner). Icons are semi-transparent by default and become prominent on hover for minimal UI interference.

Question 4

Can I disable notifications while keeping blocking active?

Accepted Answer

Yes! In the extension popup, go to Settings and uncheck 'Show Notifications'. This disables popup notifications when blocking content but keeps all blocking functionality active. You can also disable 'Show Block Stats' to hide the floating statistics display while keeping blocking and statistics tracking running in background.

Question 5

How does the live statistics feature work?

Accepted Answer

CleanTube tracks blocking activity in real-time: Session stats (videos, comments, shorts, live chat messages, notifications blocked), Timer (browsing duration), Floating display (bottom-left with transparency), and Popup view (detailed breakdown in Settings tab). Statistics reset when restarting browser or navigating away from YouTube.

Question 6

Is CleanTube free to use?

Accepted Answer

Yes, CleanTube is completely free to use. There are no premium features, subscriptions, or hidden costs. All features are available to all users forever.

Question 7

Is my blocked content list private?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely! CleanTube uses local storage only - all data stays on your device. No tracking, no analytics, no network requests to external servers, no account required. Your blocked lists, settings, and statistics never leave your computer.

Question 8

How do I manage large block lists efficiently?

Accepted Answer

CleanTube provides several management tools: Search filters (type to search within blocked lists), Bulk patterns (use wildcards to block multiple channels), Quick unblock (click Unblock buttons in popup), and Context menu (right-click to unblock). Example: Instead of blocking 10 reaction channels individually, use *REACT* pattern.

Take Control of Your YouTube Experience

Three Simple Ways to Block Content

Users

Channels

Keywords/Phrases

Plus These Bonus Features

Five Ways to Block Content

Overlay Block Icons

Right-Click Context Menu

Manual Entry in Popup

Wildcard Pattern Matching

Advanced Regex Patterns

Install Extension

Block Content

Track Progress

Frequently Asked Questions

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