Release v0.23.0 Beta

[PrestonN]

Summary

This release comes with dozens of bug fixes, new player enhancements, user experience improvements, performance improvements, and features that we were able to implement thanks to the help of our users and new contributors. We hope that the scale of this update and its changes properly reflects our dedication to making FreeTube the best free and open source app it can be.

We would also like to thank all the translators that make FreeTube more accessible to all of our users!

Note

The setting Export Playlists For Older FreeTube Versions will be deprecated in v0.24.0. This setting was introduced in v0.20.0 when we launched our full-fledged User Playlists. This allowed users to export their playlists into one big playlist and import the file into FreeTube versions older than v0.20.0. This setting is being deprecated because we don't recommend sticking with older versions of FreeTube. It is highly recommended that you upgrade to the latest version of FreeTube if you are still using an outdated version of FreeTube.

Note

MacOS 10.15 is no longer supported, as Electron v33.0.0 does not support this OS version. MacOS 11 (Big Sur) or later is required to run FreeTube going forward.

Features

• Add autoplay toggle to the video player by @kommunarr in Add autoplay toggle to the video player #5866
• Add Shift+? shortcut to view all keyboard shortcuts in-app by @kommunarr in Keyboard shortcut modal #6306
• Right-click or hold-click on page ←/→ arrows to access navigation history by @kommunarr in Navigation history dropdowns #5227
• [MacOS] Make ⌘←/⌘→ go back/forward by @PikachuEXE in Make Cmd left/right go back/forward #6466
• Sort user playlist videos by published date by @GLEBR1K in [Feature] Playlist: Sort videos by published date #6280
• Add volume and playback rate change notifications to videos by @ikizey in feat: add volume and playback rate change notification feature to vid… #6473
• Added Button to Show Original Title and Thumbnail for DeArrow by @JL0000 in Added Button to Show Original Title and Thumbnail for DeArrow #6164
• Add setting for opening URLs passed to FreeTube in a new window by @OothecaPickle in Add setting for opening URLs passed to FreeTube in a new window #6242
• Update 'Only Show Latest Video for Each Channel' setting to handle a custom number of videos per channel by @c-ciobanu in Update 'Only Show Latest Video for Each Channel' setting to handle a custom number of videos per channel #5901
• Add setting blocking autoplay after long periods of inactivity by @kommunarr in Autoplay time limit #5871
• Add Gruvbox color schemes & accent colors by @DontBlameMe99 in Add: Gruvbox color schemes & accent colors #5887
• Add Catppuccin Frappe color theme by @DontBlameMe99 in Add Catppuccin Frappe color theme #6445
• Add Unlisted badge on watch page for unlisted videos by @OothecaPickle in Add Unlisted badge on watch page for unlisted videos #5856
• Add --help and --new-window flags and fix --version flag by @Zander671 in Add --help and --new-window flag and fix --version flag #6455
• Added buttons to hide hidden channels/text by @JL0000 in Added buttons to hide hidden channels/text #6156
• Undo feature for Remove From Playlist by @Soham456 in Undo Feature For Remove From Playlist. #5885
• Add support for hms timestamp in query string by @ChunkyProgrammer in Add support for hms timestamp in query string #6012
• Show corresponding keyboard shortcuts in button labels by @kommunarr in Add keyboard shortcuts to titles #5857
• Local API: Display more video tags in search results by @absidue in Local API: Display more video tags in search results #5926
• Invidious API: Add support for auto-dubbed audio tracks by @absidue in Invidious API: Add support for auto-dubbed audio tracks #5943
• Invidious API: Extract streaming data expiry date from URL by @absidue in Invidious API: Extract streaming data expiry date from URL #5997
• Show previous search queries as search suggestions by @kommunarr in Keyword search history #6414
• Only refresh current trending tab by @ChunkyProgrammer in Only refresh current trending tab #6667

Fixes

• Fix video player turning into a white screen by @absidue in Remove buggy VA-API on Linux flag #6489 and Only create the VR canvas when it is required #6534
• Fix Freetube from crashing for non-English captions in certain cases by @angus6b23 in Fix Freetube from crashing if caption attempting fallbacks to the FreeTube display language #5970
• Fix app crashing from search bar use on certain devices by @absidue in Fix search box crash #6085
• Fix: Video description collapsible and no longer hijacks page scroll by @sabs21 in Fix: Video description collapsible and no longer hijacks page scroll #5665
• Fix live streams buffering endlessly by @absidue in Fix live streams buffering endlessly #6019
• Fix full window for videos with a 4:3 aspect ratio by @absidue in Fix full window for videos with a 4:3 aspect ratio #5976
• Fix settings password handling by @absidue in Fix settings password handling #5988
• Fix some undesired attributes being saved to playlists.db by @TheodorSmall in Fix some undesired attributes being saved to playlists.db #5900
• Fix shortcut for macOS setting shortcut in video page by @PikachuEXE in Fix shortcut for macOS setting shortcut in video page #6054
• Fix use of deprecated Invidious route on the videos subscription tab by @absidue in Fix use of deprecated Invidious route on the videos subscription tab #6057
• Fix context menu adding video scroll bar by @a0kami in Fix context menu adding video scroll bar #6075
• Fix nightly builds by updating package list before installing build dependencies by @absidue in Fix nightly builds by updating package list before installing build dependencies #6084
• Fix error reading storyboards.board by @PikachuEXE in Fix error reading storyboards.board #6097
• Fix 'shaka-video-container' class being removed from video container by @OothecaPickle in Fix 'shaka-video-container' class being removed from video container #6090
• Fix cursor hiding when first opening video by @OothecaPickle in Fix cursor hiding when first opening video #6135
• local API: Fix playlists and podcasts not appearing in search results by @absidue in local API: Fix playlists and podcasts not appearing in search results #6196
• Fix export playlist button visible in edit mode by @PikachuEXE in Fix export playlist button visible in edit mode #6273
• Fix tap to seek not using skip interval setting by @absidue in Fix tap to seek not using skip interval setting #6288
• Fix stats button text color on some themes by @OothecaPickle in Fix stats button text color on some themes #6406
• Fix bug when parsing home page by @ChunkyProgrammer in Fix bug when parsing home page #6403
• Fix channel home page list view by @ChunkyProgrammer in Fix channel home page list view #6316
• Fix auto-generated RTL captions position by @absidue in Fix auto-generated RTL captions position #6314
• Fix 'Object has been destroyed' when FreeTube is passed a URL with no windows open on macOS by @OothecaPickle in Fix 'Object has been destroyed' when FreeTube is passed a URL with no windows open on macOS #6278
• Detect and properly error on DRM protected videos by @absidue in Detect and properly error on DRM protected videos #6479
• Fix live chat error message overflowing by @ChunkyProgrammer in Use word-break on live chat error message #6327
• Fix Share button not working when the window width is below 900 pixels by @MarmadileManteater in Fix ft-share-button when the window width is below 900 #6492
• Fix second to last tooltip overflowing due to our wide player controls by @absidue in Fix second to last tooltip overflowing due to our wide player controls #6528
• Fix Hide Unsubscribe Button not hiding the button in search results by @absidue in Fix Hide Unsubscribe Button not hiding the button in search results #6298
• Fix tooltips overlapping with top/bottom bar by @sullivanlng in Fixes #5476: Adjusted z-index for tooltips to avoid overlapping with top/bottom bar #6656
• Handle unplayable content better with the local API by @absidue in Handle unplayable content better with the local API #5922
• Avoid logging an error when a player cache entry does not exist by @absidue in Avoid logging an error when a player cache entry does not exist #6640
• Show precise view counts for videos on search results page (Local API) by @OothecaPickle in Show precise view counts for videos on search results page (Local API) #6284

Changes

• Bump electron from 33.2.1 to 34.0.1
• Make Big Play Button smaller by @ChunkyProgrammer in Make Big Play Button smaller #6002
• Change default value of display big video play button to false by @ChunkyProgrammer in Change default value of display big video play button to false #6005
• Make seekbar and player controls appear at bottom of video and take full width by @ChunkyProgrammer in Make seekbar and player controls appear at bottom of video and take full width #6007
• Stay in fullscreen/fullwindow/PiP + default viewing mode setting by @kommunarr in Stay in fullscreen/fullwindow/PiP + default viewing mode setting #5903
• Update autoplay next recommended/playlist video setting to be "by default" by @PikachuEXE in Update autoplay next recommended/playlist video setting to be "by default" #6400
• Remember playback rate in watch session by @ikizey in Feature: remember playback rate in watch session #6449
• Change default locale to system by @ChunkyProgrammer in Change default locale to system #6031
• Apply active FreeTube theme to shaka-player menus by @absidue in Apply active FreeTube theme to shaka-player menus #5986
• Added functionality to export a single playlist by @Zeabyte in Added functionality to export a single playlist #5779
• Make playlist import match existing playlist by ID first by @PikachuEXE in Make playlist import match existing playlist by ID first #6094
• Add support for Key Moments with the local API by @absidue in Add support for Key Moments with the local API #6171
• Better player error handling by @absidue in Better player error handling #6180
• Add warning message to proxy settings by @ChunkyProgrammer in Add warning message to proxy settings #6099
• Add icons to trending tab by @ChunkyProgrammer in Add icons to trending tab #6239
• Local API: Add support for home tab on channels by @ChunkyProgrammer in Local API: Add support for home tab on channels #6033
• Use ft-input-tags for external player custom args by @absidue in Use ft-input-tags for external player custom args #6221
• Make history page remember last query string & search limit by @PikachuEXE in Make history page remember last query string & search limit #5192
• Update build workflow to add back osx-arm64 by @PikachuEXE in Update build workflow to add back osx-arm64 #6157
• Filter out unsupported watch page only mixes from search results by @absidue in Filter out unsupported watch page only mixes from search results #6244
• Support saving screenshots as WebP files by @absidue in Support saving screenshots as WebP files #6263
• Add live chat support for upcoming videos by @ChunkyProgrammer in Add live chat support for upcoming videos #6376
• Add a new extension to the extensions list by @MStankiewiczOfficial in Add a new extension to the extensions list and small fixes #6396
• Add missing release builds by @efb4f5ff-1298-471a-8973-3d47447115dc in Add missing release builds #6415
• Filter out members-only section on channel home pages by @absidue in Filter our members-only section on channel home pages #6437
• Switch back to the WEB client for the local API with potokens by @absidue in Switch back to the WEB client for the local API with potokens #6436
• Add Welsh and Tamil to the active locales list by @absidue in Add Welsh (cy) and Tamil (ta) to the active locales list #6552
• Disable spell checker on the ft-input Component by @SudharakaP in Disable spell checker on the ft-input Component #6599
• Dozens of PRs with assorted performance improvements by @absidue

New Contributors

• @OothecaPickle made their first contribution in Add Unlisted badge on watch page for unlisted videos #5856
• @angus6b23 made their first contribution in Fix Freetube from crashing if caption attempting fallbacks to the FreeTube display language #5970
• @TheodorSmall made their first contribution in Fix some undesired attributes being saved to playlists.db #5900
• @a0kami made their first contribution in Fix context menu adding video scroll bar #6075
• @Zeabyte made their first contribution in Added functionality to export a single playlist #5779
• @JL0000 made their first contribution in Added Button to Show Original Title and Thumbnail for DeArrow #6164
• @Samueru-sama made their first contribution in Convert X64 AppImage to static runtime #5747
• @c-ciobanu made their first contribution in Update 'Only Show Latest Video for Each Channel' setting to handle a custom number of videos per channel #5901
• @sabs21 made their first contribution in Fix: Video description collapsible and no longer hijacks page scroll #5665
• @MStankiewiczOfficial made their first contribution in Add a new extension to the extensions list and small fixes #6396
• @ikizey made their first contribution in Feature: remember playback rate in watch session #6449
• @GLEBR1K made their first contribution in [Feature] Playlist: Sort videos by published date #6280
• @Zander671 made their first contribution in Add --help and --new-window flag and fix --version flag #6455
• @SudharakaP made their first contribution in Disable spell checker on the ft-input Component #6599
• @Soham456 made their first contribution in Undo Feature For Remove From Playlist. #5885
• @sullivanlng made their first contribution in Fixes #5476: Adjusted z-index for tooltips to avoid overlapping with top/bottom bar #6656

Full Changelog: v0.22.1-beta...v0.23.0-beta

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This discussion was created from the release Release v0.23.0 Beta.

[basedBSD]

Once again hats off to the amazing devs keeping this project going!

[UnifeGi]

just overly impressd by the amount of people contributed to the project, and that's honestly really amazing. ♥
and, just thank you people and the devs who contribute, so much!

hope those kind words help! :3

[basedBSD]

just overly impressd by the amount of people contributed to the project

I often dream of having free time so I can re-learn coding again and have fun with it as well :D

Also shout-out to Romania, you are VERY close by haha

[chasewalsh]

Thanks so much. I needed to update because I was starting to get 403 errors with the old version and now I'm back up and running again.