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

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What is SponsorBlock?

SponsorBlock is an open-source crowdsourced project that lets you skip sponsor segments in YouTube videos using a privacy-preserving query system.
From the SponsorBlock website:
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].

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How It Works

1

Community Submissions

Users around the world watch videos and submit timestamps for different segment types (sponsors, intros, etc.) to the SponsorBlock database.
2

Privacy-Preserving Queries

When you watch a video, SmartTube queries the SponsorBlock API using only the video ID - no personal information is shared.
3

Automatic Skipping

If segments are found in the database, SmartTube automatically skips them based on your configured preferences.
4

Seamless Playback

The video continues playing smoothly, as if the unwanted segments never existed.

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Segment Categories

SponsorBlock can skip multiple types of segments. You can choose which categories to skip in SmartTube’s settings:
Unpaid promotionsWhen a creator promotes their own products, services, or other channels without direct payment from a third party.Example: “Check out my merch store…”
Reminders to like, subscribe, or followSegments 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!”
Intro sequencesIntro animations, channel branding, or segments that occur at the start of videos before the main content.Example: Animated logo sequences or standard intro clips
Outro sequencesCredits, end cards, or outros at the end of videos after the main content has finished.Example: “Thanks for watching” segments with suggested videos
Previews and recapsQuick 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…”
Non-music sections in music videosParts of music videos that don’t contain music, such as talking segments or skits.Example: Dialogue or story segments in music videos
Tangential contentTangential scenes or jokes that aren’t required to understand the main content.Example: Long unrelated stories or extended jokes

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How to Configure SponsorBlock

1

Open SmartTube Settings

Launch SmartTube and navigate to the Settings menu (gear icon).
2

Find SponsorBlock Settings

Look for the SponsorBlock section in the settings menu.
3

Select Categories

Choose which segment categories you want to skip automatically. You can enable or disable each category individually.
4

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
5

Save and Enjoy

Your preferences are saved automatically. Start watching videos and SponsorBlock will work in the background!
Start by enabling just the “Sponsor” category to see how it works, then add other categories based on your preferences.

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Limitations

SmartTube’s SponsorBlock integration has some limitations compared to the browser extension.

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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

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Depends on Community

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

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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

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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

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Frequently Asked Questions

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.
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.
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
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
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.
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.

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Best Practices

Start Conservative

Begin by enabling only the “Sponsor” category, then add more categories as you get comfortable with the feature.

Check Seek Bar

Glance at the seek bar to see what segments are available before they’re skipped - you might want to watch some of them.

Support Creators

Remember that sponsors help creators earn a living. Consider supporting your favorites through Patreon or memberships.

Be Patient

For very new videos, segments may not be available yet. Check back in a few hours for popular channels.

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Combining with Ad Blocking

SmartTube’s ad blocking removes YouTube’s ads, while SponsorBlock removes in-video sponsors. Together, they provide a completely uninterrupted viewing experience!
  • YouTube ads: Blocked by SmartTube’s architecture
  • Sponsored segments: Skipped by SponsorBlock
  • Result: Pure content, zero interruptions

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