Sidebar for YouTube for Firefox

Most people like listening to music while browsing the Internet or even while working. YouTube is one the most convenient methods to play a song on demand so users just open a new YouTube tab to search for their favorite music. Having that in mind, the Sidebar for YouTube addon for Firefox is designed to make it even easier to access YouTube by displaying the YouTube page in the browser’s sidebar panel.

The extension is easily installed and it does not require a browser restart. Users must press the toolbar icon to open up the browser sidebars, where the YouTube sidebar is now found alongside others. 

Displayed in the left side of the Firefox browser, the Sidebar for YouTube displays a simplified layout of YouTube that resembles the mobile version. In fact, the YouTube page there does support all the functions in mobile view. Alternatively, the addon can be configured to load YouTube in desktop mode.

Users can easily login to their account and enjoy YouTube just like they would if it were opened in a separate tab. They can search for songs and play suggested videos or save a video to watch later or to a playlist. And, in case they need to open a new YouTube page in a tab, that is also possible via the sidebar, with the click of a button.

The sidebar encloses back and forward buttons for easier navigation, along with a Home button that redirects it to the YouTube main screen. All of them are included in a small toolbar at the top of the sidebar.

The Sidebar for YouTube extension offers a good alternative to opening YouTube in a separate tab. Having YouTube in the sidebar panel allows users to enjoy watching a video while browsing. As a plus, all the ads on YouTube are blocked by default, which definitely enhances the overall experience with YouTube. On the downside, playing in the background is not possible, meaning once you hide the sidebar, the playback stops.