youtube-sync-playlist

automatically or manually sync new videos from selected YouTube channels to a designated YouTube playlist

🚀 First-Time Setup Guide for YouTube Subscription Sync Extension

This guide will walk you through setting up the extension for the first time, including generating the necessary Google Cloud credentials.

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Step 1: Prepare Your Extension Files

1. Download/Copy Files: Make sure you have all the necessary extension files in a single folder on your computer. These are:
   • manifest.json
   • popup.html
   • popup.js
   • background.js
   • offscreen.html
   • offscreen.js
   • A subfolder named images containing icon16.png, icon48.png, icon128.png (you can use placeholder images initially).
2. Edit manifest.json (Placeholder): Open manifest.json in a text editor. Find the oauth2 section and ensure the client_id looks like this for now:

   "oauth2": {
     "client_id": "YOUR_CLIENT_ID_GOES_HERE.apps.googleusercontent.com",
     "scopes": [
       "https://www.googleapis.com/auth/youtube"
     ]
   }

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Step 2: Google Cloud Project Setup ☁️

You need to tell Google about your extension so it can securely access your YouTube data.

1. Go to Google Cloud Console: Open https://console.cloud.google.com/ and log in with your Google account.
2. Create a New Project:
   • Click the project dropdown menu at the top (it might say "Select a project").
   • Click "New Project".
   • Give your project a name (e.g., "YouTube Sync Extension Project") and click "Create". Wait for the project to be created. Make sure your new project is selected in the top dropdown.
3. Enable YouTube Data API v3:
   • Click the navigation menu (☰) in the top-left corner.
   • Go to "APIs & Services" > "Library".
   • Search for "YouTube Data API v3".
   • Click on it in the search results.
   • Click the blue "Enable" button. Wait for it to activate.
4. Configure OAuth Consent Screen:
   • Click the navigation menu (☰) > "APIs & Services" > "OAuth consent screen".
   • Select "External" user type and click "Create".
   • Fill in the required fields:
     • App name: Give it a name (e.g., "My YouTube Sync").
     • User support email: Select your email address.
     • Developer contact information: Enter your email address.
   • Click "Save and Continue" through the "Scopes" and "Test users" sections (you don't need to add anything here).
   • On the "Summary" page, click "Back to Dashboard".
   • Click "Publish App" and confirm. The status should change to "In production". This is important to avoid user limits.
5. Create OAuth 2.0 Client ID:
   • Go to "APIs & Services" > "Credentials".
   • Click "+ Create Credentials" at the top and select "OAuth client ID".
   • Application type: Select "Chrome App".
   • Name: Give it a name (e.g., "YouTube Sync Extension Credential").
   • Application ID: Leave this blank for now. We need the Extension ID first.
   • Click "Create".
   • A window will pop up showing your Client ID. Do not copy it yet. We need to add the Extension ID first. Click "OK".

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Step 3: Get Extension ID & Link to Client ID

1. Load the Extension (Temporarily):
   • Open Chrome and go to chrome://extensions.
   • Turn on "Developer mode" using the toggle in the top-right corner.
   • Click "Load unpacked".
   • Select the folder containing your extension files.
   • Your extension will appear. Find its card and copy the ID (a long string of letters).
2. Add Extension ID to Client ID:
   • Go back to the Google Cloud Console > "APIs & Services" > "Credentials".
   • Click the pencil icon (✏️) next to the Client ID you created.
   • Paste the Extension ID you just copied from Chrome into the "Application ID" field.
   • Click "Save".
3. Copy the Final Client ID:
   • Now, on the Credentials page, copy the full Client ID value (it ends with .apps.googleusercontent.com).
4. Update manifest.json:
   • Go back to your text editor and open manifest.json.
   • Replace "YOUR_CLIENT_ID_GOES_HERE.apps.googleusercontent.com" with the actual Client ID you just copied.
   • Save the manifest.json file.
5. Reload the Extension:
   • Go back to chrome://extensions.
   • Click the reload icon (🔄) on your extension's card.

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Step 4: Using the Extension for the First Time 🎉

1. Click the Icon: Find the extension's icon in your Chrome toolbar and click it.
2. Login:
   • Click the "Login to YouTube / Check Auth" button.
   • A Google sign-in window will pop up. Choose your account.
   • Google will ask for permission for the extension to "Manage your YouTube account". Click "Allow".
   • The popup button should now say "YouTube Login OK".
3. Load Playlists:
   • Click the "Load Playlists" button.
   • Wait a moment for the dropdown menu below it to populate with your YouTube playlists.
   • Select the playlist you want to sync videos to.
4. Load Channels: Choose one method:
   • Option A (Recommended): Click "Load Subs (YT)". This fetches all your current YouTube subscriptions automatically. The "Channels Loaded" display will update.
   • Option B: Click "Load Subs (JSON)". Select a .json file that contains a list of YouTube RSS feed URLs (exported previously or created manually). The "Channels Loaded" display will update.
5. Save Settings:
   • Choose your desired Auto Sync Frequency (in minutes). Remember 0 disables automatic sync. 60+ minutes is recommended to avoid quota issues.
   • Click "Save Settings & Update Auto Sync". The blue status bar will update to show if auto-sync is enabled and when the next run is scheduled.
6. Run Manual Sync (Optional):
   • Click "Run Manual Sync Now" to immediately sync the latest video from each currently loaded channel to your selected playlist.
   • Check the grey status bar below for progress/results.

Your extension is now set up! It will sync automatically based on your chosen frequency, or you can trigger a manual sync anytime. You can also export the currently loaded channel list using the "Export" button.