Who else misses the old-school YouTube—back when it was ad-free and you could scroll through search results without hitting a ‘people also watched’ section? I recently found a way to get that experience back.
Just a reminder—I’m not being paid to recommend this. It’s just something I personally like and use.
I recently came across a free app called FreeTube, and it’s now my preferred way to watch YouTube. FreeTube is a desktop app that lets you watch YouTube videos without ads, tracking, or logging in.
And my favorite thing about FreeTube is how it handles search results.
Unlike YouTube, which often breaks up your search with “People Also Watched” sections or trending videos, FreeTube keeps the focus on your original search. It continues showing relevant results without shifting to unrelated recommendations, which makes it easier to find exactly what you’re looking for.
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Beyond that, FreeTube can keep your subscriptions, watch history, and playlists stored locally on your device, so none of your data is shared with Google. You can import your existing YouTube subscriptions, and the app’s open-source design allows for easy setup and customization.
FreeTube runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux, making it accessible for most desktop users.
You can check out FreeTube here.
