Unhook not working? Pause YouTube's feed by URL instead (or use both)

Why people look for an Unhook alternative

Unhook does one job well, and that is also the limit.

• It hides page elements, so a YouTube redesign can leave a toggle with nothing to attach to. That is why the first section of this page is a fix list; it was updated on 2026-03-22.
• YouTube only. There is no rule for the other sites you open without thinking.
• It asks nothing and keeps nothing, so there is no record of why you opened the site (listing).

Quick fixes when Unhook stops working

These are general steps for any extension that modifies a page, not a list of known Unhook defects:

1. Update the extension. Open chrome://extensions (or about:addons in Firefox), turn on developer mode if needed, and press Update. A layout change on YouTube's side is usually answered by a new extension version.
2. Hard-reload the tab. Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + R discards the cached page. Unhook hides elements after the page renders, so a stale tab can keep showing the old state.
3. Confirm the toggle is still on. A YouTube update can also reset the part of the page an option attaches to; re-saving the setting is quick.
4. Check for a competing extension. Another YouTube extension or an ad blocker's cosmetic filter can hide, remove or re-insert the same elements. Disable the others for one test.
5. Test in a private window with only Unhook enabled. If it works there, the difference is another extension or a profile-level setting.
6. Reinstall as a last step. This clears the extension's stored state; note your toggles first.

Why it happens: hiding page elements vs. matching URLs

Unhook's approach is to remove or hide parts of YouTube's interface — its listing describes hiding the home feed, the sidebar, related videos, Shorts, the end-screen video wall and comments. That approach depends on YouTube's current markup: the extension has to recognise the element it should hide. When YouTube renames or restructures that part of the page, the selector can stop matching, and one option goes quiet until the extension is updated. This is a property of the technique, not a verdict on Unhook — it has been updated as recently as 2026-03-22 and has a million Chrome users.

WhyFirst takes the other route. A browser extension can see the URL a tab is about to load before the page exists, so WhyFirst matches the address (youtube.com, or a path pattern in Pro), stops the visit there, and only then lets it continue. It never needs to find anything in YouTube's markup: the check-in is drawn in the extension's own layer above the page. The trade is that WhyFirst cannot hide a comment section: it decides whether the visit happens, not what the page looks like once it does.

Unhook vs WhyFirst (as of Oct 23, 2026)

Data. Unhook's Chrome listing declares that it does not collect or use your data. WhyFirst's flow is in its privacy policy: rules, reasons and statistics stay in the browser; AI judgment is off by default, and when you switch it on, only your note, the domain and the site purpose you wrote go to the AI endpoint you chose — never browsing history, full URLs or page content.

Use both: a clean page and a reason to be there

The two tools answer different questions. Unhook answers "what should this page look like?" WhyFirst answers "should this visit happen at all?"

A combination that costs nothing and needs no configuration on either side:

• Unhook hides recommendations, the sidebar, Shorts and comments, so the video page is a video page.
• WhyFirst asks why you are on YouTube today, once, before it opens.

Because WhyFirst never looks for or rewrites YouTube's elements, there is nothing for the two to fight over.

Set up WhyFirst for YouTube

On Free — add youtube.com as a rule and write the purpose in a sentence you would accept from a colleague, such as "programming tutorials and conference talks only". Every visit to YouTube then starts with the question. Free covers up to 5 site rules.

On Pro — use path rules so the question lands where it matters:

• let youtube.com/watch* through with no pause, so a tutorial you came for opens directly;
• keep the home page and youtube.com/shorts behind the check-in.

That distinction is the whole point: the feed and Shorts are where the drift happens, a specific video is usually a decision you already made. Path rules are part of Pro; Free matches a single domain per rule.

Where Unhook wins — and where WhyFirst does

FAQ

Why did Unhook stop working?

Unhook hides parts of YouTube's page, so a YouTube layout change can temporarily leave a toggle without its target. Update the extension and hard-reload the tab; if the extension has a newer version, that is usually what restores it. This page does not claim Unhook is broken or abandoned — it was updated in March 2026 and has a million Chrome users.

Can I block the YouTube homepage but still watch specific videos?

Yes, with path rules in WhyFirst: let youtube.com/watch* pass and keep the home page behind the check-in. Path rules are part of Pro. Free matches one domain per rule, so on Free the whole of YouTube is paused.

Can I use WhyFirst with Unhook?

Yes. They work at different layers: Unhook hides elements inside the page, and WhyFirst decides whether the visit opens, showing its check-in above the page without rewriting what is on it. Neither needs configuration to accommodate the other.

Does WhyFirst work on Firefox?

Yes — Firefox Add-ons, plus Chrome and Edge.

Does WhyFirst read what I watch?

No. WhyFirst does not read what is on the page — not the video, not the comments, not anything you type — and it does not record which videos you watch. While the check-in is up, it only covers the page with its own layer, pauses any playing audio or video, and puts the tab title back afterwards; nothing about the page leaves your browser. AI judgment is off by default; when enabled, the request contains only the reason you wrote, the domain and your site note or agreement — never browsing history, full URLs or page content. Details are in the privacy policy.

Try WhyFirst

Add WhyFirst free on Chrome, Edge or Firefox — keep Unhook, add a reason.

Install WhyFirst free · Privacy policy

Last updated: Nov 1, 2026. Unhook figures were read from its own site and store listings on that date. Related: LeechBlock alternative, ScreenZen for Chrome, all website blocker comparisons. Spotted an error? Email support@whyfirst.app.