🧭 WebKit Video Stream & PiP Optimizer

Vinegar - Tube Cleaner

Developed by And a Dinosaur · Version 3.5.5 (9.3 MB)

🏆Quality Score: 87/100 (A)

Actively Maintained

★ 4.2(762 ratings)

🖥️ macOS 15.0+📱 iOS / iPadOS✨ Universal Purchase

Pricing

$1.99

One-Time Purchase (No Subscription)

View on Mac / iOS App Store↗

🌐 Developer Website↗

Screenshots & Interface

About

Vinegar is a Safari extension that replaces the YouTube player with a minimal HTML video tag. It removes ads, restores picture-in-picture, and allows videos to play in the background when set to audio-only quality. Note: The phrase 'can read and alter webpages' in the permissions section is just an unfortunate choice of words. Vinegar needs access to the webpage to find the YouTube player and replace it. It's not doing anything creepy! (Also, do check out Vinegar's companion app, Baking Soda. It's essentially a less powerful version of Vinegar, but it works on all websites except YouTube.)

⚡ Key Performance & WebKit Highlights

Why Install Vinegar - Tube Cleaner on Safari?

Replaces the YouTube player with a clean, native HTML5 video player.

Directly hooks into HTML5 Video MediaSource without re-encoding video frames

Unlocks native macOS / iOS Picture-in-Picture (PiP) even on restricted sites

Provides instant keyboard shortcuts for fine-grained playback speed (0.25x - 4.0x)

🎯 Target Audience & Use Cases

Does This Extension Fit Your Workflow?

✓ Best Suited For

Binge-watchers, online course learners, and YouTube power users who want seamless floating PiP and fine playback control.

💎One-time purchase for $1.99, lifetime access

⚠️ Who Might Skip

Users exclusively watching DRM-protected proprietary Silverlight or old Flash video players.

💡Consider exploring other alternatives if your workflow demands these features

🚀

What's New in Version v3.5.5

Official Release Notes

- (iPad-only) Fixed the Theater button.

⭐️ Verified App Store Reviews

What Real Users Say About Vinegar - Tube Cleaner

Authentic feedback and real-world ratings from Mac & iOS users

🛡️Apple Verified

★★★★★

2026-10-28

Makes youtube tolerable

"Vinegar has made viewing content on youtube so much better. However, the most recent update seems to have introduced a bug with audio. Videos now always open with audio muted by default. After adjusting the audio level, it will spontaneously revert to muted after some random interval while viewing content. Hopefully that issue will be addressed soon. Edited to add: Contacted developer who advised tapping the M key to either enable or mute the video audio, rather than using the in-screen volume slider. Works perfectly, and audio remains stable."

by RanchwoodRoadv3.5.4

★★★★★

2026-10-20

Well crafted and maintained necessity

"This extension makes the web app version of YouTube actually usable. Bugs ineveitably appear as Apple, YouTube, and so forth change their architecture, but vinegar keeps up with it. I am very satisfied. My only requests would be a native integration with Sponsorblock when it is also present because it hides video scrub bar category colors, and a way to change audio tracks, if these are doable. Nevertheless, it is a phenomenal extension."

by The Gane Rater.v3.5.4

★★☆☆☆

2026-10-14

stopped working again

"Not sure if Youtube changed again, or if uBO Lite is causing issues, the video plays normally but I no longer see the PiP button anymore"

by tviuneav3.5.3

★★★☆☆

2026-10-04

Please support YouTube Music.

"Please support YouTube Music."

by yohoakv3.5.3

💡 Frequently Asked Questions

Got Questions About Vinegar - Tube Cleaner?

Q.Is Vinegar - Tube Cleaner free, or does it require a subscription?

Vinegar - Tube Cleaner is available as an honest One-Time Purchase for $1.99. Buy once to unlock full lifetime access, completely avoiding recurring subscription charges.

Q.How do I enable Vinegar - Tube Cleaner in macOS and iOS Safari?

On Mac (macOS): After downloading from the Mac App Store, open the application once, then launch Safari -> click "Settings" (or Preferences) in the menu bar -> select the "Extensions" tab -> locate "Vinegar - Tube Cleaner" and check the box to enable it. On iPhone/iPad (iOS): Go to iOS "Settings" -> tap "Safari" -> tap "Extensions" -> select "Vinegar - Tube Cleaner" and toggle it ON.

Q.Can I watch YouTube or Bilibili in PiP without paying for premium subscriptions?

Yes. The extension triggers Safari native webkitSetPresentationMode("picture-in-picture") directly on the video element, bypassing artificial soft-locks enforced by web players.

Q.Does speed controller distort audio pitch when watching at 2.0x or 3.0x?

No. WebKit includes built-in real-time pitch preservation (SoundTouch algorithm). Voices remain natural and easily comprehensible even when speeding through technical tutorials.

🍎 Safari Power User Tips