Search and Browse
Search videos, playlists, channels, and live content. Open playlist contents and channel tabs without switching to the YouTube web interface.
YouTube for Windows and Linux
HexPlayer
Search, browse, play, and download YouTube content in a desktop app built around keyboard access and screen-reader clarity. Windows installers and native Ubuntu 24.04 setup are described below.
3
Download formats: MP4, M4A, MP3
4
Theme modes including high contrast
2
Localized interfaces: English and Arabic
What It Does
Built for the way keyboard users actually move
HexPlayer is the continuation of Accessible YouTube Downloader Pro. It keeps YouTube search, playback, downloads, history, favorites, and browser handoff inside one native desktop workflow.
Accessible Player
Play audio-only or video with shortcuts for seeking, volume boost, playback speed, chapters, quality, equalizer, and output device selection.
Flexible Downloads
Download videos, playlists, channels, Shorts, and supported YouTube links as MP4 video, M4A audio, or MP3 audio using yt-dlp.
Local Favorites
Save favorite videos locally, resume playback from saved positions, and quickly play or download saved items later.
Browser Integration
Send supported YouTube links from Chromium-compatible browsers through the included extension and Windows integration helpers.
Account Features
Optionally use a local cookies file for YouTube Shorts recommendations, home feed, watch history, likes, comments, chapters, and restricted content that requires your session.
Shorts Experience
Browse YouTube Shorts with dedicated Up/Down navigation, background stream preloading for zero-buffering playback, seamless looping, and keyboard commands.
Workflow
From link to playback or download
The app is organized around a few direct actions, so common tasks stay reachable from menus, buttons, context menus, and shortcuts.
Find
Search YouTube, open a playlist, browse a channel, watch Shorts, or let HexPlayer detect a supported link from the clipboard.
Choose
Play as audio, play as video, save to favorites, copy the link, open the channel, or start a direct download.
Control
Use keyboard shortcuts for volume, seeking, speed, chapters, equalizer, quality, repeat, and auto-next.
Keep
Download the media, resume later, organize playlist folders, or return from favorites and watch history.
Download
Install HexPlayer for Windows
Use the stable build for normal installation. Windows 10 or Windows 11 on a modern 64-bit system is recommended. Linux setup is covered in its own section below.
Latest stable release
Version 3.0.0 is ready to download.
- PlatformWindows 10 / 11
- Architecture64-bit recommended
- Install methodExecutable installer
Also available through WinGet
Run winget install HexPlayer from Command Prompt or PowerShell.
Linux installation and supported systems
Ubuntu 24.04 amd64, also called x86_64, is the only Linux release target. Linux packages are built natively against glibc 2.39, not as universal Linux binaries. Older glibc systems and other distributions are not supported package targets. macOS is unsupported, and no Linux ARM package is provided or promised. Windows 10 and 11 x64 users can use the Windows download links above.
Get Linux packages
Linux assets are not available until a release containing them is published. Check the HexPlayer releases for Linux packages and checksums. Look for HexPlayer-VERSION-linux-amd64.deb or HexPlayer-VERSION-linux-x86_64.tar.gz, plus its matching .sha256 file. If they are absent, use the source setup below; the Windows executable cannot be used as a native Linux package.
Install and run on Ubuntu 24.04
Replace VERSION with the downloaded release version. From the download directory, verify the checksum with sha256sum --check HexPlayer-VERSION-linux-amd64.deb.sha256, then install with sudo apt install ./HexPlayer-VERSION-linux-amd64.deb. APT installs the declared runtime dependencies. Start HexPlayer from the desktop application menu or run hexplayer as your normal desktop user.
For the archive, install the system runtime dependencies first, verify its matching checksum, extract with tar -xzf HexPlayer-VERSION-linux-x86_64.tar.gz, then run ./HexPlayer/HexPlayer. Keep the whole extracted directory together. The archive does not install dependencies or a desktop launcher. Follow the Linux package and archive installation instructions for the dependency commands.
A graphical desktop, system libmpv and FFmpeg, desktop audio, and Speech Dispatcher are required for the intended workflow. Enable Orca in your desktop accessibility settings for screen-reader use. Complete startup prompts for Deno, yt-dlp, and JavaScript dependencies with network access. Frozen startup smoke checks are not full accessibility or real audio/video playback verification.
Run Linux from source
If no Linux release assets are published yet, follow the Ubuntu source setup and run commands. Install the repository's GTK and system dependencies, install uv and the selected Python version, set UV_CONCURRENT_BUILDS=1, and run uv sync --locked. Launch with uv run --no-sync python src/accessible_youtube_downloader_pro.py from the repository root. wxPython may need a lengthy source compilation.
Contributors can use the native Linux build instructions and Linux tests and preflight checklist.
Keyboard First
Common shortcuts
These shortcuts are part of the core workflow. The full English and Arabic guides are available inside the app with F1.
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + F | Search YouTube |
| Ctrl + D | Download from link or direct download |
| Ctrl + Y | Play a YouTube link |
| Ctrl + Shift + S | Watch Shorts (requires cookies file) |
| Ctrl + Shift + F | Open favorites |
| Ctrl + H | Open watch history |
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Space | Play or pause |
| Up / Down | Cycle Shorts (Shorts mode) |
| Arrow keys | Change volume or seek |
| Ctrl + E | Open equalizer |
| F12 | Choose audio output device |
| Esc | Close player and return |
Privacy
Local-first by design
No analytics or tracking scripts
HexPlayer does not include telemetry, advertising trackers, or developer-operated analytics. Settings, favorites, downloads, and resume positions stay on your Windows device.
- Cookies are optional and stored as a local file path.
- Favorites are saved in a local SQLite database.
- Downloaded files go to the folder you choose.
Third-party services are transparent
When you search, play, browse, or download, HexPlayer and its tools may contact YouTube, GitHub, Deno sources, or yt-dlp supported endpoints to complete that action.
- YouTube cookies may be sent to Google/YouTube for authenticated features.
- GitHub may be used for app and tool updates.
- The full privacy policy is included with the project.
Under The Hood
Native Windows accessibility, modern media tooling
Core stack
- Python 3.14+ application runtime.
- wxPython for native Windows interface controls.
- MPV powered playback with audio and video controls.
YouTube tooling
- yt-dlp for extraction and downloads.
- Deno for JavaScript-based YouTube interaction helpers.
- YouTube.js / Innertube for features such as history, likes, comments, and chapters.
Answers
Quick questions
Does HexPlayer require a YouTube cookies file?
No. Search, playback, many downloads, and local watch history work without cookies. Cookies enable account-based features such as home recommendations, YouTube account watch history, likes, comments, chapters, and some restricted content.
Can HexPlayer download playlists and channels?
Yes. HexPlayer can download individual videos, playlists, channels, Shorts, live pages where supported, and other supported YouTube links through yt-dlp.
Is the app only for NVDA users?
No. HexPlayer supports all Windows screen readers (NVDA, JAWS, Narrator, System Access, etc.) and speech engines via Prism, with keyboard-first controls that also help other users who prefer non-mouse workflows.
Where can I read the guide?
Press F1 inside the app. The repository also includes English and Arabic guide files under src/docs.