PipePipe: the NewPipe fork that skips sponsored segments

PipePipe, an open-source Android client for YouTube and similar services, released version 5.4.0 on 26 September. The project is a hard fork of NewPipe: the code bases share an origin, but it has been developed independently since early 2022. Its GitHub repository lists more than 6,300 stars and 214 forks.

The app is distributed under the GPL-3.0 licence and is available through F-Droid and IzzyOnDroid. A companion library, PipePipeExtractor, was updated alongside the release.

SponsorBlock and other YouTube features

The most visible addition is an integrated SponsorBlock client, which skips sponsored segments in videos on YouTube and BiliBili. A second integration, ReturnYouTubeDislike, restores the dislike counter that YouTube removed from its own interface.

Other options include showing original, non-localized titles, signing in to reach restricted or premium content, and support for the AV1 and VP9 codecs. The player can render live chat in danmaku-style overlays and offers a background music mode, advanced search filters, keyword and channel blocking, and a sleep timer.

Why PipePipe split from NewPipe

The maintainer explains on the repository page that differences in development philosophy led to the fork. As a result, PipePipe neither receives updates from NewPipe nor sends any back, and the two have become separate projects. Problems seen in NewPipe do not necessarily appear in PipePipe, and changes made upstream may never be adopted.

That separation is deliberate: it allows quick fixes and frequent feature updates. Forks such as Tubular take the opposite route and track the latest NewPipe release.

Privacy, community and contributions

Login cookies are described as being used only in the scenarios the user selects under "Cookie Functions" in the app. For YouTube, the cookie is read only when playback streams are retrieved.

The community supports the project: a volunteer-maintained wiki documents the app, and the credits thank contributors for SABR research and for NicoNico service code. Issues and pull requests are welcome, but the maintainer states that service requests will not be accepted, and invites anyone who wants their own service to fork the repository. Donations go through Ko-Fi and Liberapay.