How to Play YouTube Music with foobar2000?

For those who love to curate your own playlists and explore the depths of audio quality, you might have already heard of foobar2000, which is a lightweight and highly customizable free audio player popular among audiophiles and music enthusiasts. What sets foobar2000 apart is its ability to embrace a multitude of components, making it a Swiss Army knife of music players.

One such indispensable component is the "YouTube Source" which enables you to stream music from YouTube, Vimeo, and Dailymotion via simple URLs. Next, I'll walk you through step-by-step how to configure foobar2000 to search, play, and manage YouTube music directly. By the end, you'll be rockin' out to your favorite YouTube tunes without ever opening a web browser. Let's get started!

To get started, you'll need to install foobar2000 and the foo_youtube component, which enables the integration of YouTube music into the player. Follow these steps to set up foobar2000 and install the necessary component:

Step 1 - Download and Install foobar2000

Head over to the foobar2000 download page and grab the installer for your operating system. Run through the installation process, it's quick and painless.

Once installed, launch foobar2000. You'll see a simple interface with menus across the top and a playlist on the right. We'll customize things further as we go, but for now foobar2000 is ready to start playing local music files.

Step 2: Download and Install the foo_youtube Component

Now we need to add YouTube powers with the foo_youtube component. You're recommended to go to the developer 3dyd's website to download the beta version, which adds 64-bit version support for 64-bit foobar2000 v2.0 and later versions.

To install the component, open foobar2000. Then go to "File" > "Preference" > "Components". Click the "Install" button to load the downloaded foo_youtube component file. foobar2000 will prompt you to restart for the changes to take effect.

With foobar2000 and the foo_youtube component in place, let's explore various options for playing YouTube music, including playlists and channels.

#1. Playing Individual YouTube Tracks

• In foobar2000, click on the "File" menu and select "Add Location" or press Ctrl+U.

• Copy the URL of the YouTube music you want to play.

• Paste the URL into the "Location" field of the "Add Location" dialog box.

• Click "OK" to add the track to your foobar2000 playlist.

• Double-click the track to start playing it.

• Tips. To add multiple YouTube tracks, go to "File" > "YouTube Source" > "Add multiple URLs".

#2. Exploring YouTube Music Playlists and Channels

• Visit YouTube and search for your favorite music playlist or channel.

• Open the playlist or channel and copy its URL.

• In foobar2000, go to the "File" menu, select "YouTube Source", and then the "Load channel or playlist" option.

• Paste the URL into the dialog box.

• Click "OK" to add the playlist or channel to your foobar2000 playlist.

• A new tab will be automatically created. Then double-click the first track to start playing its content.

#3. Search YouTube Directly within foobar2000

• In foobar2000, go to the "View" menu, select "YouTube Source" and then the "Search on Site" option.

• Type in the name of a song or artist in the dialog box, then press "Enter" on your keyboard to find YouTube songs.

• foobar2000 will show you the search results of YouTube music.

• Double-click any track to start playing it.

• You're also able to right-click on the track to add it to the playback queue or the current playlist.

#4. Convert YouTube Music in foobar2000

• Install a Component called Free Encoder Pack via the download page.

• In foobar2000, right-click on the YouTube tracks or the playlist you've added.

• Choose "Convert" > "Quick convert" from the context menu.

• On the pop-up window, choose any audio format from the list.

• You can optionally modify the audio parameters as you wish.

• Click the "Convert" button to start YouTube Music conversion using foobar2000.

Q1: Is foobar2000 free to use?

A: Yes, foobar2000 is completely free and open-source software. You can enjoy its powerful features without spending a dime.

Q2: Can I play YouTube playlists using foobar2000 with the foo_youtube component?

A: Absolutely! With the foo_youtube component, you can easily play not only individual YouTube music but also entire playlists and channels. It's a game-changer for those who love to queue up multiple tracks seamlessly.

Q3: Can I download YouTube music for offline listening with foobar2000?

A: Foobar2000, in combination with the foo_youtube component, is primarily a streaming solution. You can use the built-in "Convert" function for downloading YouTube album and converting them to audio files that can be offline played in foobar2000.

Q4: Why can't I play certain YouTube track in foobar2000?

A: Check whether the video is removed or publicly available. Some videos are blocked from playing in third-party apps due to region and copyright restrictions.

Q5: What should I do if the Youtube Source component won't work?

A: You can either check the documentation of the developer's website, or join the discussion and submit your problem or query on the forum.

foobar2000, with its customizable nature and powerful components, provides a fantastic way to enjoy your favorite YouTube music seamlessly. By installing the foo_youtube component, you can effortlessly integrate YouTube tracks, playlists, and channels into your foobar2000 playlist. Take advantage of this versatile audio player to elevate your music experience and explore a multitude of audio possibilities. Thanks for reading!