Why there is no mobile app
FolderTube is distributed as a browser extension through the Chrome Web Store. It works by adding UI and functionality directly into the YouTube website as it loads in a desktop-class browser. Mobile operating systems do not allow this kind of extension system inside the official YouTube app โ the YouTube app for iOS and Android does not support installing extensions of any kind, from FolderTube or anyone else. That is a platform-level restriction, not a choice specific to FolderTube.
What does and doesn't work on mobile
- The official YouTube app on iPhone or Android: FolderTube does not run here under any circumstances. There is no version of the extension for it.
- A mobile browser (Safari on iPhone, Chrome on Android) visiting youtube.com as a website: browser extensions generally are not supported the same way on mobile browsers as they are on desktop, so FolderTube's behavior there is not officially supported. If you try it, do not assume it will work the way it does on desktop.
- Your folder structure itself: if you are signed in, it lives on your account and is not tied to one device. It just is not accessible through an interface on mobile the way it is on desktop.
Add real folders to YouTube
FolderTube is free to install. Drag your subscriptions into folders and finally find what you actually want to watch.
Add to ChromeRealistic ways to handle YouTube on the go
Do your organizing on desktop, browse on mobile as usual
The most practical split: use FolderTube on a desktop or laptop browser to keep your subscriptions organized into folders, and use the regular YouTube app on your phone for on-the-go watching. You lose the folder view on mobile, but your subscription list and everything else in the official app works exactly as it always has.
Use YouTube's own subscription feed on mobile
The YouTube app's built-in Subscriptions tab still works normally on mobile โ it is just not scoped to a single folder the way FolderTube's view is on desktop. It is the practical fallback for catching up on your subscriptions while away from a computer.
Keep your desktop session as the source of truth
If you are signed in on desktop, any changes you make to your folders there are the ones that matter โ mobile does not need to be kept in sync because it is not part of the folder workflow at all right now.
Be skeptical of anything claiming to be a 'FolderTube mobile app'
FolderTube's only official distribution is the Chrome Web Store extension. If you come across an app in a mobile app store claiming to be FolderTube, it is not an official release โ do not enter your account credentials into it.
What to read next
For how folder data is stored and shared between the desktop browsers where FolderTube does run, see How to sync your YouTube folders across devices. If you have not set up folders yet, start with the complete guide to organizing YouTube subscriptions.