How to Remove YouTube Controls from a Paused Video for Better Screenshots

If you’ve ever tried to take a clean screenshot from a paused YouTube video, you’ve probably noticed the overlay controls and gradient at the bottom of the screen that get in the way. Fortunately, there’s a simple solution using JavaScript in the browser console:

The steps to remove YouTube controls are:

  1. Pause the video at the frame you want to capture.
  2. Open the browser console (typically by pressing F12 or Ctrl + Shift + I).
  3. Run the following JavaScript code to remove the bottom gradient and control bar:
document.querySelector(".ytp-gradient-bottom").remove()
document.querySelector(".ytp-chrome-bottom").remove()

After running this, the video controls and gradient will disappear, allowing you to take a clean screenshot of the paused video.

💻

Mick F @dirtyhenry