Quickstart Guide

Welcome to CoWatcher! This guide will walk you through installing the browser extension, connecting your AI inference provider, and enjoying AI dual subtitles in under 3 minutes.

---

1. Installing the Extension

Method A: Google Chrome / Brave / Edge (Chromium)

1. Clone and build the distribution:

   git clone https://github.com/CoWatcher-app/cowatcher-extension.git
   cd cowatcher-extension-public
   npm install
   npm run build:chrome

2. Navigate to chrome://extensions/ in your browser.

3. Enable Developer mode using the toggle in the top-right corner.

4. Click Load unpacked in the top-left corner.

5. Select the dist/ directory inside the repository.

Method B: Mozilla Firefox

1. Build the Firefox Manifest V3 distribution:

   npm run build:firefox

2. Navigate to about:debugging#/runtime/this-firefox in Firefox.

3. Click Load Temporary Add-on....

4. Select the dist-firefox/manifest.json file inside the repository.

---

2. Connecting Your AI Provider

Click the CoWatcher icon in your browser toolbar to open the popup:

1. Choose an AI Provider:
   • Ollama: Recommended for users with dedicated GPUs who want 100% privacy and zero API costs. See Ollama Setup Guide.
   • OpenRouter: Recommended for cloud inference using cutting-edge models (DeepSeek V3, Gemini 2.5 Flash, Claude 3.5 Haiku). See OpenRouter Setup Guide.
2. Select Target Language:
   • Choose your preferred target language in the Target Language selector.
3. Verify Status:
   • The status indicator in the top right will turn 🟢 Connected when the backend is reachable.

---

3. Enjoy Dual Subtitles

Navigate to any supported streaming platform:

• Netflix
• TVer (Japan)
• YouTube

Essential Controls

• Toggle Hotkey: Press Alt + T anywhere on the watch page to toggle AI bilingual subtitles on or off instantly.
• In-Player Button: Look for the CoWatcher companion button injected directly into the video player controls.
• Fullscreen Ready: Subtitles automatically rescale and center themselves in fullscreen mode.

---

Next Steps

• Read the full Popup Interface Guide
• Platform Guides: Netflix · TVer · YouTube
• Learn how the Dual-Model Pipeline ensures consistent translations.