Netflix Playback Speed Control

WHAT IT DOES

This script adds playback speed control to Netflix, letting you watch shows and movies at faster or slower speeds. You can choose from preset speeds (0.25x, 0.5x, 0.75x, 1.0x, 1.25x, 1.5x, 1.75x, 2.0x, 2.5x, and 3.0x) using the settings panel. The selected speed is applied instantly to the video and persists across sessions. A speed display overlay shows the current speed when you change it, then fades away. Keyboard shortcuts let you adjust speed without opening the panel: press + to increase speed, - to decrease speed, and 0 to reset to 1.0x. The script works with any Netflix content and applies speed changes dynamically as you watch.

WHERE IT RUNS

The script runs on all Netflix domains (*.netflix.com). It works on the video player when you're watching a title (on /watch/ or /title/ pages). It supports both desktop and mobile views.

HOW TO USE

After installation, the settings panel appears on the left side of the screen with the gear emoji (⚙️). Open the panel to configure the script:

- The "Enable speed control" toggle enables or disables the script.

- Click any speed preset button (0.25x to 3.0x) to set the playback speed.

- Use the "Increase speed (+0.25)" and "Decrease speed (-0.25)" buttons for fine adjustments.

- Click "Reset to 1.0x" to return to normal speed.

The speed is applied immediately to the video. The current speed is shown on the video overlay.

TECHNICAL SECTION — REAL MECHANISM

The script detects Netflix video pages by checking the URL for /watch/ or /title/. It finds the video element using selectors like video, .video-player video, and #video-container video. The script sets the video's playbackRate property to the selected speed. To ensure the speed persists even when Netflix changes the video element (e.g., between episodes), the script overrides the playbackRate property on the video element using Object.defineProperty, intercepting both get and set operations. This allows the script to track speed changes from Netflix and maintain the user's preferred speed. The speed display overlay is created as a fixed-position div at the bottom-center of the screen, which appears briefly when the speed changes and then fades out. Keyboard shortcuts are implemented using document.addEventListener for keydown events, with +, -, and 0 keys controlling the speed. The script uses GM_setValue to persist the selected speed across browsing sessions.

THE PANEL

The settings panel is built with BotGentz's BGPanel component. It is draggable via its header, allowing you to reposition it anywhere on the screen. The panel snaps to the left edge by default but can be moved freely. Click the gear emoji to collapse the panel into a small bubble, and click the bubble to expand it again. The panel remembers its position per page session. Press the Escape key to quickly close or minimize the panel. The panel includes a status flash bar that provides visual feedback when settings are changed or actions are performed. All settings save automatically via GM_setValue.

PLEASE NOTE

This script requires the free BotGentz browser extension to run. It does not function as a standalone Chrome extension and does not use chrome.* APIs. Netflix frequently updates its video player, which may affect the selectors used to find the video element. If the script stops working, please check for updates. The script modifies the video element's playbackRate property—this may affect audio pitch (by default, Netflix preserves pitch when speed changes). The speed display overlay may appear briefly when you start a new episode if the speed is not 1.0x. The script stores only your preferences via GM_setValue. No data is sent externally—all data is stored locally in your browser. The script never reads or writes password fields, hidden inputs, or file inputs. All DOM operations use safe methods (style properties, textContent, appendChild) and never use innerHTML.