Installation Guide

Get TabDSP installed and running in under 5 minutes. Available for Firefox and Chrome.

Browser Requirements

Firefox (Supported)

  • Minimum version: Firefox 121 or later
  • Recommended: Firefox 122+ (for best CSS support)
  • Status: Fully supported and tested. AMO-signed XPI with automatic updates.

Chrome (Supported)

  • Minimum version: Chrome 116 or later (Manifest V3 with service worker)
  • Status: Fully supported. Load unpacked from source (not yet on Chrome Web Store).
Browser Compatibility

TabDSP uses a single unified manifest that works on both Firefox and Chrome. Edge and other Chromium-based browsers should also work via Chrome's "load unpacked" method.

Firefox Installation

Method 1: Download from Releases Page (Recommended)

This is the easiest way to install TabDSP and receive automatic updates.

  1. Download the latest release:
    Go to the TabDSP Downloads page and download the latest .xpi file (currently v0.5.0).
  2. Install in Firefox:
    Open Firefox and go to about:addons (or Menu → Add-ons and Themes).
  3. Install from file:
    Click the gear icon ⚙️ → "Install Add-on From File..." → Select the downloaded .xpi file.
  4. Approve permissions:
    Firefox will show a permission prompt. Click "Add" to approve. TabDSP needs:
    • Access to tabs (to process audio)
    • Storage (to save your settings)
    • Active tab access (to inject audio processing)
  5. Done!
    TabDSP icon should appear in your browser toolbar.
Automatic Updates

Firefox checks for updates every 24 hours automatically. When a new version is released, you'll be notified. You can also manually check via about:addons → gear icon → "Check for Updates".

Method 2: Load Temporarily (Developer Mode)

For testing or development purposes. Settings won't persist across browser restarts.

  1. Download source code:
    Clone or download the TabDSP extension source code.
  2. Open debugging page:
    In Firefox, go to about:debugging#/runtime/this-firefox
  3. Load temporary add-on:
    Click "Load Temporary Add-on..." → Navigate to tabdsp_extension folder → Select manifest.json
  4. Extension loaded:
    TabDSP will be active until you close Firefox.
Temporary Mode Limitations

When loaded temporarily, your presets and settings will be lost when you close Firefox. Use Method 1 (signed .xpi) for persistent installation.

Chrome Installation

Load Unpacked (Developer Mode)

TabDSP is not yet on the Chrome Web Store. Chrome Web Store distribution is planned for a future release. For now, install by loading the extension source directly.

  1. Download source code:
    Clone or download the TabDSP extension source code (tabdsp_extension folder).
  2. Open Extensions page:
    In Chrome, go to chrome://extensions
  3. Enable Developer mode:
    Toggle "Developer mode" in the top-right corner.
  4. Load the extension:
    Click "Load unpacked" and select the tabdsp_extension folder containing manifest.json.
  5. Done!
    TabDSP icon should appear in your browser toolbar. Pin it for easy access.
Developer Mode Notice

Chrome shows a "Disable developer mode extensions" prompt on startup when using unpacked extensions. This is normal. Click "Keep" to continue using TabDSP. No automatic updates — reload the extension after updating the source code.

First Launch

1. Open the Extension

Click the TabDSP icon in your browser toolbar to open the popup. For a persistent panel, open the sidebar:

  • Chrome: Click the TabDSP toolbar icon, then click "Open Side Panel" in the popup, or right-click the icon and choose "Open Side Panel"
  • Firefox: Click the TabDSP toolbar icon, then click "Open Sidebar" in the popup, or use View → Sidebar → TabDSP

The sidebar is the primary UI — it provides a persistent panel that stays open alongside your browser tabs and dynamically follows the active tab.

2. Navigate to a Media Page

Go to any website with audio or video content. Examples:

  • YouTube videos
  • SoundCloud tracks
  • Spotify Web Player
  • Podcasts on any website
  • HTML5 audio/video elements

3. Enable Processing

On first use, an onboarding overlay guides you to activate audio processing. Check the "Enable" checkbox in the toolbar to start processing. You should see:

  • Media count indicator: Shows how many audio/video elements are being processed (e.g., "1 media")
  • Sample rate display: Shows the audio sample rate (e.g., "48 kHz")
  • Meters active: L/R stereo level meters should start moving with the audio

4. Test It Out

Play some audio and verify TabDSP is working:

  • Meters should respond to audio levels
  • Spectrum analyzer should show frequency content
  • Try a factory preset: click "Presets" to open the preset popover, then select a preset from the dropdown (it auto-loads on selection)
No Audio?

If you don't see meters moving: (1) Make sure "Enable" is checked, (2) Refresh the page after enabling TabDSP, (3) Check that the media element is actually playing. See Troubleshooting for more help.

Permissions Explained

TabDSP requests the following permissions. Here's what each one does:

Permission Why We Need It
activeTab Access the current tab to find and process audio/video elements
tabs Track which tabs have audio processing active
scripting Inject audio processing code into web pages
storage Save your presets, settings, and per-site overrides
contextMenus Right-click menu integration
sidePanel Chrome side panel support (ignored on Firefox)
alarms Schedules periodic license re-validation in the background (every 24 hours)
tabCapture Captures tab audio for processing DRM-protected content (Chrome only)
offscreen Creates an offscreen document for tab capture audio processing (Chrome only)
declarativeNetRequest Injects CORS headers for cross-origin audio processing when enabled in Advanced settings
▶ Gear Head Details: Privacy and Data Collection

TabDSP does not collect personal data, audio content, or browsing history. The data_collection_permissions in our manifest explicitly states ["none"].

All audio processing happens locally in your browser. No audio data ever leaves your device.

Network requests: TabDSP makes network requests only for license validation:

  • License activation: When you enter a license key, a request is sent to the license provider (api.lemonsqueezy.com) to activate it
  • Periodic re-validation: A background check every 24 hours confirms subscription licenses are still active
  • License deactivation: When you deactivate a license or uninstall the extension, a request frees your activation slot

Data transmitted during license validation: Only your license key and a randomly generated instance identifier. No audio content, no browsing history, no usage analytics, no personal information.

Other network activity:

  • Firefox checks for extension updates via its built-in mechanism (not controlled by TabDSP)
  • CORS header injection (opt-in Advanced setting) modifies response headers for allowlisted audio CDN domains only — no data is sent
  • No analytics, telemetry, or tracking of any kind

Extension manifest schema (Manifest V3): Firefox requires the data_collection_permissions key for all new extensions as of November 2025. Setting it to ["none"] is a contractual guarantee that we don't collect user data.

Source code is available for review via AMO (addons.mozilla.org) submission.

Licensing

TabDSP offers a free tier with a full-featured EQ and spectrum analyzer, plus paid Enthusiast and Professional tiers that unlock additional modules. See Licensing & Tiers for details on features, activation, and license management, or get a license to upgrade.

Uninstallation

To remove TabDSP:

Firefox:

  1. Go to about:addons
  2. Find "Tab DSP: EQ + Dynamics" in the list
  3. Click the three-dot menu → "Remove"

Chrome:

  1. Go to chrome://extensions
  2. Find "Tab DSP: EQ + Dynamics"
  3. Click "Remove" → Confirm

All settings and presets will be deleted from browser storage. Audio processing will stop immediately on all tabs.

Next Steps

Quick Start Guide → Explore Modules