Get Echo Working in Your Browser

Echo works in two layers. The native layer watches apps like Apple Music, Spotify, Podcasts, and IINA directly -- no extra steps needed. The browser layer is handled by a lightweight companion extension that sits alongside Echo and relays what is playing in your browser tabs back to the app. Without it, browser media simply does not appear in your history.

What Does the Extension Actually Do?

When you play something in a browser tab -- a YouTube video, a SoundCloud track, a Spotify Web session -- the extension detects it and passes the track or video information to Echo running on your Mac. Echo then logs it exactly as it would a native app: title, source, timestamp, and enough context to let you jump back in later. Nothing leaves your Mac. There is no account, no cloud sync, and no third-party server involved. The extension is a local bridge, not a data pipe.

How Do I Install the Echo Browser Extension?

The steps below cover Chrome and any Chromium-based browser (Brave, Arc, Edge, and others follow the same pattern). Firefox users follow a similar process through the Firefox Add-ons site.

1. Open Echo and find the extension link. Click the Echo icon in your menu bar to open the app. Look for a browser or extension section in the settings -- Echo provides a direct link to the correct extension listing for your browser. Using this link ensures you get the official companion extension.
2. Add the extension to your browser. Follow the browser store prompt to install it. The process is the same as any other extension: click install, confirm, and the extension icon will appear in your browser toolbar.
3. Grant the necessary permission. The extension will ask for permission to detect media playing in your tabs. This is the only permission it needs. It cannot read your browsing history, access passwords, or interact with page content beyond identifying what is currently playing. Accept the permission prompt to activate it.
4. Check that Echo and the extension are connected. With the extension installed, play something in your browser -- a YouTube video works well for a quick test. Open Echo with ⌘⇧E (or click the menu bar icon) and check your history. The item should appear within a few seconds. If it does, the setup is complete.

Which Browser Sources Does the Extension Cover?

Once installed, the extension works across the browser sources you use most: YouTube, SoundCloud, Spotify Web, and general web video. If you play it in a tab, Echo can remember it. For a full breakdown of what Echo tracks and where, see what Echo remembers across sources.

What If the Extension Does Not Seem to Be Working?

A few things are worth checking if browser items are not appearing in your Echo history:

• Make sure Echo is running. The menu bar icon should be visible. The extension relays data to the app, so if Echo is not open, there is nowhere to send it.
• Check the permission is still active. Browsers occasionally revoke extension permissions after an update or a browser restart. Open your browser's extension management page and confirm the Echo extension still has the media permission enabled.
• Try a fresh tab. If you had a tab open before installing the extension, close it and reopen the page. Extensions typically only activate for tabs opened after installation.
• Reload the extension. In your browser's extension management page, try toggling the extension off and on. This refreshes the connection to Echo without requiring a full reinstall.

For a closer look at how the browser layer differs from native capture -- and why both matter for a complete history -- see native versus browser capture in Echo.

Do I Need the Extension for Native Apps?

No. Apple Music, Spotify, Podcasts, IINA, and other native Mac media apps are captured directly by Echo without any extension. The companion extension is only required for browser-based sources. If you only ever listen and watch through native apps, Echo works fully out of the box at $9.99 with no additional setup.