Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to the questions we get asked most often.
Is Newshade free?
Yes, completely. There's no pro version, no paywalls. Anyone who wants to can voluntarily support the project via Ko-fi – it's not required.
Is my data collected?
No. There's no analytics, no ad IDs, no server of our own. Everything runs locally in your browser. Only if you enable the optional AI analysis are individual article headlines sent to the provider you chose.
How do I add more news sites?
Via the popup ('Enable for this site') or in Settings under 'Active sites'. Chrome will ask for permission for that exact domain once.
Do I need the AI analysis?
No, it's completely optional. Without it, keyword detection works exactly as normal. AI analysis only helps additionally with borderline cases and requires your own API key from a provider (Anthropic or OpenAI-compatible).
How do I turn the filter off?
Toggle the switch for the current site in the popup, or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Shift+Y. The site stays on your list, just temporarily paused.
Does Newshade work on all news sites?
Newshade uses generic detection patterns that work on most sites, including layouts with thumbnail and text as separate elements. Very unusual page structures may occasionally be an exception – feedback on this is welcome.
What happens to my settings on an update?
They're preserved as long as the extension is installed as a genuine update (e.g. via the Chrome Web Store, or 'Reload' for unpacked extensions in the same folder). If an unpacked version is copied to a new folder, Chrome assigns a new extension ID and storage starts empty.
How do I report a bug or a wrongly detected article?
Preferably by email to hello@getnewshade.com, ideally with a screenshot and the affected site. This helps improve detection in a targeted way.
Can I add or remove my own terms?
Yes. Custom terms can be added individually or via TXT/CSV import. Default terms can be disabled individually or by category, without deleting them.
How exactly does constructive mode work?
It first checks articles for negative terms. Only if none match is a check for positive terms also made (e.g. 'breakthrough', 'successfully rescued'). If one matches, the article gets a green badge instead of being hidden. So negative always takes priority over positive.
Do my settings apply on all my devices?
Yes, via Chrome's built-in sync – as long as you're signed into Chrome with the same Google account on all devices. Visible with a status display in Settings.