How can we help you?

Comprehensive guides, feature documentation, keyboard shortcuts, integrations, and troubleshooting to help you get the most out of SyncStudy.

12 guides14 shortcuts8 FAQs

Getting Started

Create your account, import your first YouTube playlist, and start tracking your study progress in under 2 minutes.

SyncStudy turns any public YouTube playlist into a structured, chapter-wise course. You get progress tracking, timestamped notes, and a distraction-free learning environment — all in your browser.

  1. 1
    Create your free account

    Go to syncstudy.in and sign up using your email address or Google account. No credit card required. Your progress syncs across all devices automatically.

  2. 2
    Find a YouTube playlist

    Open YouTube and copy the URL of any public playlist. This works for JEE/NEET lectures from Physics Wallah, Unacademy, PW Vidyapeeth, or any educational channel.

  3. 3
    Paste and import

    Paste the playlist URL into the import field on your dashboard. SyncStudy automatically fetches every video — title, duration, thumbnail, and order — and builds a structured course.

  4. 4
    Start learning in Focus Mode

    Click any video to open it in Focus Mode. No sidebar recommendations, no comments, no autoplay — just you and your lecture.

  5. 5
    Track your progress

    Mark videos as complete as you finish them. Your progress bar updates instantly and syncs across phone, tablet, and laptop.

Tip:

You can import multiple playlists for different subjects (Physics, Chemistry, Maths, Biology) and switch between them freely.

Tip:

Use the search bar to quickly find videos within a large playlist.

Tip:

Bookmark difficult videos to revisit them during revision.

Create your free account

Importing & Managing Playlists

Learn how to import, organize, and manage multiple YouTube playlists as structured courses.

SyncStudy supports any public YouTube playlist. Paste the URL and the platform handles the rest — video metadata, ordering, thumbnails, and duration calculations.

  1. 1
    Supported playlist types

    Public playlists from any YouTube channel. Private and unlisted playlists are not supported. A playlist can have up to 200 videos.

  2. 2
    Automatic refresh

    When the original YouTube playlist is updated (new videos added), SyncStudy detects the change and asks if you want to sync the updates into your course.

  3. 3
    Manual reorder

    Drag and drop videos within a course to match your personal study sequence. This does not affect the original YouTube playlist.

  4. 4
    Delete or archive courses

    Finished a subject? Archive the course to hide it from your active dashboard, or delete it permanently. Archived courses can be restored anytime.

Tip:

Name your courses by subject and exam (e.g., "Physics — JEE Mains 2026") to stay organized.

Tip:

Use the search bar within a course to jump to specific video titles.

Warning:

If the YouTube playlist is deleted by the creator, the videos will no longer be playable in SyncStudy.

Warning:

Importing very large playlists (200+ videos) may take a few seconds to process.

Import a playlist

Courses & Progress Tracking

Everything about how courses work, progress tracking across devices, and managing your learning journey.

Every YouTube playlist you import becomes a course. Each video is a chapter. Your progress is calculated as a percentage of videos marked complete and is synced in real-time across all your devices.

  • Progress barShows your completion percentage for the full syllabus at a glance. Green fills as you mark videos complete.
  • Mark completeClick the checkmark on any video to mark it done. Your progress updates instantly.
  • Streak trackingStudy consecutive days to build a streak. Streaks appear on your profile and dashboard.
  • Total hours loggedSyncStudy tracks the total duration of videos you have watched, summed across all courses.
  • Recently viewedJump back into your last watched video from the home page.
  • Switch subjectsToggle between Physics, Chemistry, Maths, and Biology courses without losing your place.
Tip:

Mark videos as complete even if you watched them elsewhere — SyncStudy respects your effort.

Tip:

Use the "Continue Watching" shortcut on the home page to resume where you left off.

Browse your courses

Focus Mode Player

A distraction-free video player designed for deep, uninterrupted study sessions.

Focus Mode strips away everything that distracts you on YouTube — no sidebar recommendations, no comments, no autoplaying unrelated videos. Just your lecture in a clean, minimal interface.

  • Distraction-freeNo related videos, no comments section, no home page recommendations. The player shows only the video and your notes panel.
  • Built-in timerSwitch on the Pomodoro timer (25 min study / 5 min break) to stay in flow. SyncStudy tracks your focus sessions.
  • Picture-in-PicturePop the video out into a floating window so you can take notes in another tab.
  • Keyboard shortcutsUse Space for play/pause, J/L for rewind/fast-forward, M to mute, and Ctrl+T to add a timestamped note.
  • Playback speedAdjust speed from 0.5x to 2x in 0.25 increments. Your preference is saved per video.
  • Auto-play nextWhen a video ends, the next chapter plays automatically. Disable this in settings if you want to pause between videos.
Tip:

Use Picture-in-Picture mode alongside the notes panel for the best note-taking experience.

Tip:

Set your default playback speed in Account Settings so every video starts at your preferred speed.

Try Focus Mode

Notes & Timestamps

Capture key concepts with timestamped notes linked directly to the exact moment in the video.

Rich-text notes with one-click video timestamps let you capture concepts as you learn and jump back to any moment instantly.

Adding a timestamped note

While watching a video, click the "Add Note" button or press Ctrl+T. SyncStudy captures the current video time and opens a note editor. Type your note and save it — the timestamp is linked automatically.

Jumping back to a moment

Click any timestamp in your notes list. The video jumps to that exact moment so you can review the context without scrubbing manually.

Rich-text formatting

Format your notes with bold, italic, headings, bullet lists, numbered lists, and code blocks. Use the formatting toolbar that appears when you edit a note.

Organizing notes

Notes are grouped by video and by course. Use the search bar to find notes across all your courses by keyword.

Exporting notes

Export all notes from a course as a single PDF or Markdown file. Perfect for creating revision guides.

Tip:

Add timestamps liberally — they are free and make revision exponentially faster.

Tip:

Use headings in your notes to create a mini table of contents for each video.

Tip:

Review all your notes from a course before exams using the "All Notes" view.

Start taking notes

AI Study Tools

AI Tutor, AI Quiz Generator, and AI Summaries — accelerate your learning with artificial intelligence.

Pro and Ultra plans unlock AI-powered features that help you understand concepts faster, test your knowledge, and review efficiently.

AI Tutor

While watching any video, open the AI Tutor panel and ask questions about the lecture. The AI understands the video content and provides contextual answers. Example: "Explain the conservation of momentum principle from this lecture."

AI Quiz Generator

Generate multiple-choice questions from any video or course. Choose the number of questions (5, 10, or 20) and the difficulty level. The AI analyzes the lecture content and creates relevant MCQs to test your understanding.

AI Summaries

Get a concise bullet-point summary of any video. Summaries highlight key equations, definitions, and concepts — perfect for quick revision before exams.

Tip:

Use AI Quiz Generator after finishing a chapter to identify weak areas before moving on.

Tip:

AI Summaries work best for 10+ minute lectures where manually taking notes is time-consuming.

Warning:

AI-generated content is for study assistance only. Always verify critical concepts against your textbook or teacher.

Upgrade to Pro

Syllabus Tracker

Track 30+ Indian competitive exams chapter by chapter — JEE, NEET, UPSC, GATE, SSC, Banking and more.

The built-in syllabus tracker covers chapter-wise syllabi for India's most competitive exams. Pick your exam, see every chapter, and track what you have completed and what needs revision.

  • Supported examsJEE Mains, JEE Advanced, NEET UG, UPSC CSE (Prelims & Mains), GATE, SSC CGL, SSC CHSL, Banking (IBPS PO, IBPS Clerk, SBI PO, RBI Grade B), and more.
  • Chapter-wise breakdownEvery subject is split into chapters with the official exam weightage where available. Focus on high-weightage chapters first.
  • Progress per chapterMark each chapter as Not Started, In Progress, or Completed. The dashboard shows your overall syllabus completion percentage.
  • Weak chapter identificationChapters you have marked as difficult or spent less time on are highlighted. Prioritize them in your revision plan.
  • Cross-device syncUpdate your syllabus progress on your phone during the commute and review the full picture on your laptop at home.
Tip:

Use the syllabus tracker alongside your YouTube courses — import playlists for chapters you are weak in.

Tip:

Sort chapters by weightage to maximize your score-to-effort ratio.

Browse all syllabi

Study Planner & Timetable

Build a personalized study schedule with the daily planner and free study timetable generator.

Create a 30-day, 60-day, or 90-day study plan that fits your exam date. The planner automatically distributes your course videos across the available days so you finish on time.

Daily Planner

Each day shows the videos you need to watch, notes to review, and chapters to cover. Check off tasks as you complete them and see your streak grow.

Auto-schedule

Select your courses, set your exam date, and let SyncStudy build a schedule. It distributes videos evenly, accounts for revision days, and adjusts if you fall behind.

Calendar view

See your entire study plan on a calendar. Color-coded by subject. Drag and drop to reschedule if your plans change.

Free Timetable Generator

Use the standalone timetable generator at /tools/free-study-timetable-generator to create a printable study timetable without signing up.

Tip:

Pair the planner with science-backed study techniques like spaced repetition and active recall for maximum retention.

Tip:

Leave buffer days in your schedule for unexpected delays or difficult topics.

Open the planner

Account & Settings

Manage your profile, subscription, preferences, and notifications.

Your account settings give you full control over your SyncStudy experience — from profile details to subscription management.

Profile

Update your display name, email address, and avatar. Your profile is visible to other users if you join a study group.

Subscription & Billing

View your current plan, compare features, and upgrade to Pro or Ultra. Billing is handled securely via Razorpay. Invoices are available for download.

Study Preferences

Set your default video playback speed (0.5x–2x), enable or disable autoplay, choose your preferred theme (Light or Dark), and configure Focus Mode defaults.

Notifications

Enable or disable email reminders for study sessions, course updates, and streak milestones. You can also configure push notifications (coming soon).

Data & Privacy

Download your data (notes, progress, courses) as a JSON archive. Delete your account permanently if you wish to stop using SyncStudy.

Manage your account

Keyboard Shortcuts

Complete list of keyboard shortcuts for Focus Mode, notes, and navigation.

Keyboard shortcuts help you study faster without reaching for the mouse. All shortcuts work in Focus Mode.

  • SpacePlay / Pause video
  • JRewind 10 seconds
  • LFast-forward 10 seconds
  • MMute / Unmute
  • FToggle fullscreen
  • Ctrl + TAdd a timestamped note at current video position
  • Ctrl + SSave the current note
  • Ctrl + Shift + FToggle Focus Mode
  • Next video in the course
  • Previous video in the course
  • Shift + >Increase playback speed (0.25 increments)
  • Shift + <Decrease playback speed (0.25 increments)
  • ?Show / Hide keyboard shortcuts help overlay
Tip:

Hold Shift and press > or < repeatedly to quickly adjust playback speed.

Tip:

Use Ctrl+T proactively during lectures — you will build a rich set of revision notes without breaking flow.

Integrations & Export

Connect SyncStudy with your favorite tools — Notion, Obsidian, Anki, and more.

SyncStudy integrates with popular study tools so your notes and progress fit into your existing workflow.

Notion Templates

Import your SyncStudy notes directly into Notion using our pre-built student dashboard templates. Available at /notion.

Export options

Export your notes as PDF, Markdown, or plain text. Export your progress data as CSV or JSON for personal analytics.

Anki Flashcard Export

Export AI-generated quiz questions as Anki-compatible flashcards for spaced-repetition review.

YouTube Direct

SyncStudy embeds YouTube videos natively. Any playlist you can access on YouTube works seamlessly.

Browse integrations

Troubleshooting & FAQ

Common issues, error messages, and answers to frequently asked questions.

Most issues have simple fixes. Check the list below before contacting support.

  • Playlist not importing?Make sure the playlist is set to "Public" on YouTube. Private and unlisted playlists cannot be imported.
  • Videos not playing?Check your internet connection. SyncStudy streams directly from YouTube, so if YouTube works, SyncStudy will work.
  • Progress not saving?Ensure you are logged in. Progress is saved to your account and syncs across devices automatically.
  • Can I download videos?No. SyncStudy embeds YouTube videos directly so creators keep their views and ad revenue.
  • Is there a mobile app?SyncStudy is a fully responsive web app. It works on any modern browser on iOS and Android. No app download required.
  • Is SyncStudy really free?Yes. The free plan includes playlist-to-course conversion, basic progress tracking, and the study planner for your first playlist. No credit card needed.
  • How to delete my account?Go to Account Settings and select "Delete Account." All your data (courses, notes, progress) will be permanently removed.
  • Can I share my courses?Course sharing is available on the Ultra plan. You can share courses with classmates for collaborative study.
Tip:

Most issues are resolved by refreshing the page or logging out and back in.

Tip:

If a playlist fails to import, try copying the URL again — sometimes extra characters get included.

Contact support