UltraWideo vs Ultrawidify – Which One Should You Use?

What Do These Extensions Do?

If you have an ultrawide monitor, you've probably noticed black bars on the sides (or top and bottom) of most videos. Both UltraWideo and Ultrawidify fix that – they make videos fill your entire screen, no matter the website.

They solve the same problem, but the experience is very different.

Side-by-Side Comparison

The Interface

This is where the difference is night and day.

UltraWideo was designed with care. The floating panel is clean, minimal, and easy to use – even if you've never touched a browser extension before. It supports dark and light mode, offers 16 accent colors to match your setup, and is fully accessible with proper keyboard navigation and screen reader support. Everything is labeled, nothing is confusing. You can drag the panel anywhere on screen and it remembers where you left it.

UltraWideo also supports 40+ languages – and you can switch between them instantly, right inside the extension. No need to change your browser language or restart anything. No other ultrawide extension does this.

Ultrawidify has a functional interface, but it feels more like a developer tool than something built for everyday use. The settings are dense and technical, with options that most people won't understand. The settings page has actually been disabled since version 2.0 and hasn't come back – so you can't rebind keyboard shortcuts. It's English-only, with no way to change that.

Compatibility

UltraWideo works everywhere – every website, every video, every streaming platform. It doesn't matter if the content is protected or not. It just works.

Ultrawidify has trouble with protected content. It tries to analyze each video frame to detect black bars, and many streaming platforms block that for security reasons. Users have reported issues on several major platforms, especially on Chrome. On top of that, there are reports of tabs freezing during longer viewing sessions.

Gestures & Controls

UltraWideo lets you control videos without even opening the panel:

• Ctrl + Scroll wheel to quickly switch between modes
• Ctrl + Alt + Scroll wheel to adjust the scale on the fly
• Pinch gesture on your trackpad or touchscreen to cycle modes
• Voice commands (Pro) – say what you want and the extension applies it

Ultrawidify has keyboard shortcuts and mouse-based panning, but no scroll, pinch, or voice support.

What's New in 4.0

The latest UltraWideo release adds features Ultrawidify doesn't have:

• Letterbox detection – crops baked-in black bars from any video, with a Measure tool that works even on protected streams
• AI Voice Control – speak a setting and the extension applies it
• Mode Manager – hide the modes you never use from the cycle
• Auto-hide trigger – fade the floating button during playback so it stays out of the way
• X/Y Mirror controls – adjust one axis and the other follows in lockstep

What Makes Each One Stand Out

Who Should Pick What?

Pick UltraWideo if you want something that just works. It's reliable on every website, the interface is a pleasure to use, and you'll never have to wonder whether a site is supported. The free version covers everything most people need – modes, scale, pan, shortcuts, and gestures. If you want extras like ambient light, video sharpening, or per-host settings, there's an affordable Pro upgrade.

Pick Ultrawidify if you mostly watch YouTube and want everything free. Its auto-detection feature is handy when it works, but you may run into issues on other platforms and find the interface harder to navigate.