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Export platform cookies from Chrome (and other Chromium browsers)

This guide walks you through exporting a platform-cookie file from Chrome, Edge, Brave, Opera, Arc, or any other Chromium-based browser. The file is what lets Shadow Edge fetch sources from platforms that require you to be signed in (for example, YouTube videos that are only available to logged-in users, or your own Bilibili subscriptions).

Before you start. Only export and upload cookies for accounts whose content you have the right to practice with. Shadow Edge assumes no liability for any consequences resulting from infringement.

What you'll need

  • A Chromium-based browser (Chrome, Edge, Brave, Opera, Arc, Vivaldi).
  • The Get cookies.txt LOCALLY extension (the recommended tool — it processes cookies entirely on your device and does not send them anywhere).
  • To be signed in to the website you want to export cookies from.

Step 1 — Install "Get cookies.txt LOCALLY"

  1. Open the Chrome Web Store and search for Get cookies.txt LOCALLY. (Other browsers: Edge, Brave, Arc, Opera, and Vivaldi can all install from the Chrome Web Store too.)
  2. Click Add to Chrome, then confirm the permission dialog.
    The Get cookies.txt LOCALLY listing in the Chrome Web Store with the Add to Chrome button Showing the Add to Chrome button
  3. Pin the extension to your toolbar so you can find it quickly: click the puzzle-piece Extensions icon near the top-right, then click the pin next to Get cookies.txt LOCALLY.
    The Extensions menu with the pin toggle next to Get cookies.txt LOCALLY Pin the extension to your toolbar

Step 2 — Sign in to the website

Open the website you want to use as a source (for example, https://youtube.com) and sign in with your own account — the same account you normally use to watch or listen there. Reload the page once after signing in so the browser is up to date.

Step 3 — Export the cookie file

  1. Stay on the website's own tab — the tab showing YouTube (or whichever site you signed in to) must be the one you're currently looking at. The extension exports cookies for whatever tab is open in front of you, so if you switch to a different tab first, you'll get the wrong file.
  2. Click the Get cookies.txt LOCALLY icon in your toolbar. A small popup opens, listing the cookies for the site you're on.
    The Get cookies.txt LOCALLY icon in the browser toolbar Top-right of the toolbar, next to the address bar — the small cookie icon you pinned in Step 1
  3. At the bottom of the popup, find the Export Format setting and make sure it's set to Netscape. This is the format Shadow Edge understands. (If you don't see a format option, click the gear / settings icon in the popup to reveal it — Netscape is usually the default.)
    The export format dropdown in the extension popup set to Netscape Make sure it's set to Netscape
  4. Click the Export button in the popup. Your browser saves a file to your usual Downloads folder, named after the site — something like www.youtube.com_cookies.
  5. That's the file you'll hand to Shadow Edge in the next step. You don't need to open it or change anything inside it.
The Export button in the Get cookies.txt LOCALLY popup Highlighting the Export button
Next step. You now have a cookie file saved on your computer. The last thing to do is hand it to Shadow Edge. Upload your cookie file to Shadow Edge →

Troubleshooting the export

  • The file is empty or tiny. You may not have been signed in to the website, or you exported from the wrong tab. Sign in, reload the page, and export again while that website's tab is in front of you.
  • Wrong website. The filename should start with the website's address (e.g. www.youtube.com_cookies). If it doesn't, you exported from the wrong tab.
  • Can't find the Export button. Make sure you clicked the Get cookies.txt LOCALLY icon (the one you pinned in Step 1), not a different extension.

Having trouble once the file is uploaded? See Upload your cookie file to Shadow Edge.