Safe automatic playlist repair
How automatic YouTube playlist repair stays under user control.
Automatic repair is safe only when the user has explicitly enabled it and the candidate satisfies narrow evidence rules. A similar title is not enough: the source channel, recording version, playlist state, existing duplicates, and intended position must all be checked before a write.
Decision gates
A controlled automatic repair decision
Require an explicit rule
Auto-repair remains off until the eligible user enables it and chooses the confidence and source conditions they accept.
Score the candidate evidence
Compare normalized title, source channel, risky version labels, and other available metadata rather than relying on one field.
Stop on uncertainty
Candidates below the configured threshold, conflicting versions, or weak source evidence remain in the manual repair queue.
Revalidate the live playlist
Confirm that the damaged item and position still match the reviewed state and that the candidate is not already present.
Write, verify, and record undo
Insert the replacement, verify the result, preserve the previous entry context, and retain the inserted playlist item ID for reversal.
Evidence standard
Safeguards that prevent silent playlist damage
Version-aware matching
Live, remix, cover, karaoke, remaster, sped-up, and lyrics versions should not be treated as equivalent by title alone.
Trusted-source rules
An official artist or label source can be required when that evidence is available.
Duplicate prevention
The live playlist is checked before insertion so an existing candidate is not added again.
Traceable rollback
The repair history records why the candidate was chosen, what changed, and how the action can be undone.
FAQ
Common questions
Will TrackRescue automatically replace every missing video?
No. Automatic repair runs only for eligible users who enable explicit rules, and uncertain candidates remain for manual review.
Can I require official channels?
Power rules can prioritize or require trusted source evidence so a random re-upload is not accepted solely because its title is similar.
Can an automatic repair be undone?
Yes. Completed repairs retain the inserted playlist item and original damaged-entry context needed for a deliberate undo.