Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

What is Feed Fabrik?

Feed Fabrik is a modern RSS feed reader browser extension designed for Chrome and Brave browsers. It offers automatic feed discovery, beautiful themes, smart collections, and cross-device synchronization.

How much does Feed Fabrik cost?

Feed Fabrik is completely free to use. We believe everyone should have access to a great RSS reading experience without any cost barriers.

When will Feed Fabrik be available?

Feed Fabrik is available now! We’ve released an early version while we continue developing and adding new features. We want your feedback to help shape the future of Feed Fabrik. Try it out and let us know what you think!

Which browsers are supported?

Feed Fabrik is primarily designed for:

Chrome - Full feature support
Brave - Full feature support
Other Chromium-based browsers - Basic support

Features & Functionality

How does automatic feed discovery work?

Feed Fabrik automatically scans websites for RSS feeds and displays a notification when feeds are detected. Simply click the Feed Fabrik icon in your toolbar to subscribe with one click.

What are dual-axis themes?

Our unique dual-axis theme system lets you independently choose:

Theme mode: Light, Dark, or System (follows your OS preference)
Color palette: Default, Ocean, Forest, or Sunset

This gives you 12 different theme combinations to match your preferences perfectly.

How do collections work?

Collections help you organize your feeds into categories. You can:

Create custom collections with names, colors, and icons
Drag and drop feeds between collections
Filter your reading view by collection
Use collections to separate work feeds from personal feeds

Does Feed Fabrik sync across devices?

Partial sync - When you’re signed into Chrome, Feed Fabrik automatically syncs:

✅ Collections - Your folder organization
✅ Reading states - Which articles you’ve read, starred, or archived
✅ Settings - Theme, update frequency, and all preferences
❌ Feed subscriptions - Not synced (use OPML export/import instead)

Why aren’t feeds synced? To support large feed libraries (100+ feeds), Feed Fabrik stores feed subscriptions locally in IndexedDB, which has unlimited space. Chrome’s sync storage has a 100KB limit that would restrict you to ~50 feeds.

How to sync feeds across devices: Use the OPML Export/Import feature in Settings to transfer your feed subscriptions between devices. The import process automatically detects and skips duplicates, so you can safely import on multiple devices without worrying about duplicate subscriptions.

Technical Questions

How are feeds stored?

Feed Fabrik uses a hybrid storage approach for optimal performance:

Chrome Sync Storage (syncs across devices):

Settings and preferences
Collections (folders)
Reading states (read/starred/archived)

IndexedDB (local only, unlimited space):

Feed subscriptions
Article content
Feed metadata

This hybrid approach lets you subscribe to hundreds of feeds without hitting Chrome’s 100KB sync storage limit, while still syncing your important preferences and reading progress.

To transfer feeds between devices: Use the OPML export/import feature in Settings.

What is OPML?

OPML (Outline Processor Markup Language) is a standard XML-based file format used for exchanging lists of RSS feeds between different feed readers. Think of it as a universal format that all RSS readers understand - like a playlist file for your podcast app, but for RSS feeds.

Why is OPML useful?

Easy Migration: Move your feed subscriptions from one RSS reader to another without manually re-adding each feed
Backup: Save a copy of all your feed subscriptions in one file
Sharing: Share curated feed collections with friends or colleagues
Bulk Import: Add multiple feeds at once instead of one at a time

How does it work with Feed Fabrik? You can use the Feed Directory to browse and select feeds, then export them as an OPML file. This file can be imported into Feed Fabrik or any other RSS reader that supports OPML (which is most of them).

Can I import feeds from other RSS readers?

Yes! Feed Fabrik supports OPML import, which is the standard format used by most RSS readers. You can easily migrate your existing subscriptions.

Can I export my feeds?

Absolutely. Feed Fabrik supports OPML export, so you can backup your feeds or move them to another RSS reader if needed.

How do I sync feeds between multiple devices?

Since feed subscriptions are stored locally to support large libraries (100+ feeds), use OPML export/import to keep your devices in sync:

Simple workflow:

Device A: Go to Settings > Import/Export > Export OPML
Save the file to cloud storage (Google Drive, Dropbox, etc.)
Device B: Download the OPML file and import it
Repeat whenever you add new feeds

Smart duplicate detection: Feed Fabrik automatically detects and skips duplicate feeds during import. This means you can:

Subscribe to feeds on multiple devices independently
Import OPML files from any device without creating duplicates
Safely re-import the same OPML file multiple times
Merge feed lists from different sources worry-free

The import summary will show you exactly how many new feeds were added and how many duplicates were skipped, so you always know what changed.

Pro tip: Export your feeds regularly as a backup - it only takes a few seconds and protects you from data loss!

What is the Feed Directory?

The Feed Directory is our curated collection of over 500 quality feeds from across the web. It helps you discover new content sources across various topics like news, technology, science, sports, and more. You can:

Browse feeds by category, country, language, and type
Search for specific feeds or topics
Add feeds to your basket
Export your selections as an OPML file for easy import

Visit the Feed Directory to explore available feeds.

How do I use feeds from the Feed Directory?

Visit the Feed Directory
Use the search or filters to find feeds you’re interested in
Click “Add to Basket” for each feed you want
Click “Export” to download an OPML file
In Feed Fabrik, go to Settings > Import/Export
Import the OPML file to add all selected feeds at once

The Feed Directory works with any feed reader that supports OPML import, not just Feed Fabrik.

Does Feed Fabrik work offline?

Feed Fabrik requires an internet connection to fetch new articles. However, previously loaded articles remain accessible when offline.

Privacy & Security

What data does Feed Fabrik collect?

Feed Fabrik respects your privacy and collects minimal data:

No personal information - We don’t collect names, emails, or personal data
No reading analytics - We don’t track what you read or when
No third-party sharing - Your data stays with you

Is my data secure?

Yes. Your data is:

Stored locally in your browser’s secure storage
Encrypted during sync using Chrome’s built-in encryption
Never stored on our servers - we don’t have access to your feeds or reading data

Can I use Feed Fabrik without syncing?

Absolutely! Sync is completely optional. You can use Feed Fabrik entirely locally without any data leaving your device.

Troubleshooting

A feed isn’t updating

Try these steps:

Check if the feed URL is still valid
Manually refresh the feed
Check your internet connection
Remove and re-add the feed if the issue persists

The extension isn’t working

Common solutions:

Restart your browser
Disable and re-enable the extension
Check for Chrome updates
Clear your browser cache

Themes not displaying correctly

If you experience theme issues:

Switch to the default theme temporarily
Clear your browser cache
Restart the browser
Contact support if the issue persists

Getting Help

How can I contact support?

We’re here to help! You can reach us at:

Email: [email protected]
Support page: Visit our Support Center

How do I report a bug?

Found a bug? Please email us at [email protected] with:

Description of the issue
Steps to reproduce the problem
Your browser version
Any error messages you see

Can I suggest features?

We love hearing from our users! Send feature suggestions to [email protected].

Updates & Roadmap

How often is Feed Fabrik updated?

We release updates regularly to add new features, improve performance, and fix any issues. All updates are delivered automatically through the Chrome Web Store.

What’s coming next?

Some features we’re working on:

Mobile companion app - Access your feeds on mobile devices
Advanced filtering - More options to customize your feed content
Social features - Share interesting articles with friends
Advanced analytics - Insights into your reading habits (privacy-focused)

Don’t see your question here? Contact us at [email protected] and we’ll be happy to help!