Safari - Keyboard Controls when Playing Videos in Fullscreen

[HighTime]

Hey folks,

Does anyone else have this problem where when on Youtube and I switch to fullscreen, I can't use the keyboard to pause/play etc unless I click with the mouse back on the video after which I can use the keyboard? Is there a way round this? Even if I press Escape to get out of fullscreen mode it won't let me, makes that sound alert that you pressed an invalid key, so I have to click on the screen with the mouse and then press Escape for it to work.

I'm on Sonoma 14.3.1.

 

[Ben J.]

One of the main reasons why I've used Firefox instead of Safari for as long as I can remember, is the way that Safari creates a new space when you fullscreen a movie window. I assume it still does that. Firefox will just show the movie in fullscreen in the same space.

I'm guessing the reason you see the behaviour you are is that Safari doesn't let the focus follow to the new fullscreen space, and that's why you have to click it to have it focus and have the playback controls work.

If you're unfamiliar with or don't use spaces, fullscreen a youtube movie or click on the green expand button on a window, both actions that will create new spaces, hit F3, move your mouse up to the top of the screen and you'll see all the spaces, and a plus sign to create new spaces. You can also use option- leaftarrow/rightarrow to move between spaces.

 

[bogdanw]

It’s working fine for me, Safari 17.3.1 , Sonoma 14.3.1, with or without adblocker.
You can also enter/exit full screen with F.
Keyboard shortcuts for YouTube https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/7631406

 

[HighTime]

Thank you for your replies.

This is so weird. I posted the above, went out for a bit, came back and tested it again and now keys are working fine. 🤷🏽

 

[HighTime]

And now it's started again. What a joke. This is pushing me back to Firefox.