The inability to access subtitles while watching YouTube videos within the brave browser significantly limits the watching experience. Currently, almost every single platform that includes video posting has the option to access and utilise subtitles. Brave is lagging on this massively, and it really limits how much I use the browser. Many people have audio processing difficulties, and this would be super helpful.
@nootchilltia as I have shared with others, this is an iOS limitation and not necessarily the browser. I invite you to check on Safari, Chrome, and other browsers on iOS. They all are forced to use WebKit and all have the same exact issue as you’re explaining. This only happens on YouTube and only when we hit the full screen button on the YouTube player.
That said, I did just open up a Github issue for it:
opened 01:12AM - 23 Jun 25 UTC
OS/iOS
### Description
Captions will play on videos until you hit the button to put it… to full screen. Once in full screen the CC button disappears and any captions no longer show. To be precise, only happens when you hit the full screen button. If you simply tilt the phone to have it go into landscape it will keep the captions appearing.
This is an upstream issue as it is true for Safari and other browsers when tested. I have brought this up to Apple in 2022 but they made claims they couldn't replicate the problem and we got nowhere. This has been an issue for years now ands I'm not sure whether to blame it on WebKit, YouTube, or something else.
### In image below you can see the CC option toward the top right of the video player, captions are playing in the background, etc. This is before opening full screen
### Below is what happens in full screen, captions are no longer there and the CC button has gone away. As does all other YouTube specific settings. No autoplay button, the settings button to choose video quality, etc.
### Steps to reproduce
1. Play any video on YouTube
2. Video will have a CC button
3. Push the CC button to enable closed captions
4. Press full screen button on the video player
5. Captions go away and CC button is no longer there
### Actual result
Video plays but captions options and captions themselves vanish. The CC button also goes away
### Expected result
Captions remain available
### Reproduces how often
Easily reproduced
### Brave version
1.79 (124)
### Device/iOS version
iPhone 13 Pro Max
iOS 18.5
### Affected browser versions
- [x] latest AppStore
- [ ] latest TestFlight
- [ ] previous TestFlight
### Reproducibility
- [x] with Brave Shields disabled
- [x] in the latest version of mobile Safari
### Miscellaneous information
Long time ago saw a Github issue which may be relevant. https://github.com/youtube/youtube-ios-player-helper/issues/456
Beyond that, this issue has long been reported at Brave Community. I'll link a variety of links below for reference. The last one on this list is even to 2020, so it's been at least 5 years.
- https://community.brave.com/t/subtitles-for-full-screen-youtube-videos/627618
- https://community.brave.com/t/closed-captions-in-youtube/624076
- https://community.brave.com/t/no-captions-in-landscape-mode/622710
- https://community.brave.com/t/feedback-regarding-the-fullscreen-behavior-of-youtube-videos-within-the-brave-browser-on-ios/615227
- https://community.brave.com/t/captions-disappear-when-using-youtube-in-fullscreen/544644
- https://community.brave.com/t/no-subtitles-on-youtube-videos/524135
- https://community.brave.com/t/i-problem-on-youtube/489273
- https://community.brave.com/t/youtube-fullscreen-subtitles/478940
- https://community.brave.com/t/youtube-captions-disappear-with-full-screen/441983
- https://community.brave.com/t/subtitles-fullscreen-youtube-not-working/433770
- https://community.brave.com/t/youtube-captions-disappear-in-full-screen/171137
cc: @brave-matt
cc: @Mattches
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@Saoiray Thanks for opening the issue – will put this in front of the right eyes.
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