Embedded videos break Windows 10 media keys

Bug reports
1

Steps to reproduce

  • Play an embedded YouTube video in Obsidian
  • Media keys will now only play/pause that video
  • Closing the tab will then cause the media keys to do nothing, even with other programs such as Spotify open.
  • Restarting Obsidian fixes the issue

Expected result

Closing the tab releases control to other programs such as Spotify.
If possible, a setting to disable Obsidian using media keys.

Actual result

Obsidian causes the media keys to stop working

Environment

  • Operating system: Windows 10
  • Debug info:
    SYSTEM INFO:
    Obsidian version: v1.1.9
    Installer version: v0.15.8
    Operating system: Windows 10 Education 10.0.19045
    Login status: logged in
    Catalyst license: none
    Insider build toggle: off
    Live preview: on
    Legacy editor: off
    Base theme: dark
    Community theme: none
    Snippets enabled: 2
    Restricted mode: off
    Plugins installed: 14
    Plugins enabled: 12
    1: Advanced Tables v0.18.1
    2: Paste URL into selection v1.7.0
    3: Templater v1.16.0
    4: Dataview v0.5.47
    5: Natural Language Dates v0.6.1
    6: PlantUML v1.6.6
    7: Emoji Shortcodes v2.2.0
    8: Projects v1.8.0
    9: Kindle Highlights v1.8.1
    10: Tracker v1.10.9
    11: Recent Files v1.3.5
    12: Settings Search v1.2.0

RECOMMENDATIONS:
Custom theme and snippets: for cosmetic issues, please first try updating your theme and disabling your snippets. If still not fixed, please try to make the issue happen in the Sandbox Vault or disable community theme and snippets.
Community plugins: for bugs, please first try updating all your plugins to latest. If still not fixed, please try to make the issue happen in the Sandbox Vault or disable community plugins.

Additional information

1 Like
2

I struggle with the same problem and just found a nice workaround on a MS help page:
If you add

-disable-features=HardwareMediaKeyHandling

to the end of Obsidian shortcut’s target path, (via right-click, properties, target…) then media keys are entirely disabled for Obsidian. It doesn’t 100% give your desired function (to use media keys while Obsidian is open) but it’s still a lot better than the default behavior. For me it’s perfect, as I want the media keys exclusively for controlling music in the background.

4 Likes