Description of the issue: iPad , Brave still uses Apple’s native fullscreen for YouTube instead of the proper in-browser web app fullscreen . This breaks functionality — no captions, no playback options, just plain video.
Before devs/users say “this not a Brave thing,it is an Apple’s thing” (as seen in dozens of past threads from 202 till 2025 January), I’ve checked extensively. Orion browser (also WebKit-based) supports YouTube fullscreen correctly — just like on desktop. A quick search shows several other iPad browsers do as well.
So no, this isn’t an Apple issue — it’s a Brave issue . If other browsers can implement it, Why is Brave browser not able to rectify this.
How can this issue be reproduced?
visit www.youtube.com
turn on CC on any video and make it full screen
CC’s will not be displayed
Expected result: It should use the web based full-screen, not apple’s native full screen
Mobile Device details : iPadOS / iOS
That is correct – we do not yet support full screen HTML API yet. We do have an open issue for this here:
opened 09:06PM - 18 Apr 24 UTC
OS/iOS
## Description:
- Youtube in Fullscreen in Brave does not show captions.
- It… shows in Safari.
- This is due to Brave using the native video player that WebKit spawns vs. Safari using the expanded `div.requestFullscreen` to request FS on a div-tag.
## Steps to Reproduce
1. Enable Captions on a Youtube video.
2. Enter fullscreen on iPad on Youtube.
## Actual result:
- No captions on the video
## Expected result:
- Should have captions
## Reproduces how often: [Easily reproduced, Intermittent Issue]
- Easily reproduced
## Brave Version:
- All
### Device details:
- iPad only
### Website problems only:
- Youtube issue only
@arpanks did you ever actually try it? Check this out:
@Mattches check Github below. Am curious how that correlates to the one you showed, but it’s seeming to be closed and unplanned.
opened 01:12AM - 23 Jun 25 UTC
closed 02:55PM - 03 Jul 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.app/t/subtitles-for-full-screen-youtube-videos/627618
- https://community.brave.app/t/closed-captions-in-youtube/624076
- https://community.brave.app/t/no-captions-in-landscape-mode/622710
- https://community.brave.app/t/feedback-regarding-the-fullscreen-behavior-of-youtube-videos-within-the-brave-browser-on-ios/615227
- https://community.brave.app/t/captions-disappear-when-using-youtube-in-fullscreen/544644
- https://community.brave.app/t/no-subtitles-on-youtube-videos/524135
- https://community.brave.app/t/i-problem-on-youtube/489273
- https://community.brave.app/t/youtube-fullscreen-subtitles/478940
- https://community.brave.app/t/youtube-captions-disappear-with-full-screen/441983
- https://community.brave.app/t/subtitles-fullscreen-youtube-not-working/433770
- https://community.brave.app/t/youtube-captions-disappear-in-full-screen/171137
cc: @brave-matt
Perhaps it’s iPhone vs iPad difference, but wanted to make sure to mention. I know this has come up multiple times.
But Firefox, Brave, Chrome, Safari, Orion, Vivaldi, and any browser I have tested on iOS all work the same way.
Yep, I knew several users like you will say this. So tried and tested, specifically talking about iPadOS.
Been struggling with making Orion and several others browser, behave like Brave, for more than 1 Year, had to write this.
P.S. We all can see edit history, so hold it and analyse things before writing
system
September 7, 2025, 9:59am
6
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