8

Recently Facebook added a feature that if I play a video and switch to another tab or a different program from chrome, the video stops playing.

Is there a way to force it to keep playing?

I use Chrome and I don't have flash.

This is not enough to disable that feature:

document.addEventListener('visibilitychange', function(e){
  e.stopPropagation();
  e.preventDefault();
  return false;
})
4
  • Do you know the method Facebook uses to detect a tab is no longer in front? Have you tried a different browser? Oct 27, 2017 at 20:32
  • Their code is obfuscated. And it looks like it doesn't happen on firefox. @music2myear
    – shinzou
    Oct 27, 2017 at 20:39
  • I'd guess it's javascript, though I suppose HTML5 may include the ability to query the tab state as well. Or, at least, it would surprise me if HTML5 lacked this. Oct 27, 2017 at 20:50
  • I had uBlock origin on firefox enabled and on chrome it was disabled on facebook, enabled it again and now this stupid feature doesn't work. @music2myear
    – shinzou
    Oct 27, 2017 at 20:53

3 Answers 3

6

I just enabled uBlock origin on Facebook again and now I can play videos in the background.

Seriously Facebook, what the hell?

3
  • Why are you blaming Facebook? That's actually a rather convenient feature for most people. uBlock Origin is likely blocking the element(s) Facebook uses for the detection. Oct 27, 2017 at 20:55
  • 7
    Because it's a very annoying feature that was obviously intended to make sure people actually watch ads, I just want to have a vid playing in the background and to listen to it, that's a fair expectation IMO, taking that option away is not cool.
    – shinzou
    Oct 27, 2017 at 21:48
  • Most people? Wow I am not among the most then. And why is it convenient? I would love to know what is wrong in my brain thinking this is useless.
    – tom10271
    Aug 3, 2022 at 8:15
2

Here's another simple workaround to execute in the dev console:

document.onblur = null
document.onvisibilitychange = null
-1

I developed chrome extension for this :) https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/facebook-allow-background/fkbfhbmobnjpcbpjegogifoeidhmnlel?hl=en

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