Hey everyone, I’m having trouble with embedded Google Drive videos on my Blogspot site when viewed on an iPad. Here’s what I’ve noticed:
- PC browsers work fine - fullscreen and video controls are available
- iPad Safari shows video controls but no fullscreen option
- Mercury Browser (iPhone user-agent) allows fullscreen but hides video controls
- Google Drive app lacks video controls but supports fullscreen
- Puffin browser works fully but has performance issues
I’m using a standard iframe embed code for the video. Why can’t Safari on iPad go fullscreen? Is there a way to fix this with different embed code, or do we need to wait for an iOS update?
It’s frustrating because YouTube embeds work perfectly on iPad Safari. Any ideas on how to get both fullscreen and video controls working for Google Drive videos on iPad? Thanks for any help!
hmm, that’s a tricky one. Have u tried using a different embed method, like maybe the Google Drive API? sometimes those work better on mobile. also, might be worth checkin if theres any js libraries that could help smooth out cross-browser issues. just a thought!
I’ve encountered similar issues with Google Drive embeds on iPads. Unfortunately, it seems to be a limitation with how Safari on iOS handles certain iframe embeds. One workaround I’ve had some success with is using a custom HTML5 video player instead of the default iframe. You’ll need to get the direct video file URL from Google Drive and implement a player like Video.js or Plyr. This approach gives you more control over the player interface and fullscreen behavior. It requires a bit more setup, but it’s worth exploring if fullscreen functionality is critical for your site visitors on iPads.
As someone who’s dealt with this exact issue, I feel your pain! The iPad Safari situation with Google Drive embeds is maddening. One solution that worked for me was switching to a direct link format instead of the iframe. It’s a bit of a hassle, but here’s what I did:
- Get the file ID from your Google Drive share link
- Use this format: https://drive.google.com/uc?export=download&id=YOUR_FILE_ID
This bypasses some of the embed restrictions and often plays nice with iPad Safari. You’ll need to adjust your embed code, but it’s worth a shot if you’re pulling your hair out like I was.
Another thing to consider is hosting the videos elsewhere if possible. Vimeo’s embed player tends to behave better across devices in my experience. Good luck!