Is there a way to pause a YouTube video in Google Chrome using AppleScript?

Question

What I'm trying is to type tell application "Google Chrome" to pause and make audio or video in Google Chrome pause. It wouldn't work, since it thinks pause is a variable.

Is there any way to either pause audio or video in all applications or just Google Chrome?

Answer 1

My solution consists of running 2 AppleScript in a specific environment.

It works for me using 1 window of Brave Browser(I think it is the same for google chrome) with 2 tabs on youtube.

First script force opening Brave browser, second run keystroke "K"

tell application "Brave Browser"
if it is not running then launch
activate
end tell


tell application "System Events"
keystroke "k"
end tell

I have created a Quick Action on Automator and then I have followed this answer: https://apple.stackexchange.com/a/401262

And when trying to test it as a Keyboard Shortcut when using another Application, I was receiving an error like this "com.automator.runner.xpc is not allowed to send keystrokes", so I realised that I need to give accessibility privileges(on Security and Privacy) to all applications I want the script to work.

And After that, it works, but sometimes it gives the same error and it works again after some minutes(and never come back again) so I think this can help someone too.

This will pause or play the youtube video on the tab of the Brave Browser that is active.

Answer 2

From comments:

The following example AppleScript code will play/pause a YouTube video in the active tab of the front window of Google Chrome: tell application "Google Chrome" to tell active tab of front window to execute javascript "document.getElementsByClassName('ytp-play-button ytp-button')[0].click();"

@user3439894 this one works perfectly, since I only want to pause the video in the active tab. Is there any way to check if the video is paused so it doesn't unpause a video? Also could you write this comment as an answer so I can accept it as the correct answer?

There may be an easier way using JavaScript to ascertain if the active tab of the front window in Google Chrome has a YouTube video playing, however, as I do not know the code for it, here is a way that works for me.

The following example AppleScript code, shown below, was tested in Script Editor under macOS Catalina 10.15.7 and macOS Big Sur 11.2.3 using Google Chrome (Version 90.0.4430.93 (Official Build) (x86_64)) with Language & Region settings in System Preferences set to English (US) — Primary and worked for me without issue¹.

• ¹ _{Assumes necessary and appropriate setting in System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Privacy have been set/addressed as needed.}

---

Example AppleScript code:

if not running of ¬
    application "Google Chrome" then return

tell application "Google Chrome"
    if (window count) = 0 then return
    set atx to the active tab index of its front window
end tell

tell application "System Events"
    --  # macOS Big Sur System Events bug issue.
    --  # If running macOS Big Sur, uncomment the next 
    --  # two lines if System Events reports an error.
    -- run
    -- delay 0.5
    tell application process "Chrome"
        if (the value of ¬
            attribute "AXTitle" of ¬
            radio button atx of ¬
            tab group 1 of ¬
            group 1 of ¬
            the front window) ¬
            does not end with "Audio playing" then return
    end tell
end tell

tell application "Google Chrome" to ¬
    tell the active tab of its front window to ¬
        execute javascript ¬
            "document.getElementsByClassName('ytp-play-button ytp-button')[0].click();"

---

Notes:

As coded, the execute javascript only happens if there is a YouTube video playing in the active tab of the front window of Google Chrome, thus pausing it. The code, as coded, cannot cause a paused video to play, regardless of the active tab or any tab of any window.

The -- # macOS Big Sur System Events bug issue. section in the example AppleScript code is an attempted workaround to a System Events issue in macOS Big Sur, in that the exact same code without it runs without issue in macOS Catalina and may not work or needs adjusting. I am still trying to troubleshoot the issue in general. In my experience the issue has not been reproducible at will and as such alternate methods may have to be used if issue continues and cannot be diagnosed.

Use of other than exact versions tested under may be partially to blame for some errors, especially any that involve a change in the hierarchical UI element structure in any UI Scripting scenario using System Events.

• Is there any way to either pause audio or video in all applications or just Google Chrome?

  • Typically pressing the Play/Pause key on the keyboard should pause a video in Google Chrome, and most other apps as well.

• It wouldn't work, since it thinks pause is a variable.

  • pause is not part of the AppleScript dictionary in Google Chrome and why it shows as a variable.

In Google Chrome, running AppleScript code containing JavaScript needs the Allow JavaScript from Apple Events menu item checked under: View > Developer -- Note that this used to be the default, however, at some time is was changed. For more information: https://support.google.com/chrome/?p=applescript

---

_{Note: The example AppleScript code is just that and sans any included error handling does not contain any additional error handling as may be appropriate. The onus is upon the user to add any error handling as may be appropriate, needed or wanted. Have a look at the try statement and error statement in the AppleScript Language Guide. See also, Working with Errors. Additionally, the use of the delay command may be necessary between events where appropriate, e.g. delay 0.5, with the value of the delay set appropriately.}

Answer 3

This following AppleScript code will pause or play any instance of a YouTube video in any tab of any window in Google Chrome (whether visible or not).

pauseOrPlayYoutubeInChrome("ytp-play-button ytp-button", 0)

to pauseOrPlayYoutubeInChrome(theClassName, elementnum)
    tell application "Google Chrome"
        set youtubeTabsRef to a reference to (tabs of windows whose URL contains "youtube")
        repeat with youtubeTabs in youtubeTabsRef
            execute youtubeTabs javascript "document.getElementsByClassName('" & ¬
                theClassName & "')[" & elementnum & "].click();"
        end repeat
    end tell
end pauseOrPlayYoutubeInChrome