Problem speeding up youtube on windows.

By Ali Colak, 13 November, 2025

Forum
Windows

Hi all,
I'm using windows 11, latest version of firefox and NVDA. I have a problem on youtube, where sometimes the >(greater) key command for speeding up the video doesn't work, and the speed submenu has two radio buttons "normal and custom. When I try to click on the custom button, (I can see that there is a slider, and presumably I'm suppose to slide that slider to the speed I want) it doesn't work, I can't move the slider at all. The trouble is, the appearance of this submenu is unpredictable, one minute a video has this new speed submenu, but if I close and come back to the same video, I have the old one. So even if I wanted to report this to youtube, I'm not sure how. So my question: how do I work with the new slider, or make sure I constantly have the old one? I've tried pressing nvda+f2 to send the combination directly to the application, didn't change anything.
Thanks

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By Brian on Friday, November 14, 2025 - 20:53

I am running NVDA build 2025.3 on Windows 11 Build 25H2. Typically I use the Microsoft Edge YouTube app for streaming YouTube. However I gave this a go using Firefox as that is my primary Web Browser.
I'm not sure why some videos are not working for you, but going through a bunch of random videos off of the front page, as well as videos based off of a search, I am able to press Shift + (Comma) or Shift + (Period) to slow down or speed up videos respectfully, using either Firefox or my Edge app.

I would like to recommend that you back up your NVDA settings, and try running NVDA without any add-ons. See if playback speed is working this way. If so, it could be simply an add-on interfering with the keyboard controls.

My other thought would be to reset NVDA back to defaults, and see if playback speed is working for YouTube videos.

HTH.

By Ali Colak on Friday, November 14, 2025 - 22:54

Thanks,
But doesn't work. Not even switching to jaws works, though It doesn't happen on chrome for some reason. Refreshing the page makes it go away though, so I guess I'll have to refresh when ever I want to speed up a video.

By Brian on Saturday, November 15, 2025 - 01:22

Out of curiosity, are you switching from Browse Mode to Focus Mode before trying the HotKey? In other words, pressing NVDA plus Spacebar. If you're in Browse Mode, pressing the HotKeys will not work. However, if you are in Focus Mode, they will work just fine. Or at least, they should work just fine. I may have forgotten to mention that above, so my apologies there.
So give this a try. Open up Firefox, or whichever browser you want. Go to YouTube and load up any video. When the video starts playing, press your NVDA key plus Spacebar one time. You should hear a sound effect, almost like a typing sound.
Next, and of course while the video is still playing, hold shift, and keep pressing your Comma key or Period key. That would be your less than and greater than keys. You should notice your video slowing down or speeding up immediately. No need for buttons and sliders.

HTH

By Ali Colak on Saturday, November 15, 2025 - 04:34

Browse Mode on NVDA and ctrl+z on jaws is how it would work, followed by ctrl+shift+period. Or at least that's how I made it work previously. But its not just the key that doesn't work. The classic speed submenu would be one where you would have several radio buttons for the speeds, and you could select the speed you desire. The new one is one where you have a normal radio button, and a custom button with an attached slider, which I cannot slide. The weird part is that it keeps switching between the old system and the new one.

By Brian on Saturday, November 15, 2025 - 12:49

I mean if it's not working with NVDA, JAWS, or even Windows Narrator, then it's likely server side and there's not really much you can do about it, except writing to Google.
However as I mentioned above, using Firefox and NVDA, Shift plus Less Than, or, Shift plus Greater Than, is speeding up the videos in real time, without issue. However, this only works when I am in, Focus Mode, where you press Shift plus Spacebar until you hear a typing sound effect.
As far as I can tell, that is how most web-based hot keys work with NVDA. I cannot speak for Jaws, but narrator also seems to work like this as well.

I still think it might be worth it to try running NVDA in no add-on mode, or factory resetting your configuration. Just my two cents I suppose. 🤷🏻‍♂️