Using keyboard navagation in desktop/Mobile/tablet modes.

[Smitty018210 143]

I have had this issues forever, and it's been driving me nuts for years now. 

When navigating web app with keyboard (arrow keys, enter, etc) 

Sometimes(often) when you use either on these two options to go back to Previous page, emby loose "focus" and I have hit tab on click with mouse in order to navigate again.

• alt-left: navigate back
• alt-b: navigate back

Why does this happen and is there a fix? It happens in both desktop and Mobile/tablet modes. Tv mode doesn't seem to be affected by this.

[Luke 42077]

HI there, can you please provide a specific example?

How to Report a Problem

Thanks !

 

[Smitty018210 143]

32 minutes ago, Luke said:

HI there, can you please provide a specific example?

How to Report a Problem

Thanks !

 

 

I literally put example in post. 

When navigating web app with keyboard (arrow keys, enter, etc) 

Sometimes(often) when you use either on these two options to go back to Previous page, emby loose "focus" and I have hit tab or click with mouse in order to navigate again.

• alt-left: navigate back
• alt-b: navigate back

Edited October 27, 2025 by Smitty018210

[Luke 42077]

Can you please provide an exact example of specific steps to reproduce?

[Smitty018210 143]

1 hour ago, Luke said:

Can you please provide an exact example of specific steps to reproduce?

 

Use web app either in desktop and Mobile/tablet modes

use keyboard to navigate (arrow keys and enter key) into any tv series or movie 

use one of these options to go back to previous page

• alt-left: navigate back
• alt-b: navigate back
• hit esc button (adding this too) 

Navigating in and out of tv series or movies ( sometimes it takes a few times) 

Emby looses focus ( i don't know any other way to describe it) 

you either have to hit tab or use mouse and click on emby interface to regain focus 

At witch point you can again navigate with arrows keys again 

Happens over and over. 

 

Edited October 27, 2025 by Smitty018210

[Smitty018210 143]

On 10/27/2025 at 4:11 PM, Smitty018210 said:

 

Use web app either in desktop and Mobile/tablet modes

use keyboard to navigate (arrow keys and enter key) into any tv series or movie 

use one of these options to go back to previous page

• alt-left: navigate back
• alt-b: navigate back
• hit esc button (adding this too) 

Navigating in and out of tv series or movies ( sometimes it takes a few times) 

Emby looses focus ( i don't know any other way to describe it) 

you either have to hit tab or use mouse and click on emby interface to regain focus 

At witch point you can again navigate with arrows keys again 

Happens over and over. 

 

@Luke

Were you able to reproduce issues? 
 

[Luke 42077]

It's on our list for review, but what I can say is that the degree of support for this in non-TV mode will not be as much.

[Smitty018210 143]

20 minutes ago, Luke said:

It's on our list for review, but what I can say is that the degree of support for this in non-TV mode will not be as much.

May I ask why? 

[Smitty018210 143]

On 10/29/2025 at 1:49 PM, Smitty018210 said:

May I ask why? 

@Luke

Why wouldn't you (emby devs) want parity between the modes? 

Why limit better navigation to just TV mode? (keyboard/mouse, or remote control) 

That seems like an odd choice to make. Why would you want to limit users to one mode for better navigation options?   

 

[Luke 42077]

Yes it’s a nice ideal however it’s more complicated than that as non TV mode has other requirements to fulfill that sometimes conflict and are more important.

Add to that the fact that hardly anyone is using non tv mode this way.  A lot of people do use keyboard shortcuts of course but not many are fully navigating the app with directional inputs from screen to screen.

 One thing you could do is use TV mode and then lower the font size.

[Smitty018210 143]

2 hours ago, Luke said:

One thing you could do is use TV mode and then lower the font size.

@Luke

No, I can not do this, because you (emby devs) removed clickable headers from TV mode. 

Kinda sucks, I prefer to use keyboard/remote control navigation over using the mouse to go back and forth. 

2 hours ago, Luke said:

Yes it’s a nice ideal however it’s more complicated than that as non TV mode has other requirements to fulfill that sometimes conflict and are more important.

Add to that the fact that hardly anyone is using non tv mode this way.  A lot of people do use keyboard shortcuts of course but not many are fully navigating the app with directional inputs from screen to screen.

I guess I can understand this to a point (you have to manage your time/resources) but, having such an annoying/frustrating thing happen to any of your users/customers, even if the number is small, should be enough try and address the issue going forward. 

Edited October 31, 2025 by Smitty018210

[Luke 42077]

Maybe the clickable headers is where energy should be focused then.

[Smitty018210 143]

26 minutes ago, Luke said:

Maybe the clickable headers is where energy should be focused then.

@Luke

Yeah I've tried that..................

I for one would welcome their return to TV mode! 

 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I am still very sorry about being a jerk in that post. I was off my meds and having a tough go at the time. 

[Smitty018210 143]

@luke sorry to be a nag, but this navigation issue is driving me up the wall man. lol 

Please can we do something to improve this? 

[Smitty018210 143]

On 11/24/2025 at 9:13 AM, Smitty018210 said:

@luke sorry to be a nag, but this navigation issue is driving me up the wall man. lol 

Please can we do something to improve this? 

@Luke
 

Here I am hat in hand begging for some kind of fix for this. 
 

 

[visproduction 315]

Of interest - .js possible solution:

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/70309291/javascript-navigate-table-inputs-with-arrow-keys

document.addEventListener( 'keydown', ( event ) => {

  const currentInput = document.activeElement;
  const currentTd = currentInput.parentNode.parentNode;
  const currentTr = currentTd.parentNode;
  const index = Array.from(currentTr.children).indexOf(currentTd);

  switch (event.key) {
    case "ArrowLeft":
        // Left pressed
        currentTd.previousElementSibling.getElementsByTagName('input')[0].focus();
        break;
    case "ArrowRight":
        // Right pressed
        currentTd.nextElementSibling.getElementsByTagName('input')[0].focus();
        break;
    case "ArrowUp":
        // Up pressed
        Array.from( currentTr.previousElementSibling.children )[index].getElementsByTagName('input')[0].focus();
        break;
    case "ArrowDown":
        // Down pressed
        Array.from( currentTr.nextElementSibling.children )[index].getElementsByTagName('input')[0].focus();
        break;
  }
} )

 

[Smitty018210 143]

On 2/14/2026 at 11:40 AM, visproduction said:

Of interest - .js possible solution:

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/70309291/javascript-navigate-table-inputs-with-arrow-keys

document.addEventListener( 'keydown', ( event ) => {

  const currentInput = document.activeElement;
  const currentTd = currentInput.parentNode.parentNode;
  const currentTr = currentTd.parentNode;
  const index = Array.from(currentTr.children).indexOf(currentTd);

  switch (event.key) {
    case "ArrowLeft":
        // Left pressed
        currentTd.previousElementSibling.getElementsByTagName('input')[0].focus();
        break;
    case "ArrowRight":
        // Right pressed
        currentTd.nextElementSibling.getElementsByTagName('input')[0].focus();
        break;
    case "ArrowUp":
        // Up pressed
        Array.from( currentTr.previousElementSibling.children )[index].getElementsByTagName('input')[0].focus();
        break;
    case "ArrowDown":
        // Down pressed
        Array.from( currentTr.nextElementSibling.children )[index].getElementsByTagName('input')[0].focus();
        break;
  }
} )

 

Yeah I have no idea what any of these means and I have no desire to figure it out. 

No offense. This is an issue that the emby dev team "SHOULD" want to fix for everyone. Not just me. 

I shouldn't have to use some "hack" to get manageable keyboard and remove control use. 

Plus this would have to most likely be updated ever time emby released a new version. Right?

Yeah, thanks, but no thanks. 

Maybe someone else can use it though. 
 

[visproduction 315]

Smitty,

That code was for dev to consider, not a fix that you had to do.

[Smitty018210 143]

1 hour ago, visproduction said:

Smitty,

That code was for dev to consider, not a fix that you had to do.

ok