Safari video control tab not visible when moving mouse
in the new Safari 26.5.2 the control tab for a video is not visible any more by just moving the mouse pad
Question marked as
This is a known behavior change in Safari 26 (part of macOS Tahoe's redesigned Safari). The video controls overlay behavior was updated, and some users have noticed that the control bar no longer appears just from moving the mouse — it now requires a more intentional hover or interaction.
Things to try:
1. Hover directly over the video element
Make sure your cursor is positioned directly on top of the video itself. In Safari 26, the controls may require the cursor to be centered or within the active video area — not on the edges or near the tab/address bar.
2. Try clicking once on the video first
A single click (not double-click, which may toggle fullscreen) can sometimes activate the control bar, which then stays visible when you hover.
3. Check if Reduce Motion is enabled
Go to System Settings > Accessibility > Display > reduce motion. If enabled, it can affect how overlays appear in Safari.
4. Reset Safari settings
- Go to Safari > Settings > Advanced and check any settings that may affect video behavior
- You can also try Safari > Settings > Websites > Auto-Play to see if it affects control visibility
5. Clear Safari cache
Safari > Settings > Advanced > Show Develop menu, then Develop > Empty Caches. Then reload the page.
6. Submit feedback to Apple
If this is a regression from previous behavior, report it at https://feedbackassistant.apple.com so Apple engineers can address it in a future Safari update.
This appears to be a UI change in Safari 26 rather than a bug, but Apple may refine the behavior based on user feedback.