The Media Session API lets a web app provide playback metadata and respond to media controls exposed by a browser or operating system. With it, users may be able to see a podcast’s title and artwork in a media interface and control playback from places such as a keyboard, headset, notification, or lock screen. The browser and device decide which surfaces and controls to show; the API does not guarantee the same interface everywhere.
What the Media Session API does
The API connects a page’s media player to browser- and platform-level media experiences. Your app supplies information about the current item and registers handlers for actions it can perform. A browser may then surface that information and route supported controls back to the page.
The W3C Media Working Group’s 5 June 2026 Working Draft describes the goal as showing customized metadata, customizing available platform controls, and accessing media keys such as keyboard, headset, notification-area, and mobile lock-screen controls. It is a draft, not a promise that every browser exposes each feature.
Possible surfaces include a desktop media hub, notification, lock screen, wearable, or picture-in-picture interface. Which surfaces appear—and whether they show artwork, chapters, or playback position—depends on the browser, operating system, device, and their conventions.
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Check availability before using it
The page-level entry point is navigator.mediaSession. Check for it before setting metadata or handlers:
if ("mediaSession" in navigator) {
// Configure metadata and supported action handlers here.
}MDN labels the Navigator.mediaSession property Baseline and widely available since September 2021. That does not mean every method, action, or platform presentation works consistently: MDN’s broader Media Session API overview marks the API as limited availability and not Baseline. Test the browser and device combinations your users rely on.
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Set metadata for the currently playing item
When playback starts, set navigator.mediaSession.metadata to a MediaMetadata object. Update it whenever the current track, episode, or other media item changes. Common fields are title, artist, album, and artwork; chapter details are also documented. The browser or platform may choose to display some or all of this information.
if ("mediaSession" in navigator) {
navigator.mediaSession.metadata = new MediaMetadata({
title: "Episode title",
artist: "Podcast name",
album: "Season or series",
artwork: [
{ src: "/artwork-96.png", sizes: "96x96", type: "image/png" },
{ src: "/artwork-512.png", sizes: "512x512", type: "image/png" }
]
});
}Supply accurate metadata rather than relying on browser fallback information: fallback behavior is not uniform. Metadata is shared with platform interfaces, so avoid exposing details users would not expect to appear there. The W3C draft specifically calls for care with metadata in incognito mode and recommends making the originating site clear to reduce spoofing risk.
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Connect platform controls to your player
Use setActionHandler(action, handler) to connect actions to the same playback functions your app uses internally. Depending on implementation, actions can include play, pause, previoustrack, nexttrack, seekbackward, seekforward, seekto, and stop. The W3C draft lists additional actions, including picture-in-picture and call-related controls, but their presence in the draft does not mean a browser supports or exposes them.
if ("mediaSession" in navigator) {
const session = navigator.mediaSession;
for (const [action, handler] of [
["play", () => player.play()],
["pause", () => player.pause()],
["previoustrack", () => playPrevious()],
["nexttrack", () => playNext()]
]) {
try {
session.setActionHandler(action, handler);
} catch {
// This browser does not accept this action.
}
}
}This pattern follows the web.dev implementation guide: guard registration because some actions may be unsupported. Register only actions the player can honor; a registered handler advertises that capability and can influence which controls the browser offers. If an action stops being relevant—for example, there is no next item at the end of a playlist—remove its handler by setting it to null.
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Keep the session in sync with real playback. A play or pause request from a headset or keyboard should call the player’s actual play or pause behavior, and changes in playback should be reflected in the app. Media keys may be routed to whichever page the user agent considers the active media session, not necessarily whichever page most recently registered a handler.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Handle seeking and playback position carefully
For seek actions, use the details passed to the handler rather than assuming a fixed interval. A handler can use a supplied seek offset; the web.dev guide gives 10 seconds as an example fallback when an offset is absent, not as a universal requirement.
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- ⭐ IMPORTANT NOTICE: To replace the battery of your Bluetooth media button remote control, please follow these steps: 1. Rotate the top border counterclockwise by about 30 degrees to separate it from the lower border. 2. Carefully unscrew the four small screws with a precision screwdriver. 3. Gently remove the circuit board - mark its orientation before removal to ensure proper installation during reassembly. 4. Replace with a new CR2032 battery. 5. Reinstall in reverse order to ensure that the printed circuit board is placed in the correct direction.
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If the app reports playback position, keep duration, current position, and playback rate valid, and refresh the position state after seeking or changing playback rate. The browser’s interface and support for showing that position remain platform-dependent.
Understand active sessions, tabs, and embedded media
Several tabs or documents can have media sessions, but the page cannot force itself to own system controls. The user agent selects at most one active session for platform presentation and action routing. The W3C draft recommends that browsers consider audio focus and user experience when making that choice.
For embedded media, the web.dev guide says metadata must be set from the embedded context. Treat that as implementation guidance rather than a universal rule: test the specific browser and embedding arrangement your product uses.
Test the experience users will actually get
There is no single support matrix that captures all combinations of property availability, actions, and platform UI. Test on your target browser, operating system, and device, including relevant embedded contexts. Check these separately:
- Whether
navigator.mediaSessionexists. - Which action handlers the browser accepts.
- Which media surfaces the browser and operating system expose.
- Whether artwork, chapters, or playback position appear as expected.
- How controls behave with multiple tabs and embedded playback.
Use feature detection, catch rejected action registrations, and provide the normal in-page player as the dependable control path. The Media Session API enhances playback beyond the page; it does not replace the player or guarantee that a particular lock-screen or notification design will appear.
Quick Recap
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