Instagram Reels Keyboard Controls (⏮ ⏯ ⏭)
Control Reels with your keyboard's ⏮ ⏯ ⏭ keys. Skip videos like skipping songs. All without leaving your IDE or touching your mouse.
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Why Mouse Control Breaks Flow
Clicking on the Reels player steals focus from your IDE
Every mouse movement to control video = context switch
Instagram's mobile-first UI is awkward with a mouse
No native keyboard shortcuts for Reels navigation
Browser media key support is inconsistent
Tab-switching to control video interrupts everything
System Keyboard Integration
Vibe Scroll registers as a media player with your OS. Your keyboard's ⏮ ⏯ ⏭ keys control Reels directly, working system-wide even when Instagram isn't focused.
Play/Pause Toggle
Press ⏯ to pause on that outfit inspo. Press again to resume. Respects user pause state.
Next Reel
Press ⏭ to skip to the next Reel immediately. Uses native buttons or scrollIntoView.
Previous Reel
Press ⏮ to go back. Missed that aesthetic content? One keystroke brings it back.
How It Works
System Registration
Uses souvlaki for OS integration (MPRemoteCommandCenter on macOS, SMTC on Windows, MPRIS on Linux).
Media Session Hijack
Registers handlers with the real mediaSession, then blocks Instagram from overriding them.
JavaScript Trigger
Backend calls __togglePlayback(), __triggerNextVideo(), __triggerPrevVideo() injected into Instagram.
Smart Control
For pause: Uses original pause method directly on video. For nav: Clicks buttons or uses scrollIntoView.
Why Developers Love This
Keyboard-First Control
Your hands stay on the keyboard. Control entertainment like you control Spotify.
Works System-Wide
Media keys work even when Vibe Scroll isn't focused. Keep coding while controlling Reels.
Cross-Platform
Same experience on macOS, Windows, and Linux. Any keyboard with media keys works.
User Pause Respected
When you manually pause, auto-advance won't resume until you explicitly play again.