Feature Detect Autoplay HTML5 Audio - Audio on Mobile Browsers

Question

So I have a site where users would want to demo audio output produced by a server side script. They select some options and hit a create button. I then AJAX in a HTML5 audio element in with the autoplay attribute set to true. This works great on desktops, not so much on mobile.

My workaround until now was to use a PHP code snippet to determine from the user-agent string whether the device accessing my site was a mobile device. I would then display the HTML5 audio player so the user could hit the play button to still play the audio.

The thing is, user-agent string to detect mobile is now not working for newer phones. So my bad practice has finally come back to haunt me. Is there a way to feature detect for the ability to autoplay audio?

Answer 1

Yes, there are indeed ways to do so.

The following is a short tried-and-tested example of detecting browser support of the autoplay attribute which you could use for both desktop and mobile browsers featured on GitHub .

The example is as follows, with comments from myself explaining how it works:

var AUTOPLAY = false; // A flag to be used in the anonymous function

(function() {

    // Audio file data URIs; MP3 + OGG
    var mp3 = 'data:audio/mpeg;base64,/+MYxAAAAANIAUAAAASEEB/jwOFM/0MM/90b/+RhST//w4NFwOjf///PZu////9lns5GFDv//l9GlUIEEIAAAgIg8Ir/JGq3/+MYxDsLIj5QMYcoAP0dv9HIjUcH//yYSg+CIbkGP//8w0bLVjUP///3Z0x5QCAv/yLjwtGKTEFNRTMuOTeqqqqqqqqqqqqq/+MYxEkNmdJkUYc4AKqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqq';
    var ogg = 'data:audio/ogg;base64,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';

    try {
        var audio = new Audio(); // Construct new Audio object
        var src = audio.canPlayType('audio/ogg') ? ogg : mp3; // Ternary statement determining the value of the src variable, which will be either ogg or mp3.
        audio.autoplay = true; // Set autoplay to true

        // This event will only be triggered if setting the autoplay attribute to true works.             
        $(audio).on('play', function() {
            AUTOPLAY = true; // Set the global flag to true, indicating we have support.
        });

        audio.src = src; // Set the audio objects src to the value of the src variable.
    } catch(e) {
        console.log('[AUTOPLAY-ERROR]', e);
        // This means we were unsuccessful - this browser doesn't support the autoplay attribute.
    }
})(); // Invoke anonymous function.

There is an example of this snippet in-use over at PicDinner.com

For the slightly modified version the OP used for his particular use-case, check his answer .

Answer 2

Here is the html page I used to test for autoplay.

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
    <head>
        <script src="//ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.9.1/jquery.min.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
        <script>
            var AUTOPLAY = false;

            $(function() {

                $("#message").html("AUTOPLAY = FALSE");

                // Audio file data URIs from comments in
                // [this gist](https://gist.github.com/westonruter/253174)
                // via [mudcube](https://github.com/mudcube)
                var mp3 = 'data:audio/mpeg;base64,/+MYxAAAAANIAUAAAASEEB/jwOFM/0MM/90b/+RhST//w4NFwOjf///PZu////9lns5GFDv//l9GlUIEEIAAAgIg8Ir/JGq3/+MYxDsLIj5QMYcoAP0dv9HIjUcH//yYSg+CIbkGP//8w0bLVjUP///3Z0x5QCAv/yLjwtGKTEFNRTMuOTeqqqqqqqqqqqqq/+MYxEkNmdJkUYc4AKqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqq';

                var ogg = 'data:audio/ogg;base64,T2dnUwACAAAAAAAAAADqnjMlAAAAAOyyzPIBHgF2b3JiaXMAAAAAAUAfAABAHwAAQB8AAEAfAACZAU9nZ1MAAAAAAAAAAAAA6p4zJQEAAAANJGeqCj3//////////5ADdm9yYmlzLQAAAFhpcGguT3JnIGxpYlZvcmJpcyBJIDIwMTAxMTAxIChTY2hhdWZlbnVnZ2V0KQAAAAABBXZvcmJpcw9CQ1YBAAABAAxSFCElGVNKYwiVUlIpBR1jUFtHHWPUOUYhZBBTiEkZpXtPKpVYSsgRUlgpRR1TTFNJlVKWKUUdYxRTSCFT1jFloXMUS4ZJCSVsTa50FkvomWOWMUYdY85aSp1j1jFFHWNSUkmhcxg6ZiVkFDpGxehifDA6laJCKL7H3lLpLYWKW4q91xpT6y2EGEtpwQhhc+211dxKasUYY4wxxsXiUyiC0JBVAAABAABABAFCQ1YBAAoAAMJQDEVRgNCQVQBABgCAABRFcRTHcRxHkiTLAkJDVgEAQAAAAgAAKI7hKJIjSZJkWZZlWZameZaouaov+64u667t6roOhIasBACAAAAYRqF1TCqDEEPKQ4QUY9AzoxBDDEzGHGNONKQMMogzxZAyiFssLqgQBKEhKwKAKAAAwBjEGGIMOeekZFIi55iUTkoDnaPUUcoolRRLjBmlEluJMYLOUeooZZRCjKXFjFKJscRUAABAgAMAQICFUGjIigAgCgCAMAYphZRCjCnmFHOIMeUcgwwxxiBkzinoGJNOSuWck85JiRhjzjEHlXNOSuekctBJyaQTAAAQ4AAAEGAhFBqyIgCIEwAwSJKmWZomipamiaJniqrqiaKqWp5nmp5pqqpnmqpqqqrrmqrqypbnmaZnmqrqmaaqiqbquqaquq6nqrZsuqoum65q267s+rZru77uqapsm6or66bqyrrqyrbuurbtS56nqqKquq5nqq6ruq5uq65r25pqyq6purJtuq4tu7Js664s67pmqq5suqotm64s667s2rYqy7ovuq5uq7Ks+6os+75s67ru2rrwi65r66os674qy74x27bwy7ouHJMnqqqnqq7rmarrqq5r26rr2rqmmq5suq4tm6or26os67Yry7aumaosm64r26bryrIqy77vyrJui67r66Ys67oqy8Lu6roxzLat+6Lr6roqy7qvyrKuu7ru+7JuC7umqrpuyrKvm7Ks+7auC8us27oxuq7vq7It/KosC7+u+8Iy6z5jdF1fV21ZGFbZ9n3d95Vj1nVhWW1b+V1bZ7y+bgy7bvzKrQvLstq2scy6rSyvrxvDLux8W/iVmqratum6um7Ksq/Lui60dd1XRtf1fdW2fV+VZd+3hV9pG8OwjK6r+6os68Jry8ov67qw7MIvLKttK7+r68ow27qw3L6wLL/uC8uq277v6rrStXVluX2fsSu38QsAABhwAAAIMKEMFBqyIgCIEwBAEHIOKQahYgpCCKGkEEIqFWNSMuakZM5JKaWUFEpJrWJMSuaclMwxKaGUlkopqYRSWiqlxBRKaS2l1mJKqcVQSmulpNZKSa2llGJMrcUYMSYlc05K5pyUklJrJZXWMucoZQ5K6iCklEoqraTUYuacpA46Kx2E1EoqMZWUYgupxFZKaq2kFGMrMdXUWo4hpRhLSrGVlFptMdXWWqs1YkxK5pyUzDkqJaXWSiqtZc5J6iC01DkoqaTUYiopxco5SR2ElDLIqJSUWiupxBJSia20FGMpqcXUYq4pxRZDSS2WlFosqcTWYoy1tVRTJ6XFklKMJZUYW6y5ttZqDKXEVkqLsaSUW2sx1xZjjqGkFksrsZWUWmy15dhayzW1VGNKrdYWY40x5ZRrrT2n1mJNMdXaWqy51ZZbzLXnTkprpZQWS0oxttZijTHmHEppraQUWykpxtZara3FXEMpsZXSWiypxNhirLXFVmNqrcYWW62ltVprrb3GVlsurdXcYqw9tZRrrLXmWFNtBQAADDgAAASYUAYKDVkJAEQBAADGMMYYhEYpx5yT0ijlnHNSKucghJBS5hyEEFLKnINQSkuZcxBKSSmUklJqrYVSUmqttQIAAAocAAACbNCUWByg0JCVAEAqAIDBcTRNFFXVdX1fsSxRVFXXlW3jVyxNFFVVdm1b+DVRVFXXtW3bFn5NFFVVdmXZtoWiqrqybduybgvDqKqua9uybeuorqvbuq3bui9UXVmWbVu3dR3XtnXd9nVd+Bmzbeu2buu+8CMMR9/4IeTj+3RCCAAAT3AAACqwYXWEk6KxwEJDVgIAGQAAgDFKGYUYM0gxphhjTDHGmAAAgAEHAIAAE8pAoSErAoAoAADAOeecc84555xzzjnnnHPOOeecc44xxhhjjDHGGGOMMcYYY4wxxhhjjDHGGGOMMcYYY0wAwE6EA8BOhIVQaMhKACAcAABACCEpKaWUUkoRU85BSSmllFKqFIOMSkoppZRSpBR1lFJKKaWUIqWgpJJSSimllElJKaWUUkoppYw6SimllFJKKaWUUkoppZRSSimllFJKKaWUUkoppZRSSimllFJKKaWUUkoppZRSSimllFJKKaWUUkoppZRSSimllFJKKaVUSimllFJKKaWUUkoppRQAYPLgAACVYOMMK0lnhaPBhYasBAByAwAAhRiDEEJpraRUUkolVc5BKCWUlEpKKZWUUqqYgxBKKqmlklJKKbXSQSihlFBKKSWUUkooJYQQSgmhlFRCK6mEUkoHoYQSQimhhFRKKSWUzkEoIYUOQkmllNRCSB10VFIpIZVSSiklpZQ6CKGUklJLLZVSWkqpdBJSKamV1FJqqbWSUgmhpFZKSSWl0lpJJbUSSkklpZRSSymFVFJJJYSSUioltZZaSqm11lJIqZWUUkqppdRSSiWlkEpKqZSSUmollZRSaiGVlEpJKaTUSimlpFRCSamlUlpKLbWUSkmptFRSSaWUlEpJKaVSSksppRJKSqmllFpJKYWSUkoplZJSSyW1VEoKJaWUUkmptJRSSymVklIBAEAHDgAAAUZUWoidZlx5BI4oZJiAAgAAQABAgAkgMEBQMApBgDACAQAAAADAAAAfAABHARAR0ZzBAUKCwgJDg8MDAAAAAAAAAAAAAACAT2dnUwAEAAAAAAAAAADqnjMlAgAAADzQPmcBAQA=';

                try 
                {
                    var audio = new Audio();
                    var src = audio.canPlayType('audio/ogg') ? ogg : mp3;
                    audio.autoplay = true;
                    audio.volume = 0;

                    $("#message").html("AUTOPLAY = FALSE");

                    // this will only be triggered if autoplay works
                    $(audio).on('play', function() {
                        AUTOPLAY = true;
                        $("#message").html('AUTOPLAY = TRUE');
                    });

                    audio.src = src;
                } 
                catch(e) 
                {
                    $("#message").html('[AUTOPLAY-ERROR]'+e);
                }
            });
        </script>
    </head>
    <body>
        <div id="message">

        </div>
    </body>
</html>

Answer 3

Help for future answer seekers, an ideal way to check if auto-play supported or not by the browsers/devices:

var promise = document.getElementById('video').play();

if( typeof promise !== 'undefined' ) {
    promise.then(function() {
        // auto-play started!
    }).catch(function(error) {
        // auto-play failed
    });
}

Please note, media play promise is not supported by all browsers yet. In case if browser doesn't support it, it will return undefined .

Answer 4

http://modernizr.com/应该拥有实现自动播放音频检测所需的一切

Answer 5

Use http://detectmobilebrowsers.com/ and choice node.js for run in server side.

Ideal for performance would be to create native mobile apps for specific platforms. There are several options how to build crossplatform Xamarin, Icenium, PhoneGap, AppCelerator, Corona, said, among other. Also leave your system more "professional" and would be more practical for the user to enter the application instead of entering the browser to access the site. This is my opinion.