Keyboard navigation not working in Zoom Apps (including official Zoom apps)

Zoom Apps
1

I’ve noticed that basic keyboard navigation does not work properly inside Zoom Apps, including official Zoom apps like Timer, Music, Virtual Backgrounds and apps like Google Drive. Is this a known limitation or a bug in the Zoom Apps environment?

1 Like
2

hi @Nuno ,

Good question. Those apps are all running in a separate browser window, so they would have to address this themselves.
Maybe this is also blocked due to the hotkey functions?

I dont know that exact code to confirm this.

All the best

John

3

Thanks @expertswho . Just to clarify: I’m currently developing a Zoom App, and when I run it in a normal browser window the keyboard navigation works perfectly. The problem only happens when it runs inside Zoom as a Zoom App – there the keyboard navigation behaves really poorly. To make sure it wasn’t just my app, I also tested several other apps and none of them have correct keyboard navigation either.

4

@Nuno ,

Zoom is made of many chrome-like windows.

That specific window would have to be active to take key input.
otherwise I do not expect it to work.
It is a limitation of the way Zoom is setup

All the best

John

5

I understand this is a Zoom limitation, but it makes it impossible to build an accessible app. Are there any plans to tackle this? @expertswho

6

hi @Nuno ,

Well you can put a case forward, but I think it could be a design issue that may not be able to fix.

Can I suggest a pivot.
If you want to create some accessioble options for Zoom. Get a Elgato StreamDeck and see what control options there are for that. I use these devices for livestreaming and often never look at the contorls and use touch.
As I write this I remember there are software options too.

I have a blind friend that has audio queues from his PC and uses zoom.

There is a communications langaue call OSC and with that you can control zoom and many autio amd video devices. Set that all up for accessiblty in mind and you could have some pretty impressive things.

This does not stop you writing an app for adding your own features to this ecosystem using a Zoom App, Zoom has an OSC app, so does elgato and I have two of my own in development.

Hope that helps

John

7

Thanks for the suggestions, but my app is not about creating alternative accessible controls for Zoom itself. It’s just a normal Zoom App (in my case it renders graphics on top of the user’s camera), and I simply want anyone to be able to use it. Without basic keyboard navigation, that’s impossible.

This feels like a core platform accessibility issue in the Zoom Apps environment that Zoom should review and address on their side.

@expertswho

8

hi @Nuno ,

Have been thinking about this.

I dont think this will be easy to setup as you ask. If your app does not have focus, you will miss keystrokes.
How could zoom decide which “window” should see a keystroke?

I hear your frustration, but I feel I need to champion a more open solution.

I am going to speak to engineering about the Zoom hotkey feature and find if we can possible extend that so apps can take certain keystrokes.

All the best

John

9

Quick update: this ended up being on my side. I had only tested keyboard navigation in Chrome, where everything works fine. On macOS the Zoom App is using Safari/WebKit, and in Safari I saw the same issue — simply because the macOS “Keyboard navigation” setting was turned off. After enabling that, keyboard navigation works perfectly in both Safari and the Zoom App. A bit embarrassing, and sorry for all the confusion :sweat_smile:

@expertswho

1 Like