Safari on macOS · Research guidance. Instructions are based on publisher guidance; a UK IPTV account was not tested on this platform.
Observe the focus rather than the pointer
A mouse pointer over a play button does not establish that the button has keyboard focus. Begin on a harmless page area and watch which item is highlighted as you navigate. If the issue is that a particular player control is skipped, note its label and whether other links or fields can be reached.
Understand Safari’s documented keys
Apple distinguishes Tab, which advances through fields and pop-up menus, from Option-Tab, which also reaches clickable items such as links. Buttons and other controls are affected by Keyboard Navigation in the Mac’s Keyboard settings. These documented differences matter before concluding that the website alone is responsible for every skipped item.
Review the preference deliberately
Safari’s Advanced settings include Press Tab to highlight each item on a webpage, which swaps the relevant Tab and Option-Tab behaviour. Read the current state and preserve it before changing it. The Mac’s Keyboard Navigation choice is a separate setting. Change only the control needed for the intended navigation pattern.
Repeat the actual route
Return to the viewing page and try the same route to the caption, pause or programme-selection control. Check that focus remains visible and that the resulting action is the one intended. Avoid trying undocumented player shortcuts while a text field is active; the same keys can have another meaning there.
Report a bounded result
Say which control was skipped, whether Tab or Option-Tab was used and which keyboard-navigation setting applied. This is useful evidence for an accessibility issue. It does not prove that every player supports keyboard operation, nor does it require changing a service account or installing a browser extension.
Questions, answered
Are Tab and Option-Tab identical in Safari?
No. Apple documents different navigation scopes and a setting that can swap their behaviour.
Can a Mac setting affect whether buttons receive focus?
Yes. Apple identifies Keyboard Navigation as relevant.