Unity-WebGL-WebAudio

A robust Unity plugin that automatically manages Web Audio API contexts in WebGL builds, ensuring reliable audio playback across different browsers and device states.

🎯 Overview

This plugin solves common WebGL audio issues by intelligently handling AudioContext lifecycle events, including:

• Browser tab visibility changes
• Mobile device sleep/wake cycles
• User interaction requirements for audio initialization
• AudioContext suspension and resumption
• Automatic recovery from closed/invalid audio contexts

✨ Features

• Automatic AudioContext Management: Handles suspend/resume cycles seamlessly
• Mobile-Optimized: Designed for iOS Safari and Android Chrome compatibility
• Zero Configuration: Works out of the box with Unity's audio system
• Lightweight: Minimal performance impact with smart event handling
• Error Recovery: Automatically recreates AudioContext when needed
• Debug Logging: Comprehensive console output for troubleshooting

🚀 Quick Start

Installation

1. Download the latest release or clone this repository
2. Copy both files to your Unity project's Plugins/WebGL folder:

   Assets/
   └── Plugins/
       └── BrowserWEBAudio/
           ├── BrowserWEBAudio.cs
           └── BrowserWEBAudio.jslib
   

3. Add the BrowserWEBAudio component to any GameObject in your first scene
4. Build for WebGL - the plugin activates automatically!

Folder Structure

YourUnityProject/
├── Assets/
│   └── Plugins/
│       └── BrowserWEBAudio/
│           ├── BrowserWEBAudio.cs      # Unity C# component
│           └── BrowserWEBAudio.jslib   # JavaScript library
└── ...

🔧 How It Works

The Problem

WebGL audio faces several challenges:

• Browsers require user interaction before playing audio
• Mobile browsers suspend AudioContext when tabs become inactive
• AudioContext can become permanently closed on some devices
• Unity's built-in WebGL audio doesn't always handle edge cases

The Solution

This plugin provides:

1. Visibility Management: Automatically suspends audio when the tab is hidden and resumes when visible
2. Touch Activation: Ensures AudioContext is ready after user interaction
3. Smart Recovery: Detects closed AudioContext and recreates it when needed
4. Delayed Resume: Accounts for mobile device audio hardware initialization delays

📱 Browser Compatibility

Browser	Desktop	Mobile
Chrome	✅	✅
Firefox	✅	✅
Safari	✅	✅
Edge	✅	✅

🛠️ Technical Details

Component Lifecycle

void Start()
{
#if UNITY_WEBGL && !UNITY_EDITOR
    InitBrowserWEBAudio(); // Only runs in WebGL builds
#endif
}

JavaScript Events Handled

• visibilitychange: Tab focus/blur management
• touchstart: Mobile interaction detection
• AudioContext state monitoring

Performance Characteristics

• Memory Usage: < 1KB runtime footprint
• CPU Impact: Event-driven, no polling
• Audio Latency: No additional latency introduced

📄 API Reference

C# Component

public class BrowserWEBAudio : MonoBehaviour
{
    // Automatically initializes on Start() in WebGL builds only
    // No public methods - fully automatic operation
}

JavaScript Functions

// Internal functions (not for direct use)
InitBrowserWEBAudio()    // Main initialization
recreateAudioContext()   // Emergency recovery function

📝 License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

🙏 Acknowledgments

• Unity Technologies for WebGL audio architecture
• Web Audio API specification contributors
• Community feedback and testing

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Made with ❤️ for Unity developers struggling with WebGL audio

If this plugin helped your project, consider giving it a ⭐ on GitHub!