diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index daf08ab8..7fe10c84 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 {
   "name": "imwald",
-  "version": "22.4.1",
+  "version": "22.4.2",
   "lockfileVersion": 3,
   "requires": true,
   "packages": {
     "": {
       "name": "imwald",
-      "version": "22.4.1",
+      "version": "22.4.2",
       "license": "MIT",
       "dependencies": {
         "@asciidoctor/core": "^3.0.4",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 6e0c5e52..957b16e1 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "imwald",
-  "version": "22.4.1",
+  "version": "22.4.2",
   "description": "Imwald — a user-friendly Nostr client focused on relay feed browsing, publications, and relay discovery",
   "private": true,
   "type": "module",
diff --git a/src/components/VideoPlayer/index.tsx b/src/components/VideoPlayer/index.tsx
index d362ff6c..873525f5 100644
--- a/src/components/VideoPlayer/index.tsx
+++ b/src/components/VideoPlayer/index.tsx
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { isImwaldElectron } from '@/lib/client-platform'
 import { isHlsPlaylistUrl } from '@/lib/url'
 import { cn, isInViewport } from '@/lib/utils'
 import { useContentPolicy } from '@/providers/ContentPolicyProvider'
@@ -68,7 +69,8 @@ export default function VideoPlayer({
     if (!video) return
 
     const hls = new Hls({
-      enableWorker: true,
+      // `file:` packaged Electron cannot load bundled worker URLs reliably; main-thread demux is fine here.
+      enableWorker: !isImwaldElectron(),
       lowLatencyMode: true
     })
     hls.loadSource(src)
diff --git a/src/components/YoutubeEmbeddedPlayer/index.tsx b/src/components/YoutubeEmbeddedPlayer/index.tsx
index 89de54c2..aefb4466 100644
--- a/src/components/YoutubeEmbeddedPlayer/index.tsx
+++ b/src/components/YoutubeEmbeddedPlayer/index.tsx
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { isImwaldElectron } from '@/lib/client-platform'
 import { ensureYouTubeIframeApi } from '@/lib/youtube-iframe-api'
 import { parseYoutubeUrl } from '@/lib/youtube-url'
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils'
@@ -32,6 +33,8 @@ export default function YoutubeEmbeddedPlayer({
   }, [autoLoadMedia])
 
   const showEmbed = mustLoad || autoLoadMedia || userClickedLoad
+  /** Packaged app uses `file:`; YT’s JS API often errors there; a plain embed iframe works. */
+  const useNativeEmbed = isImwaldElectron()
 
   const posterUrl = useMemo(
     () => (videoId ? `https://i.ytimg.com/vi/${videoId}/hqdefault.jpg` : undefined),
@@ -48,6 +51,7 @@ export default function YoutubeEmbeddedPlayer({
   )
 
   useEffect(() => {
+    if (useNativeEmbed) return
     if (!videoId || !containerRef.current || !showEmbed) return
 
     let cancelled = false
@@ -92,9 +96,9 @@ export default function YoutubeEmbeddedPlayer({
         // React often removes the host node first when auto-load media is turned off; YT then hits removeChild errors.
       }
     }
-  }, [videoId, showEmbed])
+  }, [videoId, showEmbed, useNativeEmbed])
 
-  if (error) {
+  if (error && !useNativeEmbed) {
     return <ExternalLink url={url} />
   }
 
@@ -113,6 +117,27 @@ export default function YoutubeEmbeddedPlayer({
   if (!videoId && !initSuccess) {
     return <ExternalLink url={url} />
   }
+
+  if (useNativeEmbed && videoId) {
+    const embedSrc = `https://www.youtube.com/embed/${encodeURIComponent(videoId)}?playsinline=1&rel=0`
+    return (
+      <div
+        className={cn(
+          'not-prose rounded-lg border overflow-hidden w-full max-w-[400px]',
+          frameClassName
+        )}
+      >
+        <iframe
+          className="h-full w-full min-h-[12rem] border-0"
+          src={embedSrc}
+          title="YouTube video"
+          allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share"
+          allowFullScreen
+        />
+      </div>
+    )
+  }
+
   return (
     <div
       className={cn(