diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/github/libretube/ui/fragments/PlayerFragment.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/github/libretube/ui/fragments/PlayerFragment.kt
index f37de433b..17a16914e 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/github/libretube/ui/fragments/PlayerFragment.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/github/libretube/ui/fragments/PlayerFragment.kt
@@ -847,7 +847,9 @@ class PlayerFragment : BaseFragment(), OnlinePlayerOptions {
             this,
             doubleTapOverlayBinding,
             playerGestureControlsViewBinding,
-            trackSelector
+            trackSelector,
+            viewModel,
+            viewLifecycleOwner
         )
 
         binding.apply {
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/github/libretube/ui/views/CustomExoPlayerView.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/github/libretube/ui/views/CustomExoPlayerView.kt
index 027f537a5..bb3dd7393 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/github/libretube/ui/views/CustomExoPlayerView.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/github/libretube/ui/views/CustomExoPlayerView.kt
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import android.widget.FrameLayout
 import android.widget.ImageView
 import android.widget.TextView
 import androidx.core.content.ContextCompat
+import androidx.lifecycle.LifecycleOwner
 import com.github.libretube.R
 import com.github.libretube.constants.PreferenceKeys
 import com.github.libretube.databinding.DoubleTapOverlayBinding
@@ -27,6 +28,7 @@ import com.github.libretube.ui.base.BaseActivity
 import com.github.libretube.ui.interfaces.OnlinePlayerOptions
 import com.github.libretube.ui.interfaces.PlayerGestureOptions
 import com.github.libretube.ui.interfaces.PlayerOptions
+import com.github.libretube.ui.models.PlayerViewModel
 import com.github.libretube.ui.sheets.BaseBottomSheet
 import com.github.libretube.ui.sheets.PlaybackSpeedSheet
 import com.github.libretube.util.AudioHelper
@@ -61,6 +63,7 @@ internal class CustomExoPlayerView(
     private lateinit var brightnessHelper: BrightnessHelper
     private lateinit var audioHelper: AudioHelper
     private var doubleTapOverlayBinding: DoubleTapOverlayBinding? = null
+    private var playerViewModel: PlayerViewModel? = null
 
     /**
      * Objects from the parent fragment
@@ -79,6 +82,9 @@ internal class CustomExoPlayerView(
 
     private var resizeModePref = PlayerHelper.resizeModePref
 
+    private val windowHelper
+        get() = (context as? MainActivity)?.windowHelper
+
     private val supportFragmentManager
         get() = (context as BaseActivity).supportFragmentManager
 
@@ -97,12 +103,15 @@ internal class CustomExoPlayerView(
         playerViewInterface: OnlinePlayerOptions?,
         doubleTapOverlayBinding: DoubleTapOverlayBinding,
         playerGestureControlsViewBinding: PlayerGestureControlsViewBinding,
-        trackSelector: TrackSelector?
+        trackSelector: TrackSelector?,
+        playerViewModel: PlayerViewModel? = null,
+        viewLifecycleOwner: LifecycleOwner? = null
     ) {
         this.playerOptionsInterface = playerViewInterface
         this.doubleTapOverlayBinding = doubleTapOverlayBinding
         this.trackSelector = trackSelector
         this.gestureViewBinding = playerGestureControlsViewBinding
+        this.playerViewModel = playerViewModel
         this.playerGestureController = PlayerGestureController(context as BaseActivity, this)
         this.brightnessHelper = BrightnessHelper(context as Activity)
         this.audioHelper = AudioHelper(context)
@@ -186,6 +195,14 @@ internal class CustomExoPlayerView(
                 }
             }
         })
+
+        playerViewModel?.isFullscreen?.observe(viewLifecycleOwner!!) { isFullscreen ->
+            if (isFullscreen) {
+                windowHelper?.setFullscreen()
+            } else {
+                windowHelper?.unsetFullscreen()
+            }
+        }
     }
 
     private fun updatePlayPauseButton() {
@@ -205,7 +222,13 @@ internal class CustomExoPlayerView(
         // remove the callback to hide the controller
         handler.removeCallbacks(hideControllerRunnable)
         super.hideController()
-        (context as? MainActivity)?.windowHelper?.hideStatusBar()
+
+        // hide system bars if in fullscreen
+        playerViewModel?.let {
+            if (it.isFullscreen.value == true) {
+                windowHelper?.setFullscreen()
+            }
+        }
     }
 
     override fun showController() {
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/github/libretube/util/WindowHelper.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/github/libretube/util/WindowHelper.kt
index 3c6e501f1..cb8259c80 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/github/libretube/util/WindowHelper.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/github/libretube/util/WindowHelper.kt
@@ -47,14 +47,6 @@ class WindowHelper(private val activity: BaseActivity) {
         window.clearFlags(WindowManager.LayoutParams.FLAG_LAYOUT_NO_LIMITS)
     }
 
-    fun hideStatusBar() = activity.apply {
-        WindowInsetsControllerCompat(window, window.decorView).hide(WindowInsetsCompat.Type.statusBars())
-    }
-
-    fun showStatusBar() = activity.apply {
-        WindowInsetsControllerCompat(window, window.decorView).show(WindowInsetsCompat.Type.statusBars())
-    }
-
     fun hasCutout(): Boolean {
         return if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.P) {
             activity.window.decorView.rootWindowInsets.displayCutout != null