How to get the current playback time and duration of a video?
Jun 21, 2025 am 12:31 AMIf you want to know the current playback time and total duration of the video, the method varies by platform. 1. In a web browser, you can directly view the video control bar to get the current time and total time; developers can use JavaScript code to read the
Want to know the current playback time and total duration of the video? In fact, the method is not complicated, it mainly depends on the platform or tool you use. Below are some common scenarios to operate.
View video time and length in web browser
If you are watching videos on a web page (such as YouTube, B or HTML5 videos), you can obtain information in the following ways:
- Current playback time : You can usually see it directly in the video control bar, located next to the progress bar.
- Total Duration : Also displayed in the control bar, usually on the right side of the progress bar or below the video title.
If you want to obtain this information through code from the developer's perspective, you can use JavaScript to manipulate the <video></video>
element of HTML5:
const video = document.querySelector('video'); console.log('Current play time:', video.currentTime); console.log('Total video duration:', video.duration);
This is very useful when debugging or developing a custom player.
View video information in mobile app
Apps such as Douyin, Kuaishou, YouTube, etc. usually do not explicitly display "current time/total time", but you can roughly judge it by the following methods:
- Current playback location : Click the screen to call out the control bar, and you can usually see the progress bar and approximate time points.
- Total Duration : Most apps will display the total Duration next to the progress bar after the video is loaded.
Note: The app is encapsulated with a player, and ordinary users cannot directly read detailed data unless they use professional tools or packet capture analysis.
Use local player to get accurate information
If you are playing videos with local players (such as VLC, PotPlayer, MPV), it will be easier:
- After opening the video, the playback interface will be displayed directly:
- Current playback time (for example: 00:12:34)
- Total duration (for example: 01:23:45)
In addition, you can right-click "Media Information" or "Properties" to view more detailed metadata, including frame rate, encoding format, etc.
In general, the method of obtaining the current playback time and total duration of the video varies by environment, but basically there are ready-made interface displays or simple code interfaces available. Not complicated, but sometimes details are easily overlooked.
The above is the detailed content of How to get the current playback time and duration of a video?. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!

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