Are you tired of having to manually fast-forward through a video every time you open it in VLC media player, just to get back to where you left off? Do you find yourself wasting precious time searching for the perfect spot in your favorite TV show or movie? Well, worry no more! In this comprehensive guide, we’ll show you how to make VLC remember playback position, so you can pick up right where you left off, every time.
Understanding VLC’s Playback Position Feature
Before we dive into the nitty-gritty of making VLC remember playback position, it’s essential to understand how this feature works. VLC’s playback position feature is designed to save your place in a video file, so when you reopen the file, VLC can automatically jump to the exact spot where you left off. This feature is especially useful when watching long videos, such as movies or TV shows, or when you need to pause a video and come back to it later.
By default, VLC does not save playback position information. However, with a few simple tweaks, you can enable VLC to remember playback position for specific video files or even all video files in general.
Enabling Playback Position Saving for a Specific File
If you want VLC to remember the playback position for a specific video file, you can do so by following these steps:
- Open VLC and load the video file you want to save the playback position for.
- Play the video until you reach the point where you want VLC to remember the playback position.
- Pause the video by clicking the pause button or pressing the spacebar.
- Right-click on the video window and select “Media Information” from the context menu.
- In the Media Information window, click on the “Save” button next to “Save playback position” and select “Save as new file”.
- VLC will create a new file with the same name as the original file but with a `.xspf` extension. This file contains the playback position information.
The next time you open the video file in VLC, the player will automatically jump to the saved playback position.
Enabling Playback Position Saving for All Files
If you want VLC to remember the playback position for all video files, you can enable this feature through VLC’s settings. Here’s how:
- Open VLC and click on “Media” > “Preferences” from the top menu bar.
- In the Preferences window, click on the “Media” tab and select “All” under “Show settings”.
- Scroll down to the “Playback” section and check the box next to “Save playback position”.
- Click “Save” to save your changes.
By enabling this feature, VLC will automatically save the playback position for all video files you play.
Using VLC’s Command-Line Options
If you’re comfortable using command-line interfaces, you can also use VLC’s command-line options to enable playback position saving. Here’s an example:
vlc --save-playlist-on-exit --playlist-save-playback-position file.mp4This command will open VLC with the specified file and enable playback position saving for that file.
The Benefits of Playback Position Saving
So, why is playback position saving such a valuable feature in VLC? Here are a few reasons:
Save Time
With playback position saving, you can save time by avoiding the need to manually fast-forward through a video every time you open it. This is especially useful when watching long videos or TV shows.
Improve Viewing Experience
Playback position saving enhances your viewing experience by allowing you to pick up right where you left off. You can focus on enjoying your video content without worrying about finding the perfect spot.
Increase Productivity
By saving playback position, you can increase your productivity by minimizing the time spent searching for the right spot in a video. This is especially useful for professionals who need to review video content regularly.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
If you’re having trouble getting VLC to remember playback position, here are a few common issues to check:
Playback Position Not Saving
If VLC is not saving playback position information, make sure you’ve enabled the feature in VLC’s settings. Also, check that the .xspf file is being generated correctly.
Playback Position Not Loading
If VLC is not loading the saved playback position, check that the .xspf file is in the same directory as the original video file. Also, ensure that VLC has permission to read and write files in that directory.
Conclusion
In conclusion, making VLC remember playback position is a simple yet powerful feature that can enhance your viewing experience and save you time. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can enable playback position saving for specific files or all files in general. Whether you’re a casual video viewer or a professional who needs to review video content regularly, VLC’s playback position feature is an invaluable tool that can take your media playback experience to the next level.
What is VLC’s playback position feature?
VLC’s playback position feature allows the media player to remember where you left off playing a video or audio file, so you can easily pick up where you left off the next time you open the file. This feature is especially useful for long videos or audio books, where you may not have the time to finish watching or listening in one sitting.
By default, VLC does not remember playback position, so you need to enable this feature manually. You can do this by going to the Media menu, selecting “Save” and then clicking on “Save playback position”. This will save the current playback position and resume from that point the next time you open the file.
How do I enable VLC to remember playback position?
To enable VLC to remember playback position, you need to enable the “Remember playback position” option in the Media menu. To do this, go to the Media menu, select “Save” and then click on “Save playback position”. Alternatively, you can also use the keyboard shortcut “Ctrl + S” (Windows) or “Cmd + S” (Mac) to quickly save the playback position.
Once you enable this feature, VLC will automatically save the playback position every time you close the media player or shut down your computer. The next time you open the file, VLC will automatically start playing from the last saved position.
Does VLC remember playback position for all types of files?
VLC’s playback position feature is not limited to specific file types. You can use this feature with any type of media file that VLC supports, including videos, audio files, and even streaming media.
However, it’s worth noting that VLC may not be able to remember playback position for certain types of files, such as live streams or files that are protected by DRM (Digital Rights Management) restrictions. In such cases, VLC may not be able to save the playback position or resume from the last saved point.
Will VLC remember playback position across different devices?
VLC’s playback position feature is specific to the device and installation of VLC that you are using. This means that if you use VLC on multiple devices, each device will have its own playback position saved separately.
If you want to synchronize playback positions across multiple devices, you may need to use a third-party service or plugin that supports cloud-based syncing. VLC itself does not have built-in support for cloud syncing of playback positions.
Can I reset VLC’s playback position?
Yes, you can easily reset VLC’s playback position for a specific file. To do this, go to the Media menu, select “Save” and then click on “Reset playback position”. This will delete the saved playback position and start the file from the beginning the next time you open it.
Alternatively, you can also delete the VLC configuration file to reset all playback positions and start from scratch. However, this will also delete all other VLC settings and preferences, so use this method with caution.
Is VLC’s playback position feature battery-friendly?
VLC’s playback position feature should not have a significant impact on battery life, as it only saves the playback position to the device’s storage when you close the media player or shut down the device.
However, if you are using a mobile device or laptop, it’s worth noting that VLC itself can be a battery-intensive application, especially if you are playing high-definition videos or streaming media. To conserve battery life, you may want to adjust VLC’s playback settings, such as reducing the video quality or turning off unnecessary features.
Can I customize VLC’s playback position feature?
VLC’s playback position feature is relatively straightforward and does not offer many customization options. However, you can adjust the interval at which VLC saves the playback position by going to the Preferences menu and selecting “Interface”.
In the Interface preferences, you can adjust the “Save playback position every” option to set the interval at which VLC saves the playback position. You can choose from a range of intervals, from 1 minute to 1 hour, depending on your needs.