The HTMLMediaElement
interface's currentTime
property specifies the current playback time in seconds. Changing the value of currentTime
this value seeks the media to the new time.
Syntax
var currentTime = htmlMediaElement.currentTime; htmlMediaElement.currentTime = 35;
Value
A double-precision floating-point value indicating the current playback time in seconds.
If the media is not yet playing, the value of currentTime
indicates the time position within the media at which playback will begin once the play()
method is called.
Setting currentTime
to a new value seeks the media to the given time, if the media is available.
For media without a known duration—such as media being streamed live—it's possible that the browser may not be able to obtain parts of the media that have expired from the media buffer. Also, media whose timeline doesn't begin at 0 seconds cannot be seeked to a time before its timeline's earliest time.
The length of the media in seconds can be determined using the duration
property.
Example
var video = document.createElement('video'); console.log(video.currentTime);
Usage notes
Reduced time precision
To offer protection against timing attacks and fingerprinting, browsers may round or otherwise adjust the value returned by currentTime
.
Specifications
Specification | Status | Comment |
---|---|---|
HTML Living Standard The definition of 'HTMLMediaElement.currentTime' in that specification. |
Living Standard | No change from HTML5 |
HTML5 The definition of 'HTMLMediaElement.currentTime' in that specification. |
Recommendation | Initial definition. |
Browser compatibility
Desktop | Mobile | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
currentTime | Chrome Full support 43 | Edge Full support 12 | Firefox Full support 3.5 | IE Full support 9 | Opera Full support Yes | Safari Full support 6 | WebView Android Full support 43 | Chrome Android Full support 43 | Firefox Android Full support Yes | Opera Android Full support Yes | Safari iOS Full support Yes | Samsung Internet Android Full support 4.0 |
Legend
- Full support
- Full support
See also
- The interface defining it,
HTMLMediaElement
. HTMLMediaElement.fastSeek()
: Another way to set the timeHTMLMediaElement.duration
: The duration of the media in seconds