HTMLMediaElement.currentTime

The HTMLMediaElement interface's currentTime property specifies the current playback time in seconds. Changing the value of currentTime 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

BCD tables only load in the browser

See also