VLC : How to play/pause with a single mouse click in 2023? (2025)

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I realize this question is old and the author has apparently moved on. But if anyone else is looking for an answer, there's a plugin for versions 2-4 of VLC that provides the functionality the OP originally asked for:

https://github.com/nurupo/vlc-pause-click-plugin

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How to play/pause with a single mouse click

At least three ways:

1. Click the play/pause button.

2. In simple preferences, interface settings, there is "Pause playback when minimized" option. Enable it, save, restart VLC.

   Now the program should pause playback when you minimize the window and unpause when you restore. Clicking the minimize button (or minimizing or restoring from the taskbar) requires a single click, so it counts as "with a single mouse click".

3. Enable mouse gestures:

   To activate this feature, go to Preferences > All > Interface > Control Interfaces and check "Mouse gestures control interface". Then restart VLC.

   Now when VLC plays, press LMB inside VLC playback window, hold it, move the mouse right, then left (xor left, then right), release LMB. The gesture is for pause and for unpause.

• Thanks! Some of the music files I listen to are actually video files so, clicking on the video preview window is much more convenient than a small button and that's what I was looking for. Minimizing is not always a solution, same reason as previous. I tried mouse gestures but for some reason it did not work and I realized this question is being asked for over 10 years yet videolan has not bothered to add this option. SMPlayer is doing a great job so far.

  –paralaks

  Commented May 15, 2023 at 6:46

• @paralaks Sigh… "clicking on the video preview window is much more convenient than a small button and that's what I was looking for" – So you should have stated this in the question. For now "with a single mouse click" is the only requirement in this matter, my answer tries to follow it. If you change the question now, you will invalidate my answer. It's inelegant and frowned upon in general, but in this case I can live with that. I'm giving you permission to invalidate my answer. Edit the question and I will delete the answer.

  –Kamil Maciorowski

  Commented May 15, 2023 at 6:56

• Oh, I asked this question after searching for a solution for over 30 mins that's why my question said "in 2023". But I understand if someone never had that issue would not think that way. Your answer is valid based on your understanding. No worries :)

  –paralaks

  Commented May 15, 2023 at 7:02

• @paralaks "if someone never had that issue would not think that way" – I had, it's irrelevant. In the future please do not assume we will assume, be explicit. I answer questions asked, not questions+mind_reading. I've seen genuine questions about allegedly obvious things. Even if the simplest solution here is "click the play/pause button, duh!", I professionally drop the "duh" and provide the solution because it solves the problem stated in the question. I gave all the solutions I know; unfortunately none of them fulfills the hidden requirement you apparently expected readers to guess.

  –Kamil Maciorowski

  Commented May 15, 2023 at 8:02

• 1

  I am sorry that you have to live with this Kamil. Just don't take everything in life this seriously. I think it would help.

  –paralaks

  Commented May 16, 2023 at 16:15

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• linux
• vlc-media-player