Source: https://mindstamp.com/help/how-to-incorporate-video-pause-functionality
Generated from the Help Center records: 2026-10-05

# How do I pause a video automatically?

Topic: [Interactions and logic](https://mindstamp.com/help/interactions) · Updated: 2026-09-25

## Short answer

To pause at a set time, click **More** in the interaction bar, choose **Pause**, and set the **Action Time** and **Pause Length**. To pause while a button or hotspot is on screen, open it and set **Pause** under **Timing** to **At show time** or **At hide time (Require Click)**.

## Steps

1. Select **Interactions** and move the playhead to the moment the video should stop.
2. Click **More** in the interaction bar and choose **Pause** under **Playback & Navigation**.
3. Check the **Action Time**.
4. Choose a **Pause Length**: **Until Viewer Resumes**, or a time from 5 to 60 seconds. A new pause starts at 10 seconds.
5. Save, then play from a few seconds before the pause to test it.

![More menu in the Mindstamp editor with Pause highlighted in the Playback & Navigation group](https://cdn.mindstamp.com/website2026/help/more-menu-pause.webp)

_Add an automatic pause from More > Pause._

![Pause navigation editor in Mindstamp with the Pause Length list open, from Until Viewer Resumes to 60 seconds](https://cdn.mindstamp.com/website2026/help/pause-length-list.webp)

_Choose the Pause Length: a number of seconds, or Until Viewer Resumes._

## Two ways to pause

- A **Pause** navigation stops the video at a time you choose, with nothing on screen. Use it for emphasis or a short break to read a slide.
- A pause on an interaction stops the video while a button, hotspot, text or image is on screen. Use it when the viewer must choose or acknowledge something.

## Pause options on an interaction

- **At show time** with **Pause Length** set to **Until Interaction**: the video pauses when the interaction appears and continues when the viewer clicks any interaction on screen.
- **At show time** with a time from 5 to 60 seconds: the video pauses for that time, then continues.
- **At hide time (Require Click)**: the video pauses at the hide time only if the viewer has not clicked this interaction. See [require a click](https://mindstamp.com/help/require-click-before-advancing).

## Questions pause by themselves

A question always pauses the video while it is open. You do not need to add a pause for it.

## Stop viewers from pausing

To do the opposite and stop viewers from pausing the video, turn on **Prevent pausing** in the video’s **Settings**, under **Playback**. It is on Core and higher plans.

## Avoid dead ends

If the video waits for a click, make the target easy to see. Do not make a hotspot with no ring the only way forward. Test on a phone and with the keyboard before you share.

## Go further

- [Navigation](https://mindstamp.com/features/navigation)
- [Interactions tutorial](https://mindstamp.com/tutorials/interactions)

## Related answers

- [What is a navigation and how do I use it?](https://mindstamp.com/help/navigations)
- [How do I require a click before the video continues?](https://mindstamp.com/help/require-click-before-advancing)
- [How do I pause the video on the last frame?](https://mindstamp.com/help/pause-video-on-last-frame)
- [How do I stop learners from skipping ahead in a training video?](https://mindstamp.com/help/prevent-skipping-ahead)

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