Quick answer
Open Playback → Custom Bookmarks → Manage, then create a bookmark at the current playback position. Treat these as session-oriented navigation, not a permanent annotation database.
Understand the task
Input
A media file in a stable folder and a playback position you want to revisit.
VLC action
VLC records a custom bookmark that points back to that position in the current media.
Expected result
You can jump back during the session, but the bookmark is not a permanent note inside the file.
Tip: Write down the filename and timestamp when the location matters long term.
Steps to save Bookmarks in VLC Media Player
Open the media from its stable final location.
Pause at the target time and open Manage Custom Bookmarks.
Create the bookmark and test jumping away and back.
For durable research notes, also record the filename and timestamp outside VLC.
Limits and recovery
- Moving or renaming media can break workflows that depend on a remembered path.
- Chapter markers embedded in a file are different from VLC custom bookmarks.
Related decisions
For a simpler return to the last viewing position, enable VLC resume playback instead of creating a bookmark for every file.
For visual review at the saved position, advance VLC one frame at a time after jumping back to the marker.
When timestamps belong in durable written notes, use the Linux VLC transcription workflow instead of relying on session bookmarks.
Sources and corrections
VLC User Documentation >Menus can differ by VLC version and operating system. If a verified current build behaves differently, report the exact version and platform.