How to Use Advanced Shortcodes and Timestamps

This page covers advanced shortcode features for Presto Player. These options are intended for users who need more control over playback behavior, media sources, or interactive elements.

Embedding Media Using Original Shortcodes

Embed a Video or Audio by URL

You can embed media directly using a source URL.

[presto_player src="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ"]

This is useful when media is hosted externally or not managed through the Media Hub.

Embed Media Using a Custom Field

You can load media dynamically from a custom field.

[presto_player custom_field="my_custom_field_id"]

This works well when each post, product, or page needs a different video or audio file.

Adding Chapters with Shortcodes

Chapters can be added directly inside the shortcode.

[presto_player src="https://site.com/video.mp4"]
[presto_player_chapter time="10" title="Ten Seconds"]
[presto_player_chapter time="00:10" title="Also Ten Seconds"]
[presto_player_chapter time="61:20" title="One hour, 1 minute and 20 seconds"]
[/presto_player]

Chapter times can be entered in seconds or time-based formats.

Adding Captions with Shortcodes

Caption tracks can be added for accessibility or multiple languages.

[presto_player src="https://site.com/video.mp4"]
[presto_player_track label="English" src="https://site.com/english.vtt" src_lang="en"]
[presto_player_track label="Spanish" src="https://site.com/spanish.vtt" src_lang="es"]
[/presto_player]

Multiple caption tracks can be included in the same player.

Common Shortcode Parameters

You can add parameters directly to the shortcode to control playback and appearance. Common options include:

• preset – applies a specific preset by ID
• autoplay – enables autoplay
• plays_inline – forces inline playback on supported devices
• class – adds a custom CSS class to the player
• poster – sets a custom poster image
• preload – controls how much media is loaded initially
• muted_autoplay_preview – enables muted autoplay preview
• muted_autoplay_caption_preview – shows captions during muted autoplay preview

These parameters can be combined as needed.

Finding a Preset ID

To apply a preset using a shortcode, you need the preset ID.

Step 1 – Open the video in the Media Hub

Step 2 – Click Edit and open Video Presets

Step 3 – Click the pencil icon on the preset

Step 4 – The preset ID appears in the preset popup

For more details, see the Presets documentation.

Timestamps in Presto Player

Timestamp shortcodes let you create links that jump to specific moments in a video or audio file.

How to Add Timestamps

Step 1 – Edit your post or page in Gutenberg

Step 2 – Add or select a Presto Player block

Step 3 – Locate the Timestamp Shortcode in the block settings

Step 4 – Copy the shortcode

Step 5 – Paste it into a Paragraph block

Step 6 – Replace the time value and link text as needed

Step 7 – Repeat for additional timestamps

Step 8 – Update or publish the page

Timestamps work best when there is only one Presto Player on the page.

Styling Timestamps

Timestamps behave like regular text links.

• They can be styled using Gutenberg blocks
• They also work inside page builder text elements, such as Elementor or Beaver Builder

Presto Popups and Shortcodes

Presto Popups also rely on shortcodes to trigger and display media. If you are working with popups, refer to the dedicated Presto Popups documentation for setup and usage details.

Conclusion

Advanced shortcodes give you deeper control over how media is loaded, displayed, and interacted with. They are useful for dynamic content, custom layouts, and more complex playback behavior. These features are best used when the block editor or standard shortcode options are not sufficient, or when you need precise control over chapters, captions, presets, or timestamps.