Play Or Pause Button ⏯
Copy & Meaning

A play/pause toggle button — the combined symbol representing the function that alternates between playing and pausing media with a single action. The play/pause toggle is the most common media interaction — a single button that intelligently switches between the two opposite states depending on current status. This consolidation into one button is a great UI design achievement.

The space bar as universal play/pause on computers demonstrates how intuitive this toggle became. Used for media player interface discussions, the concept of a single control that handles two opposite states, and any expression of the start/stop alternation that characterizes all pausable timed content.