diff --git a/app/(auth)/player/direct-player.tsx b/app/(auth)/player/direct-player.tsx
index 9d8c370e..b418a139 100644
--- a/app/(auth)/player/direct-player.tsx
+++ b/app/(auth)/player/direct-player.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,26 @@
+import {
+  type BaseItemDto,
+  type MediaSourceInfo,
+  PlaybackOrder,
+  type PlaybackProgressInfo,
+  PlaybackStartInfo,
+  RepeatMode,
+} from "@jellyfin/sdk/lib/generated-client";
+import {
+  getPlaystateApi,
+  getUserLibraryApi,
+} from "@jellyfin/sdk/lib/utils/api";
+import { activateKeepAwakeAsync, deactivateKeepAwake } from "expo-keep-awake";
+import { router, useGlobalSearchParams, useNavigation } from "expo-router";
+import { useAtomValue } from "jotai";
+import { useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useRef, useState } from "react";
+import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";
+import { Alert, Platform, View } from "react-native";
+import { useSharedValue } from "react-native-reanimated";
+import { useSafeAreaInsets } from "react-native-safe-area-context";
 import { BITRATES } from "@/components/BitrateSelector";
-import { Loader } from "@/components/Loader";
 import { Text } from "@/components/common/Text";
+import { Loader } from "@/components/Loader";
 import { Controls } from "@/components/video-player/controls/Controls";
 import { getDownloadedFileUrl } from "@/hooks/useDownloadedFileOpener";
 import { useHaptic } from "@/hooks/useHaptic";
@@ -20,35 +40,10 @@ import { writeToLog } from "@/utils/log";
 import { storage } from "@/utils/mmkv";
 import generateDeviceProfile from "@/utils/profiles/native";
 import { msToTicks, ticksToSeconds } from "@/utils/time";
-import {
-  type BaseItemDto,
-  type MediaSourceInfo,
-  PlaybackOrder,
-  type PlaybackProgressInfo,
-  PlaybackStartInfo,
-  RepeatMode,
-} from "@jellyfin/sdk/lib/generated-client";
-import {
-  getPlaystateApi,
-  getUserLibraryApi,
-} from "@jellyfin/sdk/lib/utils/api";
-import { activateKeepAwakeAsync, deactivateKeepAwake } from "expo-keep-awake";
-import { useGlobalSearchParams, useNavigation } from "expo-router";
-import { useAtomValue } from "jotai";
-import React, {
-  useCallback,
-  useEffect,
-  useMemo,
-  useRef,
-  useState,
-} from "react";
-import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";
-import { Alert, Platform, View } from "react-native";
-import { useSharedValue } from "react-native-reanimated";
-import { useSafeAreaInsets } from "react-native-safe-area-context";
+
 const downloadProvider = !Platform.isTV
   ? require("@/providers/DownloadProvider")
-  : null;
+  : { useDownload: () => null };
 
 const IGNORE_SAFE_AREAS_KEY = "video_player_ignore_safe_areas";
 
@@ -79,10 +74,7 @@ export default function page() {
     ? null
     : require("react-native-volume-manager");
 
-  let getDownloadedItem = null;
-  if (!Platform.isTV) {
-    getDownloadedItem = downloadProvider.useDownload();
-  }
+  const getDownloadedItem = downloadProvider.useDownload();
 
   const revalidateProgressCache = useInvalidatePlaybackProgressCache();
 
@@ -105,6 +97,7 @@ export default function page() {
     mediaSourceId,
     bitrateValue: bitrateValueStr,
     offline: offlineStr,
+    playbackPosition: playbackPositionFromUrl,
   } = useGlobalSearchParams<{
     itemId: string;
     audioIndex: string;
@@ -112,6 +105,8 @@ export default function page() {
     mediaSourceId: string;
     bitrateValue: string;
     offline: string;
+    /** Playback position in ticks. */
+    playbackPosition?: string;
   }>();
   const [settings] = useSettings();
   const insets = useSafeAreaInsets();
@@ -133,6 +128,14 @@ export default function page() {
     isError: false,
   });
 
+  /** Gets the initial playback position from the URL or the item's user data. */
+  const getInitialPlaybackTicks = useCallback((): number => {
+    if (playbackPositionFromUrl) {
+      return Number.parseInt(playbackPositionFromUrl, 10);
+    }
+    return item?.UserData?.PlaybackPositionTicks ?? 0;
+  }, [playbackPositionFromUrl, item]);
+
   useEffect(() => {
     const fetchItemData = async () => {
       setItemStatus({ isLoading: true, isError: false });
@@ -190,7 +193,7 @@ export default function page() {
           const res = await getStreamUrl({
             api,
             item,
-            startTimeTicks: item?.UserData?.PlaybackPositionTicks!,
+            startTimeTicks: getInitialPlaybackTicks(),
             userId: user?.Id,
             audioStreamIndex: audioIndex,
             maxStreamingBitrate: bitrateValue,
@@ -308,8 +311,12 @@ export default function page() {
 
       progress.set(currentTime);
 
-      if (offline) return;
+      // Update the playback position in the URL.
+      router.setParams({
+        playbackPosition: msToTicks(currentTime).toString(),
+      });
 
+      if (offline) return;
       if (!item?.Id || !stream) return;
 
       reportPlaybackProgress();
@@ -349,12 +356,11 @@ export default function page() {
     progress,
   ]);
 
+  /** Gets the initial playback position in seconds. */
   const startPosition = useMemo(() => {
     if (offline) return 0;
-    return item?.UserData?.PlaybackPositionTicks
-      ? ticksToSeconds(item.UserData.PlaybackPositionTicks)
-      : 0;
-  }, [item, offline]);
+    return ticksToSeconds(getInitialPlaybackTicks());
+  }, [offline, getInitialPlaybackTicks]);
 
   const volumeUpCb = useCallback(async () => {
     if (Platform.isTV) return;
diff --git a/components/video-player/controls/contexts/VideoContext.tsx b/components/video-player/controls/contexts/VideoContext.tsx
index a7417c79..ca1344d6 100644
--- a/components/video-player/controls/contexts/VideoContext.tsx
+++ b/components/video-player/controls/contexts/VideoContext.tsx
@@ -1,15 +1,15 @@
-import type { TrackInfo } from "@/modules/VlcPlayer.types";
-import { VideoPlayer, useSettings } from "@/utils/atoms/settings";
 import { router, useLocalSearchParams } from "expo-router";
 import type React from "react";
 import {
-  type ReactNode,
   createContext,
+  type ReactNode,
   useContext,
   useEffect,
   useMemo,
   useState,
 } from "react";
+import type { TrackInfo } from "@/modules/VlcPlayer.types";
+import { useSettings, VideoPlayer } from "@/utils/atoms/settings";
 import type { Track } from "../types";
 import { useControlContext } from "./ControlContext";
 
@@ -57,13 +57,14 @@ export const VideoProvider: React.FC<VideoProviderProps> = ({
   const allSubs =
     mediaSource?.MediaStreams?.filter((s) => s.Type === "Subtitle") || [];
 
-  const { itemId, audioIndex, bitrateValue, subtitleIndex } =
+  const { itemId, audioIndex, bitrateValue, subtitleIndex, playbackPosition } =
     useLocalSearchParams<{
       itemId: string;
       audioIndex: string;
       subtitleIndex: string;
       mediaSourceId: string;
       bitrateValue: string;
+      playbackPosition: string;
     }>();
 
   const onTextBasedSubtitle = useMemo(
@@ -88,6 +89,7 @@ export const VideoProvider: React.FC<VideoProviderProps> = ({
       subtitleIndex: chosenSubtitleIndex,
       mediaSourceId: mediaSource?.Id ?? "",
       bitrateValue: bitrateValue,
+      playbackPosition: playbackPosition,
     }).toString();
 
     //@ts-ignore
diff --git a/components/video-player/controls/dropdown/DropdownView.tsx b/components/video-player/controls/dropdown/DropdownView.tsx
index 3168e942..af3de55b 100644
--- a/components/video-player/controls/dropdown/DropdownView.tsx
+++ b/components/video-player/controls/dropdown/DropdownView.tsx
@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
 import { Ionicons } from "@expo/vector-icons";
-import React, { useCallback } from "react";
+import { useCallback } from "react";
 import { Platform, TouchableOpacity } from "react-native";
+
 const DropdownMenu = !Platform.isTV ? require("zeego/dropdown-menu") : null;
-import { BITRATES } from "@/components/BitrateSelector";
+
 import { useLocalSearchParams, useRouter } from "expo-router";
+import { BITRATES } from "@/components/BitrateSelector";
 import { useControlContext } from "../contexts/ControlContext";
 import { useVideoContext } from "../contexts/VideoContext";
 
@@ -17,13 +19,15 @@ const DropdownView = () => {
   ];
   const router = useRouter();
 
-  const { subtitleIndex, audioIndex, bitrateValue } = useLocalSearchParams<{
-    itemId: string;
-    audioIndex: string;
-    subtitleIndex: string;
-    mediaSourceId: string;
-    bitrateValue: string;
-  }>();
+  const { subtitleIndex, audioIndex, bitrateValue, playbackPosition } =
+    useLocalSearchParams<{
+      itemId: string;
+      audioIndex: string;
+      subtitleIndex: string;
+      mediaSourceId: string;
+      bitrateValue: string;
+      playbackPosition: string;
+    }>();
 
   const changeBitrate = useCallback(
     (bitrate: string) => {
@@ -33,11 +37,12 @@ const DropdownView = () => {
         subtitleIndex: subtitleIndex.toString() ?? "",
         mediaSourceId: mediaSource?.Id ?? "",
         bitrateValue: bitrate.toString(),
+        playbackPosition: playbackPosition,
       }).toString();
       // @ts-expect-error
       router.replace(`player/direct-player?${queryParams}`);
     },
-    [item, mediaSource, subtitleIndex, audioIndex],
+    [item, mediaSource, subtitleIndex, audioIndex, playbackPosition],
   );
 
   return (