diff --git a/src/panels/information/informationpanelcontent.h b/src/panels/information/informationpanelcontent.h
--- a/src/panels/information/informationpanelcontent.h
+++ b/src/panels/information/informationpanelcontent.h
@@ -154,6 +154,7 @@
     QDialogButtonBox* m_configureButtons;
 
     PlacesItemModel* m_placesItemModel;
+    bool m_usePhonon;
 };
 
 #endif // INFORMATIONPANELCONTENT_H
diff --git a/src/panels/information/informationpanelcontent.cpp b/src/panels/information/informationpanelcontent.cpp
--- a/src/panels/information/informationpanelcontent.cpp
+++ b/src/panels/information/informationpanelcontent.cpp
@@ -46,11 +46,18 @@
 #include <QTimer>
 #include <QVBoxLayout>
 #include <QStyle>
+#include <QPainter>
+#include <QBitmap>
+#include <QLinearGradient>
+#include <QPolygon>
 
 #include "dolphin_informationpanelsettings.h"
 #include "phononwidget.h"
 #include "pixmapviewer.h"
 
+const int PLAY_ARROW_SIZE = 24;
+const int PLAY_ARROW_BORDER_SIZE = 2;
+
 InformationPanelContent::InformationPanelContent(QWidget* parent) :
     QWidget(parent),
     m_item(),
@@ -61,7 +68,8 @@
     m_nameLabel(nullptr),
     m_metaDataWidget(nullptr),
     m_metaDataArea(nullptr),
-    m_placesItemModel(nullptr)
+    m_placesItemModel(nullptr),
+    m_usePhonon(false)
 {
     parent->installEventFilter(this);
 
@@ -161,9 +169,9 @@
     if (item != m_item) {
         m_item = item;
 
-        refreshPreview();
         refreshMetaData();
     }
+    refreshPreview();
 }
 
 void InformationPanelContent::refreshPreview()
@@ -174,6 +182,8 @@
         m_previewJob->kill();
     }
 
+    m_preview->setCursor(Qt::ArrowCursor);
+    m_usePhonon = false;
     setNameLabelText(m_item.text());
     if (InformationPanelSettings::previewsShown()) {
 
@@ -216,16 +226,19 @@
 
             const QString mimeType = m_item.mimetype();
             const bool isVideo = mimeType.startsWith(QLatin1String("video/"));
-            const bool usePhonon = mimeType.startsWith(QLatin1String("audio/")) || isVideo;
+            m_usePhonon = mimeType.startsWith(QLatin1String("audio/")) || isVideo;
 
-            if (usePhonon) {
+            if (m_usePhonon) {
+                // change the cursor
+                m_preview->setCursor(Qt::PointingHandCursor);
 
                 if (InformationPanelSettings::previewsAutoPlay() && isVideo) {
                     // hides the preview now to avoid flickering when the autoplay video starts
                     m_preview->hide();
                 } else {
                     // the video won't play before the preview is displayed
                     m_preview->show();
+                    m_preview->installEventFilter(m_phononWidget);
                 }
 
                 m_phononWidget->show();
@@ -235,6 +248,7 @@
                 // When we don't need it, hide the phonon widget first to avoid flickering
                 m_phononWidget->hide();
                 m_preview->show();
+                m_preview->removeEventFilter(m_phononWidget);
             }
         }
     } else {
@@ -323,6 +337,42 @@
 
     QPixmap p = pixmap;
     KIconLoader::global()->drawOverlays(item.overlays(), p, KIconLoader::Desktop);
+
+    if (m_usePhonon) {
+        // adds a play arrow
+
+        // compute relative pixel positions
+        const int zero_x = static_cast<int>(p.width() / 2 - PLAY_ARROW_SIZE / 2 / devicePixelRatio());
+        const int zero_y = static_cast<int>(p.height() / 2 - PLAY_ARROW_SIZE / 2 / devicePixelRatio());
+
+        QPolygon arrow;
+        arrow << QPoint(zero_x, zero_y);
+        arrow << QPoint(zero_x, zero_y + PLAY_ARROW_SIZE);
+        arrow << QPoint(zero_x + PLAY_ARROW_SIZE, zero_y + PLAY_ARROW_SIZE / 2);
+
+        QPainterPath path;
+        path.addPolygon(arrow);
+
+        QLinearGradient gradient(QPointF(zero_x, zero_y),
+                                 QPointF(zero_x + PLAY_ARROW_SIZE,zero_y + PLAY_ARROW_SIZE));
+
+        QColor buttonColor = Qt::white;
+        QColor buttonTextColor = Qt::black;
+        gradient.setColorAt(0, buttonColor);
+        gradient.setColorAt(1, buttonTextColor);
+
+        QBrush brush(gradient);
+
+        QPainter painter(&p);
+
+        QPen pen(buttonTextColor, PLAY_ARROW_BORDER_SIZE, Qt::SolidLine, Qt::RoundCap, Qt::RoundJoin);
+        painter.setPen(pen);
+
+        painter.setRenderHint(QPainter::Antialiasing);
+        painter.drawPolygon(arrow);
+        painter.fillPath(path, brush);
+    }
+
     m_preview->setPixmap(p);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/panels/information/phononwidget.h b/src/panels/information/phononwidget.h
--- a/src/panels/information/phononwidget.h
+++ b/src/panels/information/phononwidget.h
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@
         QSize videoSize() const;
 
         void setAutoPlay(bool autoPlay);
+        bool eventFilter(QObject *object, QEvent *event) override;
 
     signals:
         /**
diff --git a/src/panels/information/phononwidget.cpp b/src/panels/information/phononwidget.cpp
--- a/src/panels/information/phononwidget.cpp
+++ b/src/panels/information/phononwidget.cpp
@@ -95,6 +95,24 @@
     return m_url;
 }
 
+bool PhononWidget::eventFilter(QObject *object, QEvent *event)
+{
+    Q_UNUSED(object);
+    if (event->type() == QEvent::MouseButtonPress) {
+        const QMouseEvent *mouseEvent = static_cast<QMouseEvent*>(event);
+        if (mouseEvent->button() == Qt::LeftButton) {
+            // toggle playback
+            if (m_media && m_media->state() == Phonon::State::PlayingState) {
+                m_media->pause();
+            } else {
+                play();
+            }
+            return true;
+        }
+    }
+    return false;
+}
+
 void PhononWidget::setVideoSize(const QSize& size)
 {
     if (m_videoSize != size) {
@@ -172,8 +190,8 @@
     switch (newstate) {
     case Phonon::PlayingState:
     case Phonon::BufferingState:
-        m_stopButton->show();
         m_playButton->hide();
+        m_stopButton->show();
         break;
     default:
         m_stopButton->hide();
@@ -196,6 +214,7 @@
 
     if (!m_videoPlayer) {
         m_videoPlayer = new EmbeddedVideoPlayer(this);
+        m_videoPlayer->setCursor(Qt::PointingHandCursor);
         m_videoPlayer->installEventFilter(this);
         m_topLayout->insertWidget(0, m_videoPlayer);
         Phonon::createPath(m_media, m_videoPlayer);