Play Audio file (with Quicktime) without opening it

[Patbee]

Not sure if this is a Big Sur or an M1 Mac issue (or a combination of both). Before upgrading to M1MacBook running, of course, Big Sur, I could hover over an audio file on my desktop for instance and get a little 'Play' button so I could audition a file without having to open it. This feature is now missing. Does anyone know if there's a way to get it back? It was hugely useful when searching through a folder of generically named files.

Thanks in anticipation of any help offered!

 

[fisherking]

it's always worked in column view (& still does), but i don't remember ever seeing a popup play button on an audiofile on the desktop.

if you open a folder then go to the desktop, do you see it there (in the folder)?

you can also, of course, use quicklook; just select a file and hit the space bar (and the space bar again to close it)...

 

[Patbee]

Thanks for the reply. I hadn't thought of quicklook, that does the trick. But, for the record, in Catalina on my desktop Mac, if I hover over an audio file a Play button appears and I can preview it that way. That feature doesn't seem to be in Big Sur (unless of course there's an option to turn it on somewhere). Thanks again!