MCI_FREEZE differs from MCI_PAUSE in that it causes the video overlay device to cease updating the video image without affecting the state of the image source device (external video device). For example, if a motion video is being played and MCI_FREEZE is issued, the motion video continues to play but its display is frozen.

Freezing or unfreezing an area outside the current video destination rectangle has no effect.

Multiple freeze and unfreeze commands, which specify rectangles to be affected, can be issued sequentially to build up a complex region of frozen and unfrozen video.