How to Speed up (or Slow Down) Videos in VLC

With VLC’s playback speed shortcuts, you can speed up or slow down videos with just a few clicks.

Are you tired of sitting through long videos, waiting for the important parts to come up? Or maybe you need to slow down a video to catch every detail?

Luckily, the popular media player VLC has a feature that lets you easily control playback speed

Related: VLC Media Player: Is it still the Best Video Player?

In this guide, we’ll show you how to use these shortcuts to fast forward and slow down VLC videos, and teach you how to increase the speed of a video in VLC using its advanced settings. Get ready to take control of your video playback experience with VLC.

Related: How to Merge Videos in VLC (Windows & Mac)

Key takeaways

• Slow motion shortcut hotkey for VLC is the + key on your keyboard (Windows). While the Increase speed shortcut hotkey is the – key.
  

  

• On Mac, the speed up and slow down hotkeys are CMD + [ +] and CMD + [ – ]
  

  

• Speed controls on VLC range from: Faster, Faster (Fine), Normal speed, Slower (Fine), Slower. Also, it is possible to a custom speed as default.
  
  

  

• Every time you increase the speed, VLC will add the speed multiplier with every time you click the button or hotkey (resulting in extremely fast, or extremely slow speeds)
  
• You can also jump forward or backwards, or jump to a specific time; similar to the ways youtube allows for.
  
• Changing the playback speed and saving it permanently is possible in VLC, but the steps are a bit more advanced (see instructions further in this post)

Also see: 21 Best Video Players for Mac (Free & Paid)

Playback Shortcuts for VLC (and more)

Below are hotkeys and shortcuts for controlling playback speeds on both Mac and Windows. If you see the command key and you’re on windows, then simply use the control key instead of Command to achieve the same result.

Shortcut	Function
Increase Video Speed (Mac)	CMD + [ + ] (plus key) – hold both
Slow down Video Speed (Mac)	CMD + [ – ] (minus key) – hold both
Increase Video speed (Windows)	+
Slow down Video Speed (Windows)	–
Return to default speed	= (or CMD + [ = ] on Mac)
Space Bar	Play/Pause
F or F11	Toggle Full Screen
A	Change Aspect ratio
Z	Change Zoom Mode
Shift + Left Arrow keys	Reverse the video by 3 seconds (Windows)
Shift + Right Arrow keys	Fast forward the video by 3 seconds (Windows)
Control + Command + Left Arrow keys	Reverse the video by 3 seconds (macOS)
Control + Command + Right Arrow keys	Fast forward the video by 3 seconds (macOS)
Alt + Left Arrow keys	Reverse the playback position by 5 minutes seconds on Windows
Alt + Right Arrow keys	Forward the playback position by 5 minutes seconds on Windows
Command + Option + Left Arrow keys	Reverse the playback position by 10 seconds on macOS
Command + Option + Right Arrow keys	Forward the playback position by 10 seconds on macOS

Related: How to Zoom in on Videos in VLC (Windows & Mac)

How to Speed up Videos in VLC Media Player on Windows

Below, I’ll cover how you can speed up videos in VLC using a Windows computer. There are two different ways.

One way to increase playback speed (or slow it down) in VLC is through navigating to the toolbar, while the other way to adjust playbacks speeds is through the use of HotKeys (keyboard shortcut)

Lets take a look at each individually.

1. Increase Video Speed in VLC with Toolbar

First things first, make sure you have the latest version of VLC installed on your computer. Once you have it downloaded and installed, follow the steps below to learn how to increase video speed in VLC:

1. Open your desired video you want to adjust the playback speed on
2. Once the video file is loaded in VLC, head back to the toolbar and click on the Playback option (Located in the menu bar at the top of the screen)
   

   

3. From the drop-down menu, select the Speed tab. (4th option down)
   

   

4. You will now see five options to adjust the playback speed of your video.
   

   

5. To increase the video speed,you can choose between ‘Faster Fine’ or ‘Faster’. The “Faster Fine” choice will let you to make smaller, incremental adjustments to the speed.

Related: How to Rotate & Flip a Video in VLC and Save It (Permanently)

2. Increase or slow Video Speed in VLC with Hotkeys (Windows shortcut)

VLC also provides the convenience of adjusting the playback speed of nearly any video file format through the use of hotkeys or shortcuts, making it an efficient way to save time when your learning, watching a show, or want to view something in slow motion.

Here’s a quick guide on how to fast forward or slow down a video in VLC on Windows:

Step 1: Load your desired file on VLC, as explained in our previous section on how to cast VLC to your smart TV.

Step 2: Play the video and press the [ + or – ] key on your PC’s keyboard to increase or slow the speed. If this doesn’t work, try holding Ctrl and then + or -. These shortcuts will increase or decrease the playback speed by 0.5x increments.

Step 3: Alternatively, you can select the playback menu at the top of the screen and locate speed controls through the visual menu.

Related: How to Cast Videos from VLC to ANY Smart TV (Mac & Windows)

3. How to Set the Default Playback Speed for VLC in Windows

If you’re tired of manually adjusting the playback speed for every video you play in VLC, you can set a default playback speed for all your videos by visiting the advanced preferences dashboard.

Here’s how to change and set the default playback speed for VLC:

1. To do this, access the advanced VLC configurations by navigating to Tools > Preferences (CTRL + P on Windows, or CMD + P on Mac), and then selecting the All option via the Show settings option.
2. This will bring up the Advanced Preferences for VLC. Coincidentally, this is the same menu you need in order to crop on VLC (see our post on how to crop videos in vlc)
3. Once in the Advanced Preferences menu, click on Input / Codecs.
4. Under Playback control, you will find Playback speed. Here, you can input a value up to two decimal places to set your desired default playback speed.
5. After setting the new default speed, try to stop the video and play it again. Alternatively, you can exit out of VLC and launch it again and test the new default speed out.
6. If you ever want to reset it back to the default playback speed of 1.00x, you’ll need to visit the advanced preference again.

Once you’re happy with your new default playback speed, be sure to click Save at the end. Now, every video you play in VLC will automatically play at your desired playback speed.

Related: How to make VLC the Default Player on Mac and Windows

How to Speed up or slow down Video Speed in VLC on MAC?

I’ll explain how to speed up videos in VLC using a Mac computer. There are two methods to achieve this.

To adjust playback speed in VLC on a Mac, one way is to navigate to the toolbar. Alternatively, you can use HotKeys (keyboard shortcuts) to modify the playback speed.

Related: How to Cleanly Rip a DVD with VLC (& Fix any Ripping Errors)

Let’s dive into each method and explore how to use them effectively.

1. Increase Video Speed in VLC for macOS with Toolbar

You can increase the video speed in VLC media player for macOS from the toolbar.

Here are the steps:

1. Open the video file from the “Media” menu by selecting “Open File.”
2. Click on “Playback” in the menu bar and pick “Playback Speed.” Using the slider select a speed between 0.25x to 4x. Slide the bar to the right to speed up the video, or to the left to slow it down.

Now you can adjust the video speed to suit your needs.

2. Increase Video Speed in VLC with Hotkeys (Mac shortcut)

You can also use hotkeys to easily speed up or slow down videos in the VLC media player. Hotkeys offer more precise control over the speed controls than the toolbar.

Here are the steps to use hotkeys:

1. Open the video file you want to watch in VLC media player.
2. To speed up the video, press CMD + [ + ] (plus key).
3. To slow down the video, press the CMD [ – ]” (minus key) key.
4. To return to the normal playback speed, press CMD + [ = ] (equal) key.

Related: How to Convert Youtube Video to Mp3 (Audio) using VLC

3. How to Set the Default Playback Speed for VLC in Windows

You can set a default playback speed of your liking for VLC media player on your Windows device. This is useful if you want all your videos to play at a certain speed automatically.

Here are the steps:

1. Open VLC media player and go to “Tools” in the menu bar, then select “Preferences” or press “CTRL + P” on your keyboard.
2. In the preferences window, click the “All” option under “Show settings” to display all the advanced settings.
3. Click on “Input / Codecs” and find the “Playback control” section. Input a value up to two decimal places for the playback speed.
4. Once you have entered your desired value, click “Save” to apply the new default playback speed setting.

Now, every video you play on VLC media player will automatically play at your chosen playback speed. You may need to stop and restart the video, or even restart VLC media player, to ensure that the new setting is in effect.

How to Speed up or slow down Video Speed in VLC on Android

VLC is a popular media player that allows you to adjust the playback speed of a video or audio file on your Android device.

Speeding up or slowing down the playback speed can be helpful. For instance, if you’re watching a lecture or a tutorial video, speed it up to save time. If you’re learning a new language or trying to transcribe a video, slowing down the playback speed can be useful to catch every word.

Here are the steps to speed up or slow down video speed in VLC on Android:

1. Open the VLC app and play the video or audio file you want to adjust.
2. Tap the screen to display the controls.
3. Press the three dots (⋮) in the upper-right corner of the screen.
4. Select the option with the running person icon.
5. Drag the slider to adjust the playback speed, or tap the plus (+) or minus (-) buttons to increase or decrease the speed. Choose any speed between 0.25x to 4.00x.

To reset the speed to 1.00x, tap on the running person icon above the slider.

How to Speed up or slow down Video Speed in VLC on iOS (iPhone or iPad)

You can adjust the playback speed of a video on your iPhone or iPad, using VLC, with just a few clicks.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Open VLC on your device and load the video file you want to watch. Click on the “three-dotted” icon, in the bottom-right corner of the screen.
2. From the “Video Options” menu, click on “Playback Speed,” to open a slider that allows you to adjust the playback speed of your video.
3. Slide the bar to slow down or speed up your video from 0.25x to 8x.

Once you’ve made your selection, the video will adjust its playback speed accordingly.

How to Save a Video with a modified Playback Speed in VLC (permanently)

To change the speed of a video in VLC and save it permanently, you can follow these simple steps.

1. First, enable the Record feature by going to “View” and checking “Advanced Controls.” Next, configure the playback speed you desire.
2. Once that’s done, start recording by clicking on the red dot located above the play controls.
3. Press “play” to start playback, and click on the red dot again to finish recording at any time.
4. The video will be recorded with the current playback speed and saved under “This PC/Videos/vlc-record-xxxx” for Windows 10.

We have na in-depth, step by step guide on how to record your screen in VLC for both Mac and Windows users for this.

If you require more advanced features, there are other applications available that may be better suited to your needs. These apps are often more user-friendly, intuitive, and efficient. The learning curve also may be easier for beginners on these apps.

Alternative Video players that allow playback speed controls

Besides VLC, many alternative video players provide excellent playback speed controls and features, catering to diverse user preferences.

5K Player

5K Player is a free video player which works with both Windows 10 and macOS. One of its standout features is its playback speed controls, which gives you the ability to speed up or slow down video playback between x2.0, x1.5, x1.2, x1.0, x0.8, x0.7, and x0.5. You can also convert videos to fast or slow down using many predefined speed settings.

QuickTime Player (Mac Only)

QuickTime Player is a video player only for Mac users. It’s a versatile tool that handles over 100 different video, audio, and picture formats. You can change the speed of your videos by Option-clicking the forward or rewind button during playback to make changes between 1.1x and 2x.

You can also select a playback speed before starting the video. Simply click on the “Share” and “Playback Speed” button, select “Playback Speed”, and then choose the desired speed.

KMPlayer

KMPlayer is a free video player that offers playback speed controls between 0.25x slower to 4x faster. Right-click on the video you’re watching, go to Playback, and select your preferred speed option. It also allows you to decrease the video speed by 5% increments with just one click.

Clideo (Online Player)

Clideo is a web-based media player that you can use to watch videos online. It lets you change the playback speed of the video to your liking. Speed up by 0.05x intervals from 0.25x up to 4x, using the slider at the top right of the screen.

You can also change the video frame rate, and change the video format.

Sigma Media Player (Windows Only)

Sigma Media Player is a media player for Windows that allows you to watch videos at your desired playback speed. Simply start the player, select the video file, and adjust the playback speed between 2x, 1.5x, 0.5x, and 0.25x.

You can also adjust various preferences, like the Equalizer, to enhance your audio experience.

FAQ

Are playback speed control on VLC similar to Youtube?

They work similarly, but VLC allows you to add on speeds that have a compounding effect, whereas youtube has pre-set speeds with the option of customizing. The speed control on VLC appears to be as precise as Youtube. You can also skip forward 10 seconds on youtube, whereas VLC presets it to 3 seconds.

You can also learn how to download youtube videos with VLC media player.

Can I save the speed changes in VLC?

Yes, any changes made to the playback speed of a video in VLC can be saved permanently. All you have to do is enable the Record feature, configure your desired playback speed, and start recording. The video will then be recorded with the current playback speed

Does the VLC app on Roku have playback speed control?

With the latest version of the VLC app for Roku, you can adjust the playback speed of your videos. Simply play the video you want to watch, and then press the “*” button on your Roku remote to bring up the playback options. From there, select the “Playback speed” option to pick from a range of playback speeds, including 0.25x, 0.5x, 1x, 1.25x, 1.5x, 2x, 4x, and 8x.

How to fix vlc playback speed option greyed out?

If the playback speed option is greyed out in VLC player, there are a few steps you can take to fix it.

1. Click on “View” in the menu bar and press “Status Bar” to enable the Speed Control.
2. Disable Accelerated Video Output (Overlay): “Tools” > “Preferences” > ‘Video’ tab. Under the ‘Display’, turn off the ‘Accelerated video output (Overlay)’ option and click “Save.”
3. Increase the Network Caching Rate: “Preferences” > ‘All’ under ‘Show Settings’ > ‘Input/Codecs.” Scroll down to the ‘Advanced’ section > ‘Network Caching (ms)’ and increase the value of this preference.

What range of playback speeds does VLC allow?

VLC player allows you to adjust the playback speed with five options. Click on the “Playback” button in the top menu bar of the player. From there, select the “Speed” option in the drop-down submenu. now pick from: Faster, Faster (fine), Normal Speed, Slower (fine), and Slower.

What is the best Playback speed in VLC for fast learning?

The best playback speed for fast learning in VLC player varies from person to person. Some individuals may find a playback speed of 2x to be perfect for their learning needs, while others may prefer a faster speed of 4x. It ultimately depends on an individual’s ability to process information at a faster pace.

Does the Type of Video matter when increasing speed in VLC?

No, the type of video does not matter for increasing the playback speed in VLC player. As long as VLC supports the format of the video file you are playing, you can increase the speed with no issues. For example, MKV, AVI, MP4, and other file types can all be sped up or slowed down in slow motion in VLC.

Does increasing the playback speed affect video quality?

No, increasing the playback speed of a video in VLC player does not influence its quality. The video quality remains the same, but the events in the video appear faster because of the faster playback speed. For example, if you increase the speed of a lecture video, the speaker’s voice may sound faster, but the quality of the video and audio remains unchanged.

Is there a maximum playback speed I can set in VLC?

The maximum playback speed you can set ranges from 0.25 times slower to 4 times faster than the normal speed. Go to the “Playback” option on the menu bar and find the “Playback Speed” option. You can adjust the speed by moving the slider towards the left to slow down or towards the right to speed up the playback.