How to adjust video playback speed in VLC Media Player
Have you ever wished you could increase the playback speed of a video or audiobook?
I like listening to audiobooks a lot, but I usually find the reading speed too slow. Some studies show the average human reads around 300 words per minute, but audiobooks are normally recorded at about half that — 150 to 160 words per minute. Similarly, in video lectures and podcasts, the speaking rate is around 160 words per minute.
Luckily, most video players as well as video streaming sites offer ways to control the playback rate, but sometimes the setting is buried in the menus. I use VLC as my preferred media player because it handles any video format, and supports casting videos to your TV if you have a Chromecast.
Change playback speed for the current video only
- Right click -> Playback -> Speed or from the top menu bar Playback -> Speed
- Plus(+) and (-) keys on your keyboard for a 50% change, or square bracket keys ( [ and ] ) for 10% changes
That works, but as soon as you start playing a different video the speed is back to normal.
Make the new playback speed permanent
- While playing a video, open Tools -> Preferences from the top menu bar.
- Click the All radio button at the bottom to open the Advanced settings menu.
- Click on Input/Codecs. There, in the section called Playback control, there will be a setting for Playback speed. Enter the speed you want (I prefer 1,5) then click Save.
Now close VLC and open a new video file — success, it should automatically play at the new speed. Enjoy!
