VLC Fix Guide

VLC Playback Speed & Loop: Shortcuts and Settings

Beginner Last updated: Applies to: All platforms · VLC 3.0.x

Whether you are skimming a lecture at 2×, slowing down a tutorial, or looping a song section, VLC has you covered — mostly through shortcuts that are easy to forget. Here is the complete speed/loop cheat sheet plus the settings that make it behave.

Change playback speed

ActionShortcutMenu path
Speed up] (right bracket)Playback > Faster
Slow down[ (left bracket)Playback > Slower
Normal speed=Playback > Normal Speed
Fine adjust (10%)Alt + ] / Alt + [Playback > Faster (Fine)
Jump 10 secondsRight / Left arrowPlayback > Jump Forward

Loop a section with A-B repeat

  1. Set point A: press Shift+A (or Playback > Set A).

    Point A is marked.

  2. Set point B: press Shift+B (Playback > Set B).

    Point B is marked.

  3. Press Shift+L to toggle the A-B loop on/off (or Playback > Repeat from A to B).

    VLC loops between A and B.

  4. To clear, press Shift+A and Shift+B again, or toggle the loop off.

    The loop is cleared.

Loop a single file or the whole playlist

  • Loop current item: Playback > Repeat (shortcut: L or Ctrl+L context).
  • Loop playlist: Playback > Repeat All.
  • Shuffle: Playback > Shuffle (toggle).
  • The repeat icon in the bottom bar shows the current mode.

Keep the audio pitch normal at high speed

  1. At 1.5×+ the chipmunk effect comes from pitch shift; VLC’s time-stretch keeps pitch natural by default.

    Pitch stays natural.

  2. If pitch sounds wrong, check Tools > Preferences > Audio — "Audio time-stretch" should be enabled (default).

    Time-stretch is on.

Frequently asked questions

Why don’t the speed shortcuts work on my keyboard?
The [ ] = keys sit next to P; on non-US layouts press the physical key in that position. You can remap them in Tools > Preferences > Hotkeys.
Can VLC remember the speed per file?
No — speed resets when the file closes. The A-B loop also resets. Use bookmarks (Playback > Custom Bookmarks, Ctrl+B) to keep positions.
Does higher speed use more CPU?
Slightly — time-stretching audio is CPU work. 2× on 4K content may drop frames on weak hardware; drop-frames mode helps.
How do I loop just 10 seconds of a video?
Use A-B repeat: set A and B around the section and toggle Repeat from A to B. Fine-tune with the 10-second jump arrows.

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Edited by the VLC Fix Guide Tech Team — 10+ years of media software troubleshooting