How to go frame by frame in VLC player

VLC Player is probably the best media player out there today — and it’s free and open source too. It can play virtually any video file format without complaint and doesn’t require any complicated additional software to do so. One of the nice little features of VLC is being able to go frame by frame when watching something. Being able to go frame by frame enables you to find certain details that you may be looking out for and to also take precise screenshots. Here’s how to do it.

Read more: How to cast VLC Player to a TV using Chromecast

Go frame by frame on VLC using the keyboard shortcut (Windows and macOS)

1. First, start the media file that you wish to view frame by frame, then pause it.
2. Now, press E on your keyboard. You will see Next frame appear in the top-right of the screen and the screen will have moved forward by one frame.
3. Now just keep tapping the E button to keep hopping one frame ahead.
4. When you have found the frame you’re looking for, you can now take your screenshot (if you wish).

Go frame by frame on VLC via Advanced Controls (Windows only)

Windows users also have an additional option in the form of a physical button on the VLC player interface. The keyboard shortcut is utterly simple, but if you insist on being able to click something with your mouse, then this may be the option you’re looking for. For some strange reason though, this option is not available on macOS.

1. Go to View > Advanced Controls and click it. Make sure a tick is now next to the menu option.
2. Underneath the screen and above the play button, you’ll now see a set of new controls. The one on the far right (a vertical line with a right-pointing arrow) is the frame-by-frame button.
3. Start your media then pause it. Now click the frame-by-frame button until you find what you’re looking for.