How to Customize VLC Media Player Interface

When it comes to VLC, a lot is customizable in terms of the minimally present user interface. You can easily change where the play, pause, stop, next, previous and other video/audio control buttons are placed. You can also change the position of the individual buttons. Additionally, you can even change the position of all the control button set in-regards to where it shows up in the player. All you have to do is go to Tools > Customize Interface.

From the customize interface or Toolbars Editor option you can drag the individual buttons around, add new buttons and remove the ones that you don’t need. You can also configure the time toolbar and customize the full screen buttons separately. Additional customization options in terms of the button sizes and designs are also available.

Here are the detailed steps/explanations to customize your VLC Media Player Interface and buttons:

To Access Toolbars Editor

In the menu bar or via the right click menu, select Tools > Customize Interface.

The Toolbars Editor will open.

In the editor, you will see different tabs:

1. Main Toolbar: This is the toolbar that is displayed when VLC is running in Window mode. You can change the position of the player controls to place it above the video by checking the appropriate box. There are two lines of controls and line 2 has the most commonly used buttons.
2. Time Toolbar: This one allows you to customize the time toolbar that shows the position of the video or audio that you are currently playing.
3. Advanced Widget: This is the advanced widget that is displayed when View > Advanced Controls is activated. You can place buttons that can record, cut, loop or navigate frame by frame. These are the buttons that aren’t frequently used.
4. Fullscreen Controller: These are the controls that show up when your video is playing in full-screen mode. You can have a different set of controls in full screen.

Not that there is a Select profile option above everything else. This one allows you to save your interface configurations as profiles. You can switch between profiles to switch to different interfaces easily.

To Edit the Interface

Use your mouse and simply drag the buttons in the toolbar editor.

• Choose the tab for which you want to change the controls.
• To add new buttons drag them from the Toolbar Elements to the main toolbar, fullscreen controller, advanced widget or time toolbar.
• To edit/move the existing buttons click and hold using your mouse, and drag them to where you want to.
• To remove buttons just drag them outside the toolbars editor.
• Click Close to save your changes or if you messed up, click Cancel.

See the Preview area to get an idea of what your player looks like after the changes are saved. Make use of the options to display the toolbar under or above the video. We are used to the toolbar being placed below the video but you never know whether you’d like it placed above; unless you try it.

Note:

• If you are trying to add new buttons to the main toolbar, you’ll want to add it to line 2 because that’s your usual control toolbar.
• Make sure to create a new profile or make use of saving and retrieving using the profile feature. This prevents you from messing it all up.