How to Fix Audio Sync Issues in VLC?

If your audio doesn’t line up with the video you are watching in VLC Media Player, you can easily resolve this issue by adjusting the audio delay parameter. VLC provides both quick keyboard shortcuts for on-the-fly adjustments and permanent settings within the preferences menu to ensure your audio and video track perfectly. This guide will walk you through both methods so you can get back to an uninterrupted viewing experience.

Method 1: The Quick Keyboard Shortcuts

The fastest way to fix audio sync issues while a video is actively playing is by using hotkeys. These adjustments change the audio delay in increments of 50 milliseconds.

• To delay the audio (if the audio is playing before the video): Press the K key on your keyboard (Windows/Linux) or G key (Mac).
• To hasten the audio (if the audio is playing after the video): Press the J key on your keyboard (Windows/Linux) or F key (Mac).

A small status message will appear in the top-right corner of the video player indicating the current audio delay value (e.g., Audio delay 150 ms).

Method 2: Permanent Adjustment via Preferences

If a specific video file or hardware setup consistently requires the same audio adjustment, you can set a permanent delay in VLC’s advanced settings.

1. Open VLC Media Player.
2. Navigate to the top menu and select Tools > Preferences (or press Ctrl + P on Windows; VLC > Settings on Mac).
3. At the bottom left corner of the Preferences window, under Show settings, select the All radio button to switch to advanced mode.
4. In the left-hand sidebar, click on Audio.
5. Scroll down the right pane until you find the Audio desynchronization compensation setting.
6. Enter your desired value in milliseconds.

• Positive values delay the audio.
• Negative values speed up the audio.

7. Click Save and restart VLC for the changes to take effect.