How To Hide Controls in VLC

VLC boasts many practical built-in features and runs a classic, easy-to-understand user interface. If you want your movie or video to cover the entire VLC screen, however, you’ll need to hide the controls. Fortunately, this is a relatively straightforward process if you use some shortcut keys.

If you have no idea what these keys are, you’ve come to the right place. This article explains how to hide VLC controls and enjoy a clear full screen.

How to Hide VLC Media Player Controls in Full-screen Mode

VLC is among the most versatile media players for computer and mobile phone users. Although you can use its default features as is, you could also customize them. For instance, you can temporarily hide the control panel features to let the movie fill the screen. That way, you can have the same viewing experience as someone watching a movie on TV.

If you hide VLC controls, you’ll no longer view the top menu titles like Media, Playback, Video, View, etc. Likewise, the control buttons at the bottom area of your VLC screen will disappear. If you find the VLC’s control panel annoying or distracting, use any of the following methods.

Press Ctrl + H

The fastest way to hide VLC controls when playing a movie is to press “Ctrl” and “H” together. Here are the steps to follow:

1. Visit the folder containing your movies and videos on your computer.
   
2. Select a video to play in VLC. Right-click it and hit “Open with.” Select “VLC media player.”
   
3. When the video starts playing on full-screen, press the “Ctrl + H” keys simultaneously. After this, the top menu bar and the bottom toolbar will disappear.
   
4. If you want to restore the hidden controls, press “Ctrl + H” again.

Use the Minimal Interface

Another way to disable VLC controls to enhance your video-watching experience entails switching to the minimal interface. A video opens in full-screen mode by default in VLC. However, the full-screen mode shows all media controls. To remove them, activate the minimal interface.

Here’s how it’s done:

1. Open your favorite video or movie in VLC.
   
2. Navigate to “View” on the top menu bar and click on it.
   
3. A menu will appear with various options. Check the “Minimal Interface” box.
   

Note: After switching on the “Minimal Interface,” you’ll notice that the “Full-screen” mode beneath it remains checked. If you uncheck it, the video title will appear on top and distract you. So, keep it switched on.

Uncheck the Show Controls in Fullscreen Mode Option

Another quick way to conceal your VLC media controls is to avoid showing controls in full-screen mode.

1. Launch your VLC application and Navigate to “Tools” on the top menu.
   
2. Scroll to the bottom of the list and click “Preferences.” A shorter way is to press “Ctrl” and “P” on the keyboard.
   
3. The “Simple Preferences” window will pop up. Under the “Interface Settings” section, uncheck “Show controls in full-screen mode.”
   
4. Hit “Save” to record your changes.
   
5. You’ll still view the video in full-screen mode with control panel features. So, double-click the “VLC screen” to hide controls. Alternatively, click “Video” and choose “Fullscreen” from the list.
   
6. To restore the hidden controls, double-click the screen again.

Disabling Only the Play and Pause Icons

If you play or pause a video in VLC, some icons pop up at the top area near the right-side corner. These are a part of OSD (on-screen display). They display the playback status. If you dislike them, you can alter them.

1. Launch your VLC media player and click “Tools” to view “Preferences.”
   
2. When the “Interface” window appears, scroll to the bottom and select “Show Settings.”
   
3. Hit “All” to open a long list of options. Select “Subtitles/OSD” from the list and uncheck “On Screen Display.”
   
4. Hit “Save” to store your changes.
   
5. Play a video to see if the icons have disappeared.

It’s possible to make your VLC borderless. This way, you can also remove the top menu bar and the bottom toolbar. A borderless VLC looks like a TV screen, as it only displays whatever you’re viewing. You don’t require a third-party tool to remove borders from your VLC. Instead, follow these steps:

1. Launch the VLC application and click “Tools.”
   
2. Choose “Preferences.” You can also press “Ctrl + P.”
   
3. The “Interface” window will appear. Under “Interface Settings,” uncheck the “Integrate Video in Interface” box.
   
4. Choose “Video” from the top menu items in the same window. “Uncheck the “Windows Decorations option and hit “Save” to exit the window.
   

VLC might not play in borderless mode unless you close it first. Then, launch it again and play your favorite video file in it. If you’ve succeeded, the only thing you’ll view on the screen is your video. Thus, you’ll manage to hide VLC controls in this manner. However, this method may lead to some issues that you might not like.

First, VLC will cover the entire screen and you can’t resize it with your mouse or keyboard. The only way to resize your screen is via a free third-party software tool called AltMove.

Here’s how to use it:

1. Download and install AltMove on your PC.
   
2. Launch the software and wait for it to show the “AltMove mouse manager” window.
   
3. Press the “Left Alt” key on your keyboard and “Left mouse” at the same time. This will help you move the borderless VLC window.
   
4. Push the “Left Ctrl” key and the “Left mouse” button at once to resize your screen.
   

Other AltMove alternatives include SmartSystemMenu, KDE-Mover-Sizer, and Top Menu.

FAQ

Can you turn off audio visualizations in VLC?

When playing the audio tracks you like best, you can turn off visualizations if you don’t like them. To disable it, open your VLC player and click “Audio” on the top menu bar. Choose “Disable” to stop using any visualization. If you want to restore visualizations, perform the same steps but pick one type from a list. You must play a music track when making these changes.

Where can I find options in VLC?

If you want to alter VLC settings, you should find options under “Preferences.” You can arrive at “Preferences” by clicking “Tools” on the VLC top menu or pressing “Ctrl +P.” Once you choose your preferences, click “Save” to keep changes. Other options can appear if you turn the “Show settings radio” button to “All.”

How can I toggle in my VLC media player?

The most advisable way is to use various hotkeys or shortcuts. For instance, press your spacebar to play or pause a video. To control volume, press “Ctrl” plus either the “Up” or “Down” button. To view full-screen mode, press F11 and “Esc” to exit it. To mute your playback, press “M.”

Is there a simple way to enable VLC Global hotkeys?

Hotkeys simplify how you use VLC. The easiest way to enable them in VLC is to press Ctrl + P to open “Preferences.” Then, click “HotKeys” to view the “Global Column.” Choose the function you wish to allocate a global hotkey to and double-click its corresponding value. After pressing the key combination, click “Apply” and “Save.”

Attempt Hiding VLC Controls

If you dislike viewing VLC controls when watching your videos, you can hide them. To hide VLC media controls in full-screen mode, go to “View” and choose “Minimal Interface.” Alternatively, press Ctrl and H keys on your keyboard to activate the same interface. Additionally, you can uncheck some preferences to achieve the same goal.

Why do you like viewing videos in full-screen mode without media controls? Have you ever succeeded in hiding these controls? Let us know in the comments section below.