How To Enable Dark Mode in VLC

To keep your eyes safe, it’s worth considering switching to dark mode now and then. Doing so can significantly help with eyestrain associated with prolonged screen time.

VLC is a cross-platform media player that offers many features, including switching to dark mode. To take full advantage of this feature, users simply need to adjust VLC settings. Depending on which device you’re using, the steps may differ.

In this article, we’ll be going over how to enhance your viewing experience by enabling VLC dark mode. Keep on reading to discover more about going dark on VLC.

Dark Mode VLC: Mac

To use a VLC media player on a Mac, you’ll need to be using a Mac OS X 10.7.5 version or later. Unfortunately, VLC isn’t accessible on older Mac versions.

 Once you have successfully installed VLC, you will need to access VLC settings to switch to dark mode. Here’s how:

1. Head to the official VLC website.
2. Click Download VLC and Install.
   
3. Open VLC Media Player on your Mac.
   
4. From the menu at the top of the screen, select VLC media player.
   
5. Click on Preferences.
   
6. Select Interface, located on the left-hand side of the screen.
   
7. Under General settings, click Dark.
   
8. Hit Save, then close the media player.
   
9. Re-open the app. It should now be in dark mode.
   

Dark Mode VLC: Win 10

Enabling dark mode is relatively straightforward if you are accessing the VLC media player using Windows 10. Just follow these steps:

1. Launch the VLC media player app from your desktop.
   
2. Head to the VLC website and click on eDark Vlc.
   
3. Scroll down to where you see it says download and click the link.
   
4. Switch back to the VLC app. Click on Tools from the bar at the top of the screen.
   
5. Select Preferences from the list of options presented. To access preferences, you can also press Ctrl + P.
   
6. Choose the Interface option.
   
7. Below Interface, you will see two options. Select the Custom Skin option.
   
8. Where it says Choose, navigate your way through your computer and select the dark mode skin you downloaded from the VLC website.
   
9. Exit the VLC app, then open it again. The setting should now be adjusted, and dark mode should be enabled when using the app.

Dark Mode VLC: Linux

If you are accessing VLC via Linux, here’s what you will need to do to enable dark mode. It’s worth noting that this method can be applied to any Linux distribution, including Debian, Mint, CentOS, and more. Here’s how to use dark mode in VLC using Linux:

1. Download the VLC dark mode skin from the VLC website.
2. Launch the VLC media player app on your PC.
3. Once you’ve opened the app, select the Tools option located at the top of the screen.
4. Click Preferences. Or press Ctrl + P as a shortcut to access preferences.
5. Select Interface, located in the top left corner.
6. Beneath the Look and Feel settings, you will see the option to Use Custom Skin. Check this option.
7. Press Choose to open the file explorer window.
8. Select the dark mode skin file you downloaded earlier from the VLC site.
9. Click Save when you have finished uploading your skin.
10. Close VLC, then re-open it. The dark mode skin should now be activated.

Dark Mode VLC: Android

Currently, only Android users can enable the dark mode feature through the VLC app. To do this:

1. Open the VLC app.
   
2. Tap the three vertical dots to access the menu.
   
3. Navigate to the Settings option.
   
4. Beneath Extra Settings, select Interface.
   
5. From the list of options, tap DayNight Mode.
   
6. In the popup that appears, choose Black theme. This will enable dark mode on the VLC media player.
   

Dark Mode VLC: iPhone

As mentioned earlier, there is currently no option to enable dark mode on an iPhone directly through the VLC app. Instead, you will need to use the existing built-in dark mode settings that come with iOS devices. By turning this feature on, not only will the VLC app be dimmed, but so will everything else on your iPhone.

To turn on dark mode on your iPhone, simply follow these steps:

1. From your iPhone’s homepage, head to Settings.
   
2. From the list of options you see, select Display and Brightness.
   
3. Tap Appearance.
4. Check the Dark option to enable dark mode.
   
5. You can then click on Options to choose Sunset to Sunrise. This gives you the option of setting a time limit for how long you would like dark mode activated.
   
6. Once this is complete, head back to the VLC app, which should now be in dark mode.

Alternatively, you can also rest your eyes using your iPhone by lowering the brightness. To do this, simply swipe up on your iPhone and adjust the brightness by swiping the bar with the brightness icon.

Additional FAQs

How Do I Change the Appearance of the VLC Player?

Generally, the appearance of a VLC player can be altered by downloading a skin via the website. This method may vary depending on which device you are using. For instance, certain skins won’t be available for download on an iPhone.

The Videos on My VLC Are Too Dark. Why Is This?

If you find that your video quality is too dark, this may be due to a hardware setting issue. If this is happening on a particular video, click on the Settings menu and choose the option for Extended GUI. Then try increasing the Gamma value on the video tab. If this fails, then consider checking your video card settings. Removing and then reinstalling any video drivers may also help solve this issue.

Don’t Be in the Dark

VLC is one of the most popular media players available these days. Fortunately (unless you’re using an iPhone), VLC offers the option to switch on dark mode.

Knowing how to turn on the dark mode feature on VLC successfully can significantly improve your overall viewing experience. Plus, you won’t need to worry about straining your eyes. It’s a good idea to enable this feature if you find yourself using your device for a prolonged period of time.

Depending on which device you are using, enabling dark mode on the VLC media player may vary. We hope that this guide has helped you better understand how to turn on this feature.

Have you tried enabling dark mode on VLC? If so, how did you find the process? Let us know more about your experience in the comments below.