How do I fix VLC out of sync audio?

What causes audio sync issues in VLC?

There are a few common causes of audio sync issues in VLC media player:

Encoding mismatches between audio and video – If the audio and video tracks were encoded separately and not properly synced, it can cause sync issues when playing back in VLC. This is a common problem with video files downloaded online or files that have been re-encoded.

System performance limitations – Playing high-resolution or complex video files requires a lot of processing power. If your computer lacks the specs to smoothly play the video, it can cause audio sync issues in VLC. Upgrading hardware may help.

VLC settings being changed – Sync issues can occur if VLC audio offset settings have been modified, or if advanced playback settings do not match the specs of the video file. Resetting VLC to default settings may resolve simple sync issues.

For additional technical details on audio sync troubleshooting, check out this informative guide: https://www.elmedia-video-player.com/blog/fix-vlc-audio-delay/

Check your system meets VLC requirements

Before troubleshooting VLC audio sync issues, it’s important to ensure your computer meets the minimum system requirements to run VLC properly. According to VLC System Requirements – Software Reviewer, VLC requires at least a 1 GHz CPU, 1GB of RAM, and a DirectX 9 capable graphics card. Make sure your computer meets or exceeds these specs.

You’ll also want to confirm you have the latest graphics drivers installed. Outdated graphics drivers can sometimes lead to performance issues that affect audio/video sync. Visit your graphics card manufacturer’s website to download the newest available drivers.

As a test, try playing some simple, low resource video files in VLC like an MP4 or AVI. If these play back smoothly without sync issues, then you know your base system hardware is not the culprit. More demanding, high resolution videos are more prone to sync problems on underpowered machines.

Getting your system up to VLC’s minimum requirements and updating drivers is an important first step before troubleshooting other potential causes of audio delays.

Update VLC to the latest version

Keeping VLC updated to the newest version can help resolve many playback issues, including audio sync problems. VLC’s developers frequently release updates that contain bug fixes, performance improvements, and feature enhancements.

For example, VLC 3.0.16 for Windows fixed multiple regressions causing audio synchronization to break for some files https://www.vlchelp.com/vlc-3-0-16-released/. Updating to the latest patch releases where developers have specifically addressed audio sync bugs may be enough to resolve your out of sync audio.

Here is how to update VLC on the major platforms:

Windows
On Windows PCs, you can update VLC by going to Tools > Check for Updates within the app. This will check online and download the newest VLC version for you.

Alternatively, you can manually download and install the latest VLC installer for Windows from the official VideoLAN website https://www.videolan.org/vlc/download-windows.html.

Mac

The easiest way to update VLC on Mac is to go to VLC > Check for Updates. You can also download the newest .DMG installer from VideoLAN https://www.videolan.org/vlc/download-macosx.html.

Linux
For Linux, you will need to update VLC through your distribution’s package manager, such as apt for Ubuntu/Debian or dnf for Fedora. Run the package update commands to get the latest VLC version.

In many cases, keeping VLC updated can fix audio out of sync and other playback problems with minimal effort.

Change VLC audio sync settings

VLC has built-in options to adjust audio sync. Here are the main settings you can tweak:

Audio sync slider

In the playback window, click the audio sync icon that looks like a metronome. This opens a slider to adjust audio delay in milliseconds.¹ Drag the slider left or right until the audio matches the video.

Audio track synchronization

Go to Tools > Track Synchronization. Enter a positive or negative number in milliseconds to delay or advance the audio track relative to the video.²

Audio desync compensation

In Preferences > Audio, check the box for “Audio desync compensation”. This attempts to resync audio if it falls out of sync during playback.

Use the offset timing option

One way to fix audio sync issues in VLC is to manually set an offset value in milliseconds to correct the timing. VLC has options to set both positive and negative offset values.

A positive offset value will delay the audio, while a negative value will make the audio play earlier. For example, setting an offset of +200ms will delay the audio by 200 milliseconds compared to the video. Setting an offset of -300ms will make the audio play 300ms earlier.

To set the offset, open VLC and go to Tools > Track Synchronization. Enter the number of milliseconds to offset the audio track timing. Start with small values like +/- 50ms to test. Increase or decrease the value until the audio sync is corrected.

Setting the audio offset is useful when the audio consistently lags or leads the video. Test different offset values to find the right timing correction for the file you are playing in VLC. Offsets between -500ms to +500ms can often fix mild to moderate sync issues.

Adjust playback speed

One of the easiest ways to fix audio sync issues in VLC is by adjusting the playback speed. This shifts the timing between the audio and video tracks to get them back in sync.

To speed up playback, go to Playback > Speed and select a faster speed like 1.25x or 1.5x. This will delay the audio track while the video keeps playing normally, allowing the audio to catch up if it’s lagging behind. According to Wondershare, you can also use the + and – keys as shortcuts to increase or decrease speed.

To slow down playback, choose a slower speed like 0.75x or 0.5x. This will delay the video track while the audio continues normally, allowing the video to catch up if it’s too far ahead.

The main limitation with this method is that it changes the playback experience for the entire video. You may not want to watch at an accelerated or decelerated speed just to fix sync issues. It’s best for temporary tweaking to get audio and video realigned. Permanently speeding up or slowing down the playback can make the content harder to watch.

Re-encode the files

One way to fix audio sync issues in VLC is to re-encode the video files. Re-encoding can help fix encoding mismatches that may be causing the sync problems. Here are some tips for re-encoding:

Use VLC’s built-in transcoding feature to re-encode the files. Go to Media > Convert/Save and select the video file you want to re-encode. Under the Profile drop-down, choose a suitable output format and resolution. Then click Start to re-encode the file. VLC will create a new video file optimized for your system.[1]

Consider using a third party video encoder like Handbrake if you need advanced options. Open the mismatched video in Handbrake and experiment with the Audio and Video tabs to optimize the encoding. Try changing the codec, bitrate, framerate, sample rate and other settings. Then re-encode the file and test in VLC.[2]

When re-encoding, choose output settings suited for your computer’s hardware. For example, lower resolutions and bitrates work better on underpowered machines. Test different encoding presets to find the optimal balance of quality and performance.

Re-encoding can be time consuming but is often necessary to permanently resolve stubborn audio sync issues in VLC and other media players.

Convert to a different format

One way to fix audio sync issues in VLC is to convert the media file to a different format. VLC has built-in conversion features that allow you to convert video and audio files into different file types. Trying converting to a format like MP4, MKV, or AVI to see if it resolves the sync problem.

For best results, use a lossless audio format when converting, such as FLAC or ALAC. Lossy compression like AAC or MP3 can sometimes introduce audio sync issues. Converting to a lossless format will preserve audio quality and may avoid sync problems.

To convert a file in VLC, go to Media > Convert/Save. Add the file you want to convert, then under Convert/Save click the dropdown next to Profile and select a new format. You can also click Edit selected profile to customize settings like video codec, resolution, bitrate and more. Finally click Convert/Save to encode the file to the new format.

Try playing the converted file to see if it fixed the sync issue. You may need to experiment with different output formats to find one that works properly on your system and with your media files. Converting to a modern format like MP4 or MKV can often resolve many playback issues.

Sources:

https://videoconverter.wondershare.com/vlc/how-to-make-vlc-turn-into-a-video-converter.html

Upgrade your hardware

One way to fix VLC audio sync issues is by upgrading your computer’s hardware. VLC relies on your CPU, RAM, VRAM, and storage to process and play media files smoothly. If your hardware is outdated or underpowered, it can struggle to keep up, causing sync problems.

Upgrading to a faster CPU with more cores can provide the extra processing power needed for smooth playback in VLC. Similarly, increasing your RAM and VRAM allows VLC to cache more data and handle video decoding more efficiently. Replacing an old hard drive with a fast solid state drive (SSD) improves access times when reading video files.

Getting a dedicated graphics card is also recommended, as it takes over GPU-accelerated decoding from your CPU’s integrated graphics. This prevents overloading the CPU and allows it to better focus on audio synchronization.[1]

Overall, the latest PC hardware gives VLC the resources it needs to properly sync audio and video during playback. If you have an older computer, upgrading key components can provide a noticeable boost in performance and help resolve sync issues.

Troubleshooting Guide

Follow this step-by-step guide to troubleshoot audio sync issues in VLC and find the most common solutions:

Check if your system meets the minimum requirements for running VLC smoothly. Having an outdated or underpowered device can cause sync issues. See VLC’s system requirements here.
Make sure you are running the latest version of VLC. Outdated versions may have bugs that create audio delays. Download the newest version from the VLC website.
Adjust the audio sync settings in VLC. Go to Tools > Track Synchronization and set the audio delay to sync the audio correctly. You can also use the keyboard shortcuts Ctrl+H (decrease delay) and Ctrl+G (increase delay) while playing a video.

If the above steps don’t fix it, try re-encoding the files at a constant frame rate using VLC. Go to Media > Convert/Save and select the appropriate options.
As a last resort, convert the files to a different format like MP4 that may sync better in VLC.

If you have tried all of the above solutions and are still experiencing major audio delays, your hardware may be the culprit. Upgrading to a faster processor, more RAM, better graphics card, or an SSD can improve video playback performance and sync.

For additional help diagnosing and correcting stubborn VLC audio sync issues, seek advice on technical forums like VLC’s support page or from a computer technician.