How to Enable Dark Mode in VLC

To protect your eyes, it's worth considering switching to dark mode from time to time. This can significantly help relieve eye strain 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 the device you are using, the steps may differ.


In this article, we will see how to improve your viewing experience by enabling VLC dark mode. Keep reading to learn more about darkness on VLC.


VLC in dark mode: Mac

To use VLC media player on a Mac, you need to be using Mac OS X 10.7.5 or later. Unfortunately, VLC is not accessible on older versions of Mac.

Once you have successfully installed VLC, you will need to go to 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 side of the screen.
  7. Under “General Settings”, click on “Dark”.
  8. Press "Save", then close the media player.
  9. Reopen the app. It should now be in dark mode.

VLC in dark mode: Win 10

Enabling dark mode is relatively easy if you access 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 site and download the option for the eDark Vic skin.
  3. Return to the VLC app. Click on “Tools” in the bar at the top of the screen.
  4. Select "Preferences" from the list of options presented. To access preferences, you can also press Ctrl + P.
  5. Choose the “Interface” option.
  6. Under “Interface” you will see two options. Select the “Custom Skin” option.
  7. Where it says “Choose”, navigate to your computer and select the dark mode skin you downloaded from the VLC website.
  8. Quit the VLC app, then open it again. The setting should now be adjusted and dark mode enabled while using the app.

VLC in dark mode: Linux

If you're accessing VLC through Linux, here's what you'll need to do to enable dark mode. It should be noted that this method can be applied to any Linux distribution, including Debian, Mint, CentOS, etc. Here's how to use dark mode in VLC on Linux:

  1. Download the dark mode VLC skin from the VLC site.
  2. Launch the VLC media player app on your PC.
  3. Once you have opened the app, select the “Tools” option located at the top of the screen.
  4. Click on “Preferences”. Or press Ctrl + P as a shortcut to access preferences.
  5. Select "Interface" located in the upper left corner.
  6. Under the "Look and feel" settings, you will see the option "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're done uploading your skin.
  10. Close VLC, then reopen it. The dark mode skin should now be enabled.

VLC Dark Mode: Android

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



  1. Open the VLC app.
  2. Press the three horizontal lines to access the "Menu".
  3. Go to the “Settings” option.
  4. Under "Additional Settings", select "Interface".
  5. From the list of options, tap "Day/Night mode".
  6. In the pop-up window that appears, choose the "Black Theme". This will enable dark mode on VLC media player.

VLC Dark Mode: iPhone

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


To enable dark mode on your iPhone, just follow these steps:

  1. From the home page of your iPhone, go to "Settings".
  2. From the list of options you see, select “Display & 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 to set a time limit that you want dark mode to be on.
  6. Once this is complete, return to the VLC app, which should now be in dark mode.

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


Additional FAQs

How to change the appearance of VLC player?

Generally, the appearance of a VLC player can be changed by uploading a skin through the website. This method may vary depending on the device you are using. For example, some skins will not be available for download on an iPhone.

The videos on my VLC are too dark. Why is it?

If you find that the quality of your video is too dark, it may be due to a hardware configuration issue. If this happens on a particular video, click on the "Settings" menu and choose the "Extended GUI" option. Then try increasing the "Gamma" value in the video tab. If that fails, consider checking your video card settings. Removing and then reinstalling the video drivers can also help resolve this issue.

Don't be in the dark

VLC is one of the most popular media players available today. Luckily (unless you're using an iPhone), VLC offers the option to enable dark mode.

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

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

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