When there is an audio sync problem on the VLC Media player, try some basic fixes like restarting the VLC media player or computer else updating the VLC media player and trying a different video file to check if the issue is with a particular video file.
We assume you did all of that and have yet to see results. Don’t lose hope, the upcoming solutions on how to fix audio delay in VLC will help you sync the audio and video file together.
6 DIY Ways to Fix Audio Out-of-Sync in VLC
Here are some effective solutions to fix audio delay on VLC Media Player:
- Keyboard Shortcuts to Fix Audio Delay in VLC
- Set Track Synchronization
- Use the Audio desynchronization compensation
- Disable Hardware Acceleration
- Video Editing Software
- Video Repair Tool
1: Use Keyboard shortcuts to Fix Audio Delay in VLC
This is a temporary solution to fix the audio out-of-sync issue in VLC during the current playback. You can adjust the audio lag issue in VLC by 50ms using the shortcut keys J and K.

Play the video on the VLC media player and hear the audio.
In Windows:
Press J when the audio is ahead of the image.
Press K when the audio is behind the image.
In Mac:
Press G when the audio is ahead of the image.
Press F when the audio is behind the image.
Every time you press the keys you notice the quick fade-out message with time on the top-right of the VLC media player.
2: Set Track Synchronization Value
If there is an audio lag issue in a specific video, you can adjust the track synchronization value in VLC to correct the audio delay.
However, this adjustment will only be effective for that instance; even if you replay the same video, you will need to reset it again.
Steps to set track synchronization value to fix out-of-sync audio in VLC:
- Open VLC and Press Ctrl + E to open Effect and Filters.

- Go to Synchronization.
- Under the Audio/Video section, enter a value in the Track Synchronization box.
- Enter the positive value when the audio is behind the video.
- Enter a negative value when the audio is ahead of the video.

- Click on OK.
Now try playing the video and verify the audio lag.
3: Use the Audio desynchronization compensation feature
The desynchronization compensation feature in VLC is a permanent fix to sync the audio with video in the VLC media player. it’s a good option if you frequently experience audio delay while playing videos on VLC. Here’s how it is done:
- Launch the VLC Media player, go to Tools, and click Preferences.

- Click on All on the bottom left to access the Advanced Settings.

- Click on Audio.
- Locate Audio desynchronization compensation on the right side and set a positive value in milliseconds when the audio lags behind the image or set a negative value in milliseconds if the audio is ahead of the video.

- Click on Save.
4: Disable Hardware Acceleration to Adjust Audio Sync in VLC
Try disabling the hardware acceleration to see if it is conflicting with the video file causing conflicts and instability that results in audio delay in VLC.
- Open VLC Media Player, click on Tools and select Preferences.

- Go to the Input/Codecs tab.
- Expand the drop-down next to hardware-accelerated decoding and choose Disable.

- Click on Save
This should fix the sound delay on the VLC Media player. if that doesn’t help follow the next solutions.
5: Use Video Editing Software
If the above methods using VLC didn’t work, you can try fixing this issue with the help of video editing software. However, this method can be quite hard for you if you are not familiar with any video editing software.
Remember there are several free and paid video editing tools available that can help you fix video and audio out-of-sync issues. Ensure to choose reliable ones like Clipchamp, DaVinchi Resoleve, and iMovie.
Having a prior video editing experience can help you get the best results.
- Import: Load the video file with audio lag in the editing software
- Separate: Separate the audio and video tracks
- Adjust: Align the audio and video tracks.
- Export: Preview the video file and export it on your computer.
6: Video Repair Tool
When the solutions above don’t fix the audio delay in VLC and you observe audio lag even when the video is played on a different media player, then the video file could be corrupted or damaged.
Audio lag could be due to damaged or misaligned audio and video tracks, here you will need a reliable video repair tool that can fix the audio lag and support your video file format.
We suggest using Yodot Video Repair software to fix the video file as it is capable of repairing simple issues like broken indexes, choppy video playback issues to severe header corruption on popular formats like MOV, MP4, AVI, etc in simple clicks.
Download the video repair tool on your computer and follow the steps below to fix the video file:
Step 1: Launch the Yodot Video Repair tool and click on Select File to browse the video file with audio sync issue.

Step 2: Click on Repair to begin the video repair process.

Step 3: Once video repair is completed, preview the repaired video file for the audio and save it on your device.

Other External Factors Causing Audio Delay
Limited System Resource: While playing high-resolution or complex video formats your system could struggle due to insufficient storage, CPU, or RAM and produce pixelated video files or audio sync issues during the playback.
Audio Drivers: If your device has outdated, corrupted, or incompatible audio drivers, it can disturb the audio output. So ensure that your device has updated audio drivers.
Conclusion
Even though VLC is an amazing option to play video files in almost every format, with its wide codec support and several useful features to enhance the viewing experience, audio lag in VLC can certainly be one annoying experience that can ruin the complete experience. We hope the solutions listed in this article helped to solve the audio sync issue in VLC.
If troubleshooting fails, it’s understood that your video file is damaged and requires professional video repair tools to fix it. Make sure to choose an effective tool to repair the damaged video file.