How do I control VLC on my PC from my phone?
Install SofaDeck on the PC, scan its QR code with your phone, and add buttons for VLC's own keyboard shortcuts: Space to play or pause, F for fullscreen, N and P for the next and previous file, V for subtitles. Single keys and media keys are free. VLC has to be the window in front for its letter shortcuts, which it is while you watch.
- Install SofaDeck on your PC (free)
- Scan the QR code with your phone
- Tap
Works on iPhone & Android — no app needed. Scan the QR code on your PC with the phone's camera and the remote opens in its browser. On Android you can also add the optional Google Play app.
VLC is driven almost entirely by single-key shortcuts, which makes it one of the easiest players to put on a phone. SofaDeck presses those keys on the PC for you: tap a big button on the phone and the PC receives the same key press as if you had reached for the keyboard. No VLC plugin, no web interface to switch on and no phone app to install; the deck opens in your phone's browser after a QR scan.
Below are the buttons worth adding, the VLC shortcut each one sends, and what needs SofaDeck Pro (only the shortcuts that hold Ctrl, Alt or Shift).
Set it up in 5 steps
- Install SofaDeck on the Windows PC (or Mac) that plays your videos and leave it running in the tray.
- Scan the QR code SofaDeck shows with your phone's camera and type the 6-digit PIN from the PC screen.
- On the phone, tap edit, then + to add a button. Choose Key / hotkey and type the VLC shortcut, for example space.
- Give it a short label such as Play / Pause and repeat for fullscreen, subtitles and the other buttons in the table below.
- Start a video in VLC, sit back and tap. Buttons can also be run by voice: say the button's label.
Buttons to add for VLC
| Button | What it sends | What it does | Plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Play / Pause | Key: Space | Toggles playback in VLC. | Free |
| Fullscreen | Key: F | Toggles VLC's fullscreen. | Free |
| Exit fullscreen | Key: Esc | Leaves fullscreen. | Free |
| Next file | Key: N | Next item in the playlist. | Free |
| Previous file | Key: P | Previous item in the playlist. | Free |
| Subtitles | Key: V | Cycles through the subtitle tracks (and off). | Free |
| Audio track | Key: B | Cycles through audio tracks, e.g. another language. | Free |
| Slower / Faster | Keys: [, ], = | [ slows playback down, ] speeds it up, = returns to normal speed. | Free |
| Mute VLC | Key: M | Mutes VLC only, not the rest of the PC. | Free |
| Show time | Key: T | Shows the elapsed and remaining time on screen. | Free |
| Back 10 s / Forward 10 s | Hotkeys: Alt + ←, Alt + → | Alt + ← and Alt + → are VLC's short jumps (Shift is about 3 s, Ctrl about 1 min). | Pro |
| Movies folder | File / folder: a folder on the PC | A File / folder button (made on the PC's SofaDeck page) opens your videos folder; pick the next file with the phone trackpad. | Free |
| PC volume − / + | Media keys: Volume down, Volume up | The Windows volume keys: changes the PC's volume, whatever is playing. | Free |
Shortcuts are VLC's defaults (Tools → Preferences → Hotkeys shows and changes them). The free version holds one page of 12 buttons, so start with the ones you reach for most; Pro removes the limit.
Or just say it
Tap the microphone on the phone (or type in the say-or-type bar) and SofaDeck runs the command on the PC. Any button also runs by saying its label. The full voice command list has the rest.
| Say | What happens |
|---|---|
pause / play | Sends the media Play/Pause key, which VLC normally answers. |
volume 30 / quieter | Sets or nudges the PC's volume. |
audio track | Runs your Audio track button by its label. |
sleep in 45 minutes | Starts a sleep timer with a countdown and a cancel button. |
What's free and what needs Pro
Everything in the table above is free except Back 10 s / Forward 10 s. Pro is from $6.99 once for every phone you pair, with no subscription, and adds unlimited pages, hotkey combos, macros and Smart pages that switch the phone to your VLC page when VLC comes to the front (Windows). SofaDeck also offers a 7-day Pro trial.
Limits, honestly
- Letter shortcuts go to the window in front. If VLC isn't in front (you clicked something else), tap the trackpad on VLC first.
- SofaDeck doesn't show VLC's playlist or browse its media library on the phone. Open files with a folder button and the phone trackpad, or with Screen view (Pro).
- The built-in voice phrase "skip ahead" presses the → key, which is made for browser players. For VLC, make your own Alt + → button and say its name.
- Whether VLC answers the media Play/Pause key when it isn't in front depends on VLC's global hotkey settings; the Space button always works while VLC is in front.
SofaDeck runs on Windows 10 or Windows 11 (64-bit) and on the Mac (macOS 11 Big Sur or later, on Apple silicon or Intel). The phone needs only a browser: iPhone or Android, no app to install, on the same Wi-Fi as the PC.
Other ways to control VLC from your phone
VLC has its own web interface (Tools → Preferences → Show settings: All → Interface → Main interfaces → Web, with a password), and several phone apps use it to show a seek bar and the playlist. It is VLC-only and needs setting up on each PC. SofaDeck is the better fit if the same phone should also run Netflix in the browser, the PC's volume, a sleep timer and shutting the PC down.
VLC is a trademark of its owner. SofaDeck is made by Dixon App Studio and isn't affiliated with or endorsed by the makers of VLC. Shortcuts listed are the app's defaults at the time of writing and can change.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free VLC remote for my phone?
Yes. SofaDeck's free version covers every single-key VLC shortcut (play/pause, fullscreen, subtitles, audio track, speed, next/previous) plus media keys and volume. Only shortcuts that hold Ctrl, Alt or Shift, like VLC's 10-second jump (Alt + arrow), need Pro.
What are VLC's most useful keyboard shortcuts?
Space play/pause, F fullscreen, Esc leave fullscreen, N/P next/previous, V subtitles, B audio track, [ and ] speed, = normal speed, M mute, T show time, and Alt + ←/→ to jump 10 seconds.
Does it work with VLC on a Mac?
Yes, SofaDeck for Mac sends the same keys once you allow it under System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility. The phone trackpad is Windows-only.
Do I need the same Wi-Fi?
Yes. The phone and the PC must be on the same home network; SofaDeck doesn't relay through the internet.
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