Updated Slowing Down the Action How to Use VLCs Slow Motion Feature

Updated Slowing Down the Action How to Use VLCs Slow Motion Feature

Morgan Lv12

Slowing Down the Action: How to Use VLC’s Slow Motion Feature

While the files of the most common formats like MP4, WAV, etc. may look identical, they might be compiled using varied codecs which may or may not support any random player that you install on your PC. The reason why VLC media player is used by the majority of users worldwide is the versatility in the codecs that it supports natively.

Furthermore, the app is available for almost every platform, i.e., Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, and Android, and is absolutely free to download and use.

With that said, the following sections explain how to manage the playback speed of a video while using VLC media player to add a slow motion effect to video. Here you will learn how to play slow motion on VLC on Windows, Mac, and iOS/Android, and also how to set the default speed for the app so that every time a video is played, the speed remains according to your preference.

In this article

01 How to Play Video in Slow Motion Effects on Windows with VLC?

02 How to Play Slow Motion Effects on Mac with VLC?

03 How to Control Playback Speed in VLC Media Player on Android and iOS?

04 How to Set up the Default Playback Speed on VLC?

Part 1: How to Play Video in Slow Motion Effects on Windows with VLC?

VLC is one of the best media players to play videos in slow motion . You can follow the instructions that are given below to learn how to play a video in slow motion in VLC on a Windows PC:

Step 1: Start Video Playback

Launch VLC on your Windows computer (a Windows 11 PC is used here for illustrations), click Media from the menu bar at the top, click Open File from the menu, and locate and open a video that you want to watch in slow motion. If VLC is your default media player, simply double-clicking the clip automatically opens the file in the app.

open file to play slow motion on vlc

Step 2: Reduce the Playback Speed (In Decrements of 0.10x)

Once the playback begins, press the Spacebar on the keyboard to pause the video. Next, go to the Playback menu from the top, go to Speed, and click Slower (fine) once. This will reduce the speed to 0.90x. Clicking Slower (fine) again will further slow down the video to 0.80x speed. You can repeat this process until you reduce the speed to your desired level. Press Spacebar again to resume the playback in slow motion.

Note: The lowest speed that you can go to using this process is 0.03x.

vlc playback slower slow motion

Step 3: Reduce the Playback Speed (In Decrements in Percentage)

Pause the playback and go to Playback > Speed as explained in the previous step. From the list that comes up, click Slower (the last option). This will reduce the speed to 0.67x. Click Slower again and the speed will further go down to 0.50x. You can repeat this process until you reach your desired playback speed. Press Spacebar to resume the playback in slow motion. With this method, you can reduce the speed to as low as 0.02x.

Note: You can click Normal from the Speed submenu to play the video at normal speed.

play video slow motion on vlc slower

Step 4: Using the Shortcut Keys (Optional)

You can press the left square bracket ‘[‘ on your keyboard to reduce the speed in decrements of 0.10x. To get back to the normal speed, press the equals to ‘=’ key. Likewise, pressing the right square bracket ‘]’ increases the speed by 0.10x.

Note: As it is with the Slower (fine) and Slower options, you can use Faster (fine) to add 0.10x increments to the speed, and Faster to increase percentage-wise. Also, if Faster (fine) is clicked repeatedly or its shortcut key is used multiple times, the speed can be increased up to 31.25x. On the other hand, by using the Faster option repeatedly, the speed can be increased to more than 100x.

Part 2: How to Play Slow Motion Effects on Mac with VLC?

The process of slowing down the video playback in VLC on a Mac computer is almost identical to that in Windows. You can learn how to get this done by following the steps that are given below:

Step 1: Open and Pause the Video

Locate and right-click the video that you want to play in slow motion, go to Open With from the context menu, and click VLC from the submenu. Once the clip opens, click the Pause button from the bottom as explained in the previous section.

Step 2: Reduce the Playback Speed

Click Playback from the menu bar at the top, and drag the Playback Speed slider to the left to reduce the speed of the video.

play video slow motion on vlc mac

Step 3: Resume the Playback

Click anywhere on the screen to close the Playback menu, and then click the Play button from the bottom to resume the video playback in slow motion.

Part 3: How to Control Playback Speed in VLC Media Player on Android and iOS?

Although the playback speed of a video on both Android and iOS devices can be controlled with a slider, the location where the controller is placed on the two platforms varies, and so does the process of reaching there. Both the methods are explained below for your convenience:

Play Video in Slow Motion on Android with VLC

Step 1: Pause the Playback

Launch VLC on your Android phone (Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ is used here for illustrations), locate and open the video in VLC, tap anywhere on the screen, and tap the Pause button from the bottom to pause the playback.

Step 2: Set a Slower Playback Speed

Tap the More icon from the bottom-right corner, tap Playback speed from the menu that appears, and drag the slider that is present at the bottom to the left to reduce the speed. Alternatively, you can also repeatedly tap the down arrow that is present at the right of the slider to slow down the speed in the decrements of 0.05x.

play speed slow motion vlc android

Step 3: Resume the Playback

Tap anywhere on the screen, and when the Playback speed slider disappears, tap the screen one more time. Now, tap the Play icon from the bottom to resume the video playback.

Play Video in Slow Motion on iPhone with VLC

Step 1: Pause the Playback

Assuming that you have already added the video to the VLC library by connecting it to iTunes, launch the app on your iOS device (iPhone 13 Pro Max is used here for illustrations). Tap the video that you want to play in slow motion, and then tap the Pause icon from the bottom.

Step 2: Reduce the Playback Speed

Tap anywhere on the screen, and tap the Clock icon from the lower-left corner. Next, drag the Playback speed slider to the left to reduce the playback speed.

vlc iphone playback speed slow motion effect

Step 3: Resume the Playback

Right after decreasing the speed, tap the Play icon from the bottom to resume the playback. If the controllers disappear, you can tap anywhere on the screen again, and then tap the Play icon.

Part 4: How to Set up the Default Playback Speed on VLC?

The processes of setting up default playback speed on different platforms and devices vary. For your convenience, all of them are explained below:

Set up Default Playback Speed in VLC on Windows

  1. Go to Tools > Preferences in VLC media player, and then click the All button from the Show settings section at the bottom.
  2. Select Input / Codecs from the left pane of the Advanced Preferences box, and then specify your preferred speed in the Playback speed field that is present under the Playback control section on the right window
  3. Click Save to save the changes

set vlc media player default playback speed

Set up Default Playback Speed in VLC on Mac

  • Launch VLC, and go to VLC media player from the menu bar, and then click Preferences; and then click Show All from the bottom of the Preferences box to display all preferences setting options;

vlc media player default preferences interface

  • Click the Input / Codecs from the left pane, and then define your preferred speed in the Playback speed field under the Playback control section in the right window, and then click Save to save the changes.

change vlc media player default speed mac

How to Change VLC Media Player Default Speed on Android

Note: At the time of this writing, the Android version of VLC doesn’t allow you to set a global default playback speed. However, you can set it on a per video basis. This means that every time that video is played, the playback speed will remain what you set for it. You must do this for each video in your VLC library individually.

  • Launch VLC, and then tap More from the bottom-right corner; next, tap SETTINGS from the upper-left area;
  • Tap Video from the Extra settings section, and then check the Save Playback Speed box

change media default playback speed android vlc

How to Change VLC Media Player Default Speed on iOS and iPhone

  • Tap Settings from the Home screen, and then scroll down and tap VLC
  • Tap Default playback speed from the GENERIC section, and then tap to select a playback speed from the available list to set it as the default.

change default playback speed vlc iphone

Conclusion

It is pretty convenient to reduce the playback speed in VLC media player regardless of the platform or device you are using. While the processes of getting the job might be different, the principle behind it remains the same. When on Windows, the playback speed can be decreased to 0.02x and can be increased to more than 100x. This facility is not available on Mac, iOS, or Android platforms. Also, if you want, you can set the default playback speed for the videos so that every time a clip is played, the pace remains what you specified as default.

02 How to Play Slow Motion Effects on Mac with VLC?

03 How to Control Playback Speed in VLC Media Player on Android and iOS?

04 How to Set up the Default Playback Speed on VLC?

Part 1: How to Play Video in Slow Motion Effects on Windows with VLC?

VLC is one of the best media players to play videos in slow motion . You can follow the instructions that are given below to learn how to play a video in slow motion in VLC on a Windows PC:

Step 1: Start Video Playback

Launch VLC on your Windows computer (a Windows 11 PC is used here for illustrations), click Media from the menu bar at the top, click Open File from the menu, and locate and open a video that you want to watch in slow motion. If VLC is your default media player, simply double-clicking the clip automatically opens the file in the app.

open file to play slow motion on vlc

Step 2: Reduce the Playback Speed (In Decrements of 0.10x)

Once the playback begins, press the Spacebar on the keyboard to pause the video. Next, go to the Playback menu from the top, go to Speed, and click Slower (fine) once. This will reduce the speed to 0.90x. Clicking Slower (fine) again will further slow down the video to 0.80x speed. You can repeat this process until you reduce the speed to your desired level. Press Spacebar again to resume the playback in slow motion.

Note: The lowest speed that you can go to using this process is 0.03x.

vlc playback slower slow motion

Step 3: Reduce the Playback Speed (In Decrements in Percentage)

Pause the playback and go to Playback > Speed as explained in the previous step. From the list that comes up, click Slower (the last option). This will reduce the speed to 0.67x. Click Slower again and the speed will further go down to 0.50x. You can repeat this process until you reach your desired playback speed. Press Spacebar to resume the playback in slow motion. With this method, you can reduce the speed to as low as 0.02x.

Note: You can click Normal from the Speed submenu to play the video at normal speed.

play video slow motion on vlc slower

Step 4: Using the Shortcut Keys (Optional)

You can press the left square bracket ‘[‘ on your keyboard to reduce the speed in decrements of 0.10x. To get back to the normal speed, press the equals to ‘=’ key. Likewise, pressing the right square bracket ‘]’ increases the speed by 0.10x.

Note: As it is with the Slower (fine) and Slower options, you can use Faster (fine) to add 0.10x increments to the speed, and Faster to increase percentage-wise. Also, if Faster (fine) is clicked repeatedly or its shortcut key is used multiple times, the speed can be increased up to 31.25x. On the other hand, by using the Faster option repeatedly, the speed can be increased to more than 100x.

Part 2: How to Play Slow Motion Effects on Mac with VLC?

The process of slowing down the video playback in VLC on a Mac computer is almost identical to that in Windows. You can learn how to get this done by following the steps that are given below:

Step 1: Open and Pause the Video

Locate and right-click the video that you want to play in slow motion, go to Open With from the context menu, and click VLC from the submenu. Once the clip opens, click the Pause button from the bottom as explained in the previous section.

Step 2: Reduce the Playback Speed

Click Playback from the menu bar at the top, and drag the Playback Speed slider to the left to reduce the speed of the video.

play video slow motion on vlc mac

Step 3: Resume the Playback

Click anywhere on the screen to close the Playback menu, and then click the Play button from the bottom to resume the video playback in slow motion.

Part 3: How to Control Playback Speed in VLC Media Player on Android and iOS?

Although the playback speed of a video on both Android and iOS devices can be controlled with a slider, the location where the controller is placed on the two platforms varies, and so does the process of reaching there. Both the methods are explained below for your convenience:

Play Video in Slow Motion on Android with VLC

Step 1: Pause the Playback

Launch VLC on your Android phone (Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ is used here for illustrations), locate and open the video in VLC, tap anywhere on the screen, and tap the Pause button from the bottom to pause the playback.

Step 2: Set a Slower Playback Speed

Tap the More icon from the bottom-right corner, tap Playback speed from the menu that appears, and drag the slider that is present at the bottom to the left to reduce the speed. Alternatively, you can also repeatedly tap the down arrow that is present at the right of the slider to slow down the speed in the decrements of 0.05x.

play speed slow motion vlc android

Step 3: Resume the Playback

Tap anywhere on the screen, and when the Playback speed slider disappears, tap the screen one more time. Now, tap the Play icon from the bottom to resume the video playback.

Play Video in Slow Motion on iPhone with VLC

Step 1: Pause the Playback

Assuming that you have already added the video to the VLC library by connecting it to iTunes, launch the app on your iOS device (iPhone 13 Pro Max is used here for illustrations). Tap the video that you want to play in slow motion, and then tap the Pause icon from the bottom.

Step 2: Reduce the Playback Speed

Tap anywhere on the screen, and tap the Clock icon from the lower-left corner. Next, drag the Playback speed slider to the left to reduce the playback speed.

vlc iphone playback speed slow motion effect

Step 3: Resume the Playback

Right after decreasing the speed, tap the Play icon from the bottom to resume the playback. If the controllers disappear, you can tap anywhere on the screen again, and then tap the Play icon.

Part 4: How to Set up the Default Playback Speed on VLC?

The processes of setting up default playback speed on different platforms and devices vary. For your convenience, all of them are explained below:

Set up Default Playback Speed in VLC on Windows

  1. Go to Tools > Preferences in VLC media player, and then click the All button from the Show settings section at the bottom.
  2. Select Input / Codecs from the left pane of the Advanced Preferences box, and then specify your preferred speed in the Playback speed field that is present under the Playback control section on the right window
  3. Click Save to save the changes

set vlc media player default playback speed

Set up Default Playback Speed in VLC on Mac

  • Launch VLC, and go to VLC media player from the menu bar, and then click Preferences; and then click Show All from the bottom of the Preferences box to display all preferences setting options;

vlc media player default preferences interface

  • Click the Input / Codecs from the left pane, and then define your preferred speed in the Playback speed field under the Playback control section in the right window, and then click Save to save the changes.

change vlc media player default speed mac

How to Change VLC Media Player Default Speed on Android

Note: At the time of this writing, the Android version of VLC doesn’t allow you to set a global default playback speed. However, you can set it on a per video basis. This means that every time that video is played, the playback speed will remain what you set for it. You must do this for each video in your VLC library individually.

  • Launch VLC, and then tap More from the bottom-right corner; next, tap SETTINGS from the upper-left area;
  • Tap Video from the Extra settings section, and then check the Save Playback Speed box

change media default playback speed android vlc

How to Change VLC Media Player Default Speed on iOS and iPhone

  • Tap Settings from the Home screen, and then scroll down and tap VLC
  • Tap Default playback speed from the GENERIC section, and then tap to select a playback speed from the available list to set it as the default.

change default playback speed vlc iphone

Conclusion

It is pretty convenient to reduce the playback speed in VLC media player regardless of the platform or device you are using. While the processes of getting the job might be different, the principle behind it remains the same. When on Windows, the playback speed can be decreased to 0.02x and can be increased to more than 100x. This facility is not available on Mac, iOS, or Android platforms. Also, if you want, you can set the default playback speed for the videos so that every time a clip is played, the pace remains what you specified as default.

02 How to Play Slow Motion Effects on Mac with VLC?

03 How to Control Playback Speed in VLC Media Player on Android and iOS?

04 How to Set up the Default Playback Speed on VLC?

Part 1: How to Play Video in Slow Motion Effects on Windows with VLC?

VLC is one of the best media players to play videos in slow motion . You can follow the instructions that are given below to learn how to play a video in slow motion in VLC on a Windows PC:

Step 1: Start Video Playback

Launch VLC on your Windows computer (a Windows 11 PC is used here for illustrations), click Media from the menu bar at the top, click Open File from the menu, and locate and open a video that you want to watch in slow motion. If VLC is your default media player, simply double-clicking the clip automatically opens the file in the app.

open file to play slow motion on vlc

Step 2: Reduce the Playback Speed (In Decrements of 0.10x)

Once the playback begins, press the Spacebar on the keyboard to pause the video. Next, go to the Playback menu from the top, go to Speed, and click Slower (fine) once. This will reduce the speed to 0.90x. Clicking Slower (fine) again will further slow down the video to 0.80x speed. You can repeat this process until you reduce the speed to your desired level. Press Spacebar again to resume the playback in slow motion.

Note: The lowest speed that you can go to using this process is 0.03x.

vlc playback slower slow motion

Step 3: Reduce the Playback Speed (In Decrements in Percentage)

Pause the playback and go to Playback > Speed as explained in the previous step. From the list that comes up, click Slower (the last option). This will reduce the speed to 0.67x. Click Slower again and the speed will further go down to 0.50x. You can repeat this process until you reach your desired playback speed. Press Spacebar to resume the playback in slow motion. With this method, you can reduce the speed to as low as 0.02x.

Note: You can click Normal from the Speed submenu to play the video at normal speed.

play video slow motion on vlc slower

Step 4: Using the Shortcut Keys (Optional)

You can press the left square bracket ‘[‘ on your keyboard to reduce the speed in decrements of 0.10x. To get back to the normal speed, press the equals to ‘=’ key. Likewise, pressing the right square bracket ‘]’ increases the speed by 0.10x.

Note: As it is with the Slower (fine) and Slower options, you can use Faster (fine) to add 0.10x increments to the speed, and Faster to increase percentage-wise. Also, if Faster (fine) is clicked repeatedly or its shortcut key is used multiple times, the speed can be increased up to 31.25x. On the other hand, by using the Faster option repeatedly, the speed can be increased to more than 100x.

Part 2: How to Play Slow Motion Effects on Mac with VLC?

The process of slowing down the video playback in VLC on a Mac computer is almost identical to that in Windows. You can learn how to get this done by following the steps that are given below:

Step 1: Open and Pause the Video

Locate and right-click the video that you want to play in slow motion, go to Open With from the context menu, and click VLC from the submenu. Once the clip opens, click the Pause button from the bottom as explained in the previous section.

Step 2: Reduce the Playback Speed

Click Playback from the menu bar at the top, and drag the Playback Speed slider to the left to reduce the speed of the video.

play video slow motion on vlc mac

Step 3: Resume the Playback

Click anywhere on the screen to close the Playback menu, and then click the Play button from the bottom to resume the video playback in slow motion.

Part 3: How to Control Playback Speed in VLC Media Player on Android and iOS?

Although the playback speed of a video on both Android and iOS devices can be controlled with a slider, the location where the controller is placed on the two platforms varies, and so does the process of reaching there. Both the methods are explained below for your convenience:

Play Video in Slow Motion on Android with VLC

Step 1: Pause the Playback

Launch VLC on your Android phone (Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ is used here for illustrations), locate and open the video in VLC, tap anywhere on the screen, and tap the Pause button from the bottom to pause the playback.

Step 2: Set a Slower Playback Speed

Tap the More icon from the bottom-right corner, tap Playback speed from the menu that appears, and drag the slider that is present at the bottom to the left to reduce the speed. Alternatively, you can also repeatedly tap the down arrow that is present at the right of the slider to slow down the speed in the decrements of 0.05x.

play speed slow motion vlc android

Step 3: Resume the Playback

Tap anywhere on the screen, and when the Playback speed slider disappears, tap the screen one more time. Now, tap the Play icon from the bottom to resume the video playback.

Play Video in Slow Motion on iPhone with VLC

Step 1: Pause the Playback

Assuming that you have already added the video to the VLC library by connecting it to iTunes, launch the app on your iOS device (iPhone 13 Pro Max is used here for illustrations). Tap the video that you want to play in slow motion, and then tap the Pause icon from the bottom.

Step 2: Reduce the Playback Speed

Tap anywhere on the screen, and tap the Clock icon from the lower-left corner. Next, drag the Playback speed slider to the left to reduce the playback speed.

vlc iphone playback speed slow motion effect

Step 3: Resume the Playback

Right after decreasing the speed, tap the Play icon from the bottom to resume the playback. If the controllers disappear, you can tap anywhere on the screen again, and then tap the Play icon.

Part 4: How to Set up the Default Playback Speed on VLC?

The processes of setting up default playback speed on different platforms and devices vary. For your convenience, all of them are explained below:

Set up Default Playback Speed in VLC on Windows

  1. Go to Tools > Preferences in VLC media player, and then click the All button from the Show settings section at the bottom.
  2. Select Input / Codecs from the left pane of the Advanced Preferences box, and then specify your preferred speed in the Playback speed field that is present under the Playback control section on the right window
  3. Click Save to save the changes

set vlc media player default playback speed

Set up Default Playback Speed in VLC on Mac

  • Launch VLC, and go to VLC media player from the menu bar, and then click Preferences; and then click Show All from the bottom of the Preferences box to display all preferences setting options;

vlc media player default preferences interface

  • Click the Input / Codecs from the left pane, and then define your preferred speed in the Playback speed field under the Playback control section in the right window, and then click Save to save the changes.

change vlc media player default speed mac

How to Change VLC Media Player Default Speed on Android

Note: At the time of this writing, the Android version of VLC doesn’t allow you to set a global default playback speed. However, you can set it on a per video basis. This means that every time that video is played, the playback speed will remain what you set for it. You must do this for each video in your VLC library individually.

  • Launch VLC, and then tap More from the bottom-right corner; next, tap SETTINGS from the upper-left area;
  • Tap Video from the Extra settings section, and then check the Save Playback Speed box

change media default playback speed android vlc

How to Change VLC Media Player Default Speed on iOS and iPhone

  • Tap Settings from the Home screen, and then scroll down and tap VLC
  • Tap Default playback speed from the GENERIC section, and then tap to select a playback speed from the available list to set it as the default.

change default playback speed vlc iphone

Conclusion

It is pretty convenient to reduce the playback speed in VLC media player regardless of the platform or device you are using. While the processes of getting the job might be different, the principle behind it remains the same. When on Windows, the playback speed can be decreased to 0.02x and can be increased to more than 100x. This facility is not available on Mac, iOS, or Android platforms. Also, if you want, you can set the default playback speed for the videos so that every time a clip is played, the pace remains what you specified as default.

02 How to Play Slow Motion Effects on Mac with VLC?

03 How to Control Playback Speed in VLC Media Player on Android and iOS?

04 How to Set up the Default Playback Speed on VLC?

Part 1: How to Play Video in Slow Motion Effects on Windows with VLC?

VLC is one of the best media players to play videos in slow motion . You can follow the instructions that are given below to learn how to play a video in slow motion in VLC on a Windows PC:

Step 1: Start Video Playback

Launch VLC on your Windows computer (a Windows 11 PC is used here for illustrations), click Media from the menu bar at the top, click Open File from the menu, and locate and open a video that you want to watch in slow motion. If VLC is your default media player, simply double-clicking the clip automatically opens the file in the app.

open file to play slow motion on vlc

Step 2: Reduce the Playback Speed (In Decrements of 0.10x)

Once the playback begins, press the Spacebar on the keyboard to pause the video. Next, go to the Playback menu from the top, go to Speed, and click Slower (fine) once. This will reduce the speed to 0.90x. Clicking Slower (fine) again will further slow down the video to 0.80x speed. You can repeat this process until you reduce the speed to your desired level. Press Spacebar again to resume the playback in slow motion.

Note: The lowest speed that you can go to using this process is 0.03x.

vlc playback slower slow motion

Step 3: Reduce the Playback Speed (In Decrements in Percentage)

Pause the playback and go to Playback > Speed as explained in the previous step. From the list that comes up, click Slower (the last option). This will reduce the speed to 0.67x. Click Slower again and the speed will further go down to 0.50x. You can repeat this process until you reach your desired playback speed. Press Spacebar to resume the playback in slow motion. With this method, you can reduce the speed to as low as 0.02x.

Note: You can click Normal from the Speed submenu to play the video at normal speed.

play video slow motion on vlc slower

Step 4: Using the Shortcut Keys (Optional)

You can press the left square bracket ‘[‘ on your keyboard to reduce the speed in decrements of 0.10x. To get back to the normal speed, press the equals to ‘=’ key. Likewise, pressing the right square bracket ‘]’ increases the speed by 0.10x.

Note: As it is with the Slower (fine) and Slower options, you can use Faster (fine) to add 0.10x increments to the speed, and Faster to increase percentage-wise. Also, if Faster (fine) is clicked repeatedly or its shortcut key is used multiple times, the speed can be increased up to 31.25x. On the other hand, by using the Faster option repeatedly, the speed can be increased to more than 100x.

Part 2: How to Play Slow Motion Effects on Mac with VLC?

The process of slowing down the video playback in VLC on a Mac computer is almost identical to that in Windows. You can learn how to get this done by following the steps that are given below:

Step 1: Open and Pause the Video

Locate and right-click the video that you want to play in slow motion, go to Open With from the context menu, and click VLC from the submenu. Once the clip opens, click the Pause button from the bottom as explained in the previous section.

Step 2: Reduce the Playback Speed

Click Playback from the menu bar at the top, and drag the Playback Speed slider to the left to reduce the speed of the video.

play video slow motion on vlc mac

Step 3: Resume the Playback

Click anywhere on the screen to close the Playback menu, and then click the Play button from the bottom to resume the video playback in slow motion.

Part 3: How to Control Playback Speed in VLC Media Player on Android and iOS?

Although the playback speed of a video on both Android and iOS devices can be controlled with a slider, the location where the controller is placed on the two platforms varies, and so does the process of reaching there. Both the methods are explained below for your convenience:

Play Video in Slow Motion on Android with VLC

Step 1: Pause the Playback

Launch VLC on your Android phone (Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ is used here for illustrations), locate and open the video in VLC, tap anywhere on the screen, and tap the Pause button from the bottom to pause the playback.

Step 2: Set a Slower Playback Speed

Tap the More icon from the bottom-right corner, tap Playback speed from the menu that appears, and drag the slider that is present at the bottom to the left to reduce the speed. Alternatively, you can also repeatedly tap the down arrow that is present at the right of the slider to slow down the speed in the decrements of 0.05x.

play speed slow motion vlc android

Step 3: Resume the Playback

Tap anywhere on the screen, and when the Playback speed slider disappears, tap the screen one more time. Now, tap the Play icon from the bottom to resume the video playback.

Play Video in Slow Motion on iPhone with VLC

Step 1: Pause the Playback

Assuming that you have already added the video to the VLC library by connecting it to iTunes, launch the app on your iOS device (iPhone 13 Pro Max is used here for illustrations). Tap the video that you want to play in slow motion, and then tap the Pause icon from the bottom.

Step 2: Reduce the Playback Speed

Tap anywhere on the screen, and tap the Clock icon from the lower-left corner. Next, drag the Playback speed slider to the left to reduce the playback speed.

vlc iphone playback speed slow motion effect

Step 3: Resume the Playback

Right after decreasing the speed, tap the Play icon from the bottom to resume the playback. If the controllers disappear, you can tap anywhere on the screen again, and then tap the Play icon.

Part 4: How to Set up the Default Playback Speed on VLC?

The processes of setting up default playback speed on different platforms and devices vary. For your convenience, all of them are explained below:

Set up Default Playback Speed in VLC on Windows

  1. Go to Tools > Preferences in VLC media player, and then click the All button from the Show settings section at the bottom.
  2. Select Input / Codecs from the left pane of the Advanced Preferences box, and then specify your preferred speed in the Playback speed field that is present under the Playback control section on the right window
  3. Click Save to save the changes

set vlc media player default playback speed

Set up Default Playback Speed in VLC on Mac

  • Launch VLC, and go to VLC media player from the menu bar, and then click Preferences; and then click Show All from the bottom of the Preferences box to display all preferences setting options;

vlc media player default preferences interface

  • Click the Input / Codecs from the left pane, and then define your preferred speed in the Playback speed field under the Playback control section in the right window, and then click Save to save the changes.

change vlc media player default speed mac

How to Change VLC Media Player Default Speed on Android

Note: At the time of this writing, the Android version of VLC doesn’t allow you to set a global default playback speed. However, you can set it on a per video basis. This means that every time that video is played, the playback speed will remain what you set for it. You must do this for each video in your VLC library individually.

  • Launch VLC, and then tap More from the bottom-right corner; next, tap SETTINGS from the upper-left area;
  • Tap Video from the Extra settings section, and then check the Save Playback Speed box

change media default playback speed android vlc

How to Change VLC Media Player Default Speed on iOS and iPhone

  • Tap Settings from the Home screen, and then scroll down and tap VLC
  • Tap Default playback speed from the GENERIC section, and then tap to select a playback speed from the available list to set it as the default.

change default playback speed vlc iphone

Conclusion

It is pretty convenient to reduce the playback speed in VLC media player regardless of the platform or device you are using. While the processes of getting the job might be different, the principle behind it remains the same. When on Windows, the playback speed can be decreased to 0.02x and can be increased to more than 100x. This facility is not available on Mac, iOS, or Android platforms. Also, if you want, you can set the default playback speed for the videos so that every time a clip is played, the pace remains what you specified as default.

Find the Best Sony Vegas Alternative for Windows

Find the Best Sony Vegas Alternative for Windows

author avatar

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Vegas Pro is the popular video editing program in Windows. It provides decent video editing features including audio editing, video editing, transition, and titles, and more. But wait a minute, Sony Vegas Pro has not the feature you want? Can’t import your video source files? Any other problems? Drop it and find a ?Vegas alternative for Windows in this article.

In this article, we selected the top 4 alternatives of Vegas for Windows.


Vegas alternative for Windows

1. Adobe Premiere Elements - A Program like Sony Vegas

When a product is branded with Adobe, it means high quality, better performance, and consistency with another program by Adobe. Adobe Premiere Elements is a good Vegas alternative for Windows (Mac version also available). Just as what’s said on its homepage “the #1 consumer video editing software”, Adobe is a popular video editor for home users.

sony vegas alternative adobe premiere

For professionals, Adobe Premiere Pro is the better Sony Vegas alternative for Windows. It’s the higher version of Premiere Element with differences in capturing, timeline editing, multiple sequence editing, DVD menu, surround sound mixing, etc.

2. ZS4 Video Editor - Free Alternative to Sony Vegas in Windows

ZS4 Video Editor is a free Sony Vegas alternative for Windows, Mac and Linux. It is the new incarnation of the free Zwei-Stein Video Editor. It comes with simple video editing tools and 150 video effects, but the interface is not so user-friendly. Compared to Wondershare Video Editor and Adobe Premiere , ZS4 Video Editor is not the common video editing software, but free is the most important factor for this Sony Vegas alternative.

sony vegas alternative for windows

3. Filmora - Get things done easily, no more fussing

Wondershare Filmora provides you with all the necessary video editing tools you need. It enables you to create Hollywood-like home movies with transitions, titles, effects from any videos, audio, and photos. Advanced features like timeline editing, Picture-in-Picture, fast/slow motion, voice change, video/audio recording are made easy to use. The most important thing is that sharing possibilities are endless. You can share instantly with family and friends with easy upload to YouTube, Facebook, etc. Or save videos to play on portable devices like iPhone, iPad, Samsung Galaxy Note, Kindle Fire, etc., or burn DVD for better preserving and sharing.

Download Filmora9 Win Version Download Filmora9 Mac Version


Conclusion

If I were someone looking for a cheap video editor to get jobs done and really can’t be bothered to learn everything about a new video editor, I’ll go for Filmora. This software fits the appetite of beginners and intermediate users. You definitely can find better software for a higher price on the market, but before buying, ask yourself this question ‘Can I spend hours focusing on learning a new hard software?Do I really need that many high-end functions to get things done?’

Click the buttons below to try it for free.

Download Filmora9 Win Version Download Filmora9 Mac Version

author avatar

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Liza Brown

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Vegas Pro is the popular video editing program in Windows. It provides decent video editing features including audio editing, video editing, transition, and titles, and more. But wait a minute, Sony Vegas Pro has not the feature you want? Can’t import your video source files? Any other problems? Drop it and find a ?Vegas alternative for Windows in this article.

In this article, we selected the top 4 alternatives of Vegas for Windows.


Vegas alternative for Windows

1. Adobe Premiere Elements - A Program like Sony Vegas

When a product is branded with Adobe, it means high quality, better performance, and consistency with another program by Adobe. Adobe Premiere Elements is a good Vegas alternative for Windows (Mac version also available). Just as what’s said on its homepage “the #1 consumer video editing software”, Adobe is a popular video editor for home users.

sony vegas alternative adobe premiere

For professionals, Adobe Premiere Pro is the better Sony Vegas alternative for Windows. It’s the higher version of Premiere Element with differences in capturing, timeline editing, multiple sequence editing, DVD menu, surround sound mixing, etc.

2. ZS4 Video Editor - Free Alternative to Sony Vegas in Windows

ZS4 Video Editor is a free Sony Vegas alternative for Windows, Mac and Linux. It is the new incarnation of the free Zwei-Stein Video Editor. It comes with simple video editing tools and 150 video effects, but the interface is not so user-friendly. Compared to Wondershare Video Editor and Adobe Premiere , ZS4 Video Editor is not the common video editing software, but free is the most important factor for this Sony Vegas alternative.

sony vegas alternative for windows

3. Filmora - Get things done easily, no more fussing

Wondershare Filmora provides you with all the necessary video editing tools you need. It enables you to create Hollywood-like home movies with transitions, titles, effects from any videos, audio, and photos. Advanced features like timeline editing, Picture-in-Picture, fast/slow motion, voice change, video/audio recording are made easy to use. The most important thing is that sharing possibilities are endless. You can share instantly with family and friends with easy upload to YouTube, Facebook, etc. Or save videos to play on portable devices like iPhone, iPad, Samsung Galaxy Note, Kindle Fire, etc., or burn DVD for better preserving and sharing.

Download Filmora9 Win Version Download Filmora9 Mac Version


Conclusion

If I were someone looking for a cheap video editor to get jobs done and really can’t be bothered to learn everything about a new video editor, I’ll go for Filmora. This software fits the appetite of beginners and intermediate users. You definitely can find better software for a higher price on the market, but before buying, ask yourself this question ‘Can I spend hours focusing on learning a new hard software?Do I really need that many high-end functions to get things done?’

Click the buttons below to try it for free.

Download Filmora9 Win Version Download Filmora9 Mac Version

author avatar

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Liza Brown

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Vegas Pro is the popular video editing program in Windows. It provides decent video editing features including audio editing, video editing, transition, and titles, and more. But wait a minute, Sony Vegas Pro has not the feature you want? Can’t import your video source files? Any other problems? Drop it and find a ?Vegas alternative for Windows in this article.

In this article, we selected the top 4 alternatives of Vegas for Windows.


Vegas alternative for Windows

1. Adobe Premiere Elements - A Program like Sony Vegas

When a product is branded with Adobe, it means high quality, better performance, and consistency with another program by Adobe. Adobe Premiere Elements is a good Vegas alternative for Windows (Mac version also available). Just as what’s said on its homepage “the #1 consumer video editing software”, Adobe is a popular video editor for home users.

sony vegas alternative adobe premiere

For professionals, Adobe Premiere Pro is the better Sony Vegas alternative for Windows. It’s the higher version of Premiere Element with differences in capturing, timeline editing, multiple sequence editing, DVD menu, surround sound mixing, etc.

2. ZS4 Video Editor - Free Alternative to Sony Vegas in Windows

ZS4 Video Editor is a free Sony Vegas alternative for Windows, Mac and Linux. It is the new incarnation of the free Zwei-Stein Video Editor. It comes with simple video editing tools and 150 video effects, but the interface is not so user-friendly. Compared to Wondershare Video Editor and Adobe Premiere , ZS4 Video Editor is not the common video editing software, but free is the most important factor for this Sony Vegas alternative.

sony vegas alternative for windows

3. Filmora - Get things done easily, no more fussing

Wondershare Filmora provides you with all the necessary video editing tools you need. It enables you to create Hollywood-like home movies with transitions, titles, effects from any videos, audio, and photos. Advanced features like timeline editing, Picture-in-Picture, fast/slow motion, voice change, video/audio recording are made easy to use. The most important thing is that sharing possibilities are endless. You can share instantly with family and friends with easy upload to YouTube, Facebook, etc. Or save videos to play on portable devices like iPhone, iPad, Samsung Galaxy Note, Kindle Fire, etc., or burn DVD for better preserving and sharing.

Download Filmora9 Win Version Download Filmora9 Mac Version


Conclusion

If I were someone looking for a cheap video editor to get jobs done and really can’t be bothered to learn everything about a new video editor, I’ll go for Filmora. This software fits the appetite of beginners and intermediate users. You definitely can find better software for a higher price on the market, but before buying, ask yourself this question ‘Can I spend hours focusing on learning a new hard software?Do I really need that many high-end functions to get things done?’

Click the buttons below to try it for free.

Download Filmora9 Win Version Download Filmora9 Mac Version

author avatar

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Liza Brown

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Vegas Pro is the popular video editing program in Windows. It provides decent video editing features including audio editing, video editing, transition, and titles, and more. But wait a minute, Sony Vegas Pro has not the feature you want? Can’t import your video source files? Any other problems? Drop it and find a ?Vegas alternative for Windows in this article.

In this article, we selected the top 4 alternatives of Vegas for Windows.


Vegas alternative for Windows

1. Adobe Premiere Elements - A Program like Sony Vegas

When a product is branded with Adobe, it means high quality, better performance, and consistency with another program by Adobe. Adobe Premiere Elements is a good Vegas alternative for Windows (Mac version also available). Just as what’s said on its homepage “the #1 consumer video editing software”, Adobe is a popular video editor for home users.

sony vegas alternative adobe premiere

For professionals, Adobe Premiere Pro is the better Sony Vegas alternative for Windows. It’s the higher version of Premiere Element with differences in capturing, timeline editing, multiple sequence editing, DVD menu, surround sound mixing, etc.

2. ZS4 Video Editor - Free Alternative to Sony Vegas in Windows

ZS4 Video Editor is a free Sony Vegas alternative for Windows, Mac and Linux. It is the new incarnation of the free Zwei-Stein Video Editor. It comes with simple video editing tools and 150 video effects, but the interface is not so user-friendly. Compared to Wondershare Video Editor and Adobe Premiere , ZS4 Video Editor is not the common video editing software, but free is the most important factor for this Sony Vegas alternative.

sony vegas alternative for windows

3. Filmora - Get things done easily, no more fussing

Wondershare Filmora provides you with all the necessary video editing tools you need. It enables you to create Hollywood-like home movies with transitions, titles, effects from any videos, audio, and photos. Advanced features like timeline editing, Picture-in-Picture, fast/slow motion, voice change, video/audio recording are made easy to use. The most important thing is that sharing possibilities are endless. You can share instantly with family and friends with easy upload to YouTube, Facebook, etc. Or save videos to play on portable devices like iPhone, iPad, Samsung Galaxy Note, Kindle Fire, etc., or burn DVD for better preserving and sharing.

Download Filmora9 Win Version Download Filmora9 Mac Version


Conclusion

If I were someone looking for a cheap video editor to get jobs done and really can’t be bothered to learn everything about a new video editor, I’ll go for Filmora. This software fits the appetite of beginners and intermediate users. You definitely can find better software for a higher price on the market, but before buying, ask yourself this question ‘Can I spend hours focusing on learning a new hard software?Do I really need that many high-end functions to get things done?’

Click the buttons below to try it for free.

Download Filmora9 Win Version Download Filmora9 Mac Version

author avatar

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Liza Brown

Stop Motion Animation Made Easy: Top Software for Mac and PC

8 Best Stop Motion Animation Software for Mac and Windows

author avatar

Shanoon Cox

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Stop motion animation is becoming more and more popular by the year, and it’s not surprising. This style of making animated films is done by taking objects, either dolls with joints or soft clay items, and manipulating them. The physical manipulations and changes are then photographed. Each photograph acts as a frame, and when you play the frames together quickly, it looks like the objects have been animated.

If you want to make this type of animation, then you want to find the best stop motion animation software that you can find. Some options out there are even free! In this article, we’re going to share the 8 best options for stop motion animation software, separating them by whether they are for Mac or PC.

1 - Wondershare Filmora [Video] 2 - Dragonframe 3 - Stop Motion Studio 4 - Boinx iStopMotion
5 - Stop Motion Pro 6 - Frames 7 - iKITMovie 8 - MonkeyJam

Make Stop Motion Video

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Filmora secure download Secure Download

Make Stop Motion Video

For macOS 10.14 or later

Filmora secure download Secure Download

iOS Android

Try It Free >>

1. Filmora

Filmora is one of the most well-known options for stop motion animation and other types of filmmaking. This video-making software has easy-to-use tools for any type of animation project that you may be sorting out. It also offers an option called keyframing , which helps your stop-motion animation to look a lot smoother. You can use this for free if you are okay with Filmora’s watermark. They have perpetual and yearly packages, too.

Video Tutorial - How to Make Stop Motion Video on Mobile - Also Offers Win & Mac Versions

Best Stop Motion Software

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Filmora secure download Secure Download

Best Stop Motion Software

For macOS 10.14 or later

Filmora secure download Secure Download

iOS Android

Try It Free >>

2. Dragonframe

Dragonframe has been built especially for stop-motion animation, so it’s handy if that’s all that you plan on doing. If you’re looking to do any other type of filmmaking, you may want to consider some of the other options on this list. Dragonframe has a number of simple-to-use tools and has been used for top stop motion animation features like Kubo & The Two Strings and Isle of Dogs.

Dragonframe

3. Stop Motion Studio

Stop Motion Studio is, perhaps, the most versatile of all of these selections. It’s not just for Mac – you can also use it on your smartphone or your tablet if you’re editing on the go. The Stop Motion Studio does everything from helping you to take great pictures to making a live green screen while you’re out and about. There’s a free trial, and the prices are reasonable.

Stop Motion Studio

4. Boinx iStopMotion

iStopMotion from Boinx has everything that you need in order to learn how to do stop motion animation on your own. They have easy-to-use settings and many schools are using iStopMotion to teach their students about video editing because of its simple, yet complete, system. It’s got the most affordable licensing cost out of all of these choices, and they can work with you if you need to get multiple licenses for classrooms.

Boinx iStopMotion

5. Eclipse - Stop Motion Pro

Stop Motion Pro has some of the top software in the world for making animated films of all types, and it’s easy to connect it to your webcam or digital camera. Not only can it make and edit videos, but, when you connect it to your camera, you can control angles, zoom, and more. It even has lip-syncing capabilities and a multi-track editor, which makes it easy to add music and voices.

Stop Motion Pro

6. Frames

Frames is an animation powerhouse when it comes to offering the necessary tools for every sort of animation. From traditional cartoons to stop-motion animation options, Frames has it all and it’s really easy to navigate and learn the software quickly. Frames have won a number of awards and are available in multiple languages. It does have a one-time licensing fee (which is fairly reasonable for what is included), so keep that in mind when you’re considering it as an option.

Frames

7. iKITMovie

iKITMovie runs pretty well on Windows 7/8/10. It has more than 2000 music effects to use. You can use HD-quality images to start making stop motion videos. You can also use green-screen effects to unleash more imagination if you are an advanced user. The system requirement is low with only 2GB RAM. After making the stop motion animation, directly upload it to YouTube.

iKITMovie

8. MonkeyJam

MonkeyJam is an open-source, free option for people who are looking to dip their toes into stop-motion animation for the first time. While it doesn’t have quite as many features as what you may find in the other options we have in this article, you’ll find that it can be a great start for people that aren’t completely sure as to whether or not they want to dive head-first into it. It’s really easy to navigate and it takes next to no time to go from taking your pictures to putting together that first glance at your new and unique stop-motion animation.

MonkeyJam

Conclusion

Stop-motion animation is an art, and with all of the access we have to such technology via our computers, it really is a big deal to get started with all of it. That’s why you want to be sure that you look at everything in depth and see what you like. Determine which products are going to be best for your purposes and see why it makes such a big difference for you and everything that you want to accomplish in the long run.

You may be also interested in Creative Ideas for Stop Motion Lighting Tips .

Download Win Version Download Mac Version

iOS Android

Try It Free >>

author avatar

Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Stop motion animation is becoming more and more popular by the year, and it’s not surprising. This style of making animated films is done by taking objects, either dolls with joints or soft clay items, and manipulating them. The physical manipulations and changes are then photographed. Each photograph acts as a frame, and when you play the frames together quickly, it looks like the objects have been animated.

If you want to make this type of animation, then you want to find the best stop motion animation software that you can find. Some options out there are even free! In this article, we’re going to share the 8 best options for stop motion animation software, separating them by whether they are for Mac or PC.

1 - Wondershare Filmora [Video] 2 - Dragonframe 3 - Stop Motion Studio 4 - Boinx iStopMotion
5 - Stop Motion Pro 6 - Frames 7 - iKITMovie 8 - MonkeyJam

Make Stop Motion Video

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Filmora secure download Secure Download

Make Stop Motion Video

For macOS 10.14 or later

Filmora secure download Secure Download

iOS Android

Try It Free >>

1. Filmora

Filmora is one of the most well-known options for stop motion animation and other types of filmmaking. This video-making software has easy-to-use tools for any type of animation project that you may be sorting out. It also offers an option called keyframing , which helps your stop-motion animation to look a lot smoother. You can use this for free if you are okay with Filmora’s watermark. They have perpetual and yearly packages, too.

Video Tutorial - How to Make Stop Motion Video on Mobile - Also Offers Win & Mac Versions

Best Stop Motion Software

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Filmora secure download Secure Download

Best Stop Motion Software

For macOS 10.14 or later

Filmora secure download Secure Download

iOS Android

Try It Free >>

2. Dragonframe

Dragonframe has been built especially for stop-motion animation, so it’s handy if that’s all that you plan on doing. If you’re looking to do any other type of filmmaking, you may want to consider some of the other options on this list. Dragonframe has a number of simple-to-use tools and has been used for top stop motion animation features like Kubo & The Two Strings and Isle of Dogs.

Dragonframe

3. Stop Motion Studio

Stop Motion Studio is, perhaps, the most versatile of all of these selections. It’s not just for Mac – you can also use it on your smartphone or your tablet if you’re editing on the go. The Stop Motion Studio does everything from helping you to take great pictures to making a live green screen while you’re out and about. There’s a free trial, and the prices are reasonable.

Stop Motion Studio

4. Boinx iStopMotion

iStopMotion from Boinx has everything that you need in order to learn how to do stop motion animation on your own. They have easy-to-use settings and many schools are using iStopMotion to teach their students about video editing because of its simple, yet complete, system. It’s got the most affordable licensing cost out of all of these choices, and they can work with you if you need to get multiple licenses for classrooms.

Boinx iStopMotion

5. Eclipse - Stop Motion Pro

Stop Motion Pro has some of the top software in the world for making animated films of all types, and it’s easy to connect it to your webcam or digital camera. Not only can it make and edit videos, but, when you connect it to your camera, you can control angles, zoom, and more. It even has lip-syncing capabilities and a multi-track editor, which makes it easy to add music and voices.

Stop Motion Pro

6. Frames

Frames is an animation powerhouse when it comes to offering the necessary tools for every sort of animation. From traditional cartoons to stop-motion animation options, Frames has it all and it’s really easy to navigate and learn the software quickly. Frames have won a number of awards and are available in multiple languages. It does have a one-time licensing fee (which is fairly reasonable for what is included), so keep that in mind when you’re considering it as an option.

Frames

7. iKITMovie

iKITMovie runs pretty well on Windows 7/8/10. It has more than 2000 music effects to use. You can use HD-quality images to start making stop motion videos. You can also use green-screen effects to unleash more imagination if you are an advanced user. The system requirement is low with only 2GB RAM. After making the stop motion animation, directly upload it to YouTube.

iKITMovie

8. MonkeyJam

MonkeyJam is an open-source, free option for people who are looking to dip their toes into stop-motion animation for the first time. While it doesn’t have quite as many features as what you may find in the other options we have in this article, you’ll find that it can be a great start for people that aren’t completely sure as to whether or not they want to dive head-first into it. It’s really easy to navigate and it takes next to no time to go from taking your pictures to putting together that first glance at your new and unique stop-motion animation.

MonkeyJam

Conclusion

Stop-motion animation is an art, and with all of the access we have to such technology via our computers, it really is a big deal to get started with all of it. That’s why you want to be sure that you look at everything in depth and see what you like. Determine which products are going to be best for your purposes and see why it makes such a big difference for you and everything that you want to accomplish in the long run.

You may be also interested in Creative Ideas for Stop Motion Lighting Tips .

Download Win Version Download Mac Version

iOS Android

Try It Free >>

author avatar

Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Stop motion animation is becoming more and more popular by the year, and it’s not surprising. This style of making animated films is done by taking objects, either dolls with joints or soft clay items, and manipulating them. The physical manipulations and changes are then photographed. Each photograph acts as a frame, and when you play the frames together quickly, it looks like the objects have been animated.

If you want to make this type of animation, then you want to find the best stop motion animation software that you can find. Some options out there are even free! In this article, we’re going to share the 8 best options for stop motion animation software, separating them by whether they are for Mac or PC.

1 - Wondershare Filmora [Video] 2 - Dragonframe 3 - Stop Motion Studio 4 - Boinx iStopMotion
5 - Stop Motion Pro 6 - Frames 7 - iKITMovie 8 - MonkeyJam

Make Stop Motion Video

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Filmora secure download Secure Download

Make Stop Motion Video

For macOS 10.14 or later

Filmora secure download Secure Download

iOS Android

Try It Free >>

1. Filmora

Filmora is one of the most well-known options for stop motion animation and other types of filmmaking. This video-making software has easy-to-use tools for any type of animation project that you may be sorting out. It also offers an option called keyframing , which helps your stop-motion animation to look a lot smoother. You can use this for free if you are okay with Filmora’s watermark. They have perpetual and yearly packages, too.

Video Tutorial - How to Make Stop Motion Video on Mobile - Also Offers Win & Mac Versions

Best Stop Motion Software

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Filmora secure download Secure Download

Best Stop Motion Software

For macOS 10.14 or later

Filmora secure download Secure Download

iOS Android

Try It Free >>

2. Dragonframe

Dragonframe has been built especially for stop-motion animation, so it’s handy if that’s all that you plan on doing. If you’re looking to do any other type of filmmaking, you may want to consider some of the other options on this list. Dragonframe has a number of simple-to-use tools and has been used for top stop motion animation features like Kubo & The Two Strings and Isle of Dogs.

Dragonframe

3. Stop Motion Studio

Stop Motion Studio is, perhaps, the most versatile of all of these selections. It’s not just for Mac – you can also use it on your smartphone or your tablet if you’re editing on the go. The Stop Motion Studio does everything from helping you to take great pictures to making a live green screen while you’re out and about. There’s a free trial, and the prices are reasonable.

Stop Motion Studio

4. Boinx iStopMotion

iStopMotion from Boinx has everything that you need in order to learn how to do stop motion animation on your own. They have easy-to-use settings and many schools are using iStopMotion to teach their students about video editing because of its simple, yet complete, system. It’s got the most affordable licensing cost out of all of these choices, and they can work with you if you need to get multiple licenses for classrooms.

Boinx iStopMotion

5. Eclipse - Stop Motion Pro

Stop Motion Pro has some of the top software in the world for making animated films of all types, and it’s easy to connect it to your webcam or digital camera. Not only can it make and edit videos, but, when you connect it to your camera, you can control angles, zoom, and more. It even has lip-syncing capabilities and a multi-track editor, which makes it easy to add music and voices.

Stop Motion Pro

6. Frames

Frames is an animation powerhouse when it comes to offering the necessary tools for every sort of animation. From traditional cartoons to stop-motion animation options, Frames has it all and it’s really easy to navigate and learn the software quickly. Frames have won a number of awards and are available in multiple languages. It does have a one-time licensing fee (which is fairly reasonable for what is included), so keep that in mind when you’re considering it as an option.

Frames

7. iKITMovie

iKITMovie runs pretty well on Windows 7/8/10. It has more than 2000 music effects to use. You can use HD-quality images to start making stop motion videos. You can also use green-screen effects to unleash more imagination if you are an advanced user. The system requirement is low with only 2GB RAM. After making the stop motion animation, directly upload it to YouTube.

iKITMovie

8. MonkeyJam

MonkeyJam is an open-source, free option for people who are looking to dip their toes into stop-motion animation for the first time. While it doesn’t have quite as many features as what you may find in the other options we have in this article, you’ll find that it can be a great start for people that aren’t completely sure as to whether or not they want to dive head-first into it. It’s really easy to navigate and it takes next to no time to go from taking your pictures to putting together that first glance at your new and unique stop-motion animation.

MonkeyJam

Conclusion

Stop-motion animation is an art, and with all of the access we have to such technology via our computers, it really is a big deal to get started with all of it. That’s why you want to be sure that you look at everything in depth and see what you like. Determine which products are going to be best for your purposes and see why it makes such a big difference for you and everything that you want to accomplish in the long run.

You may be also interested in Creative Ideas for Stop Motion Lighting Tips .

Download Win Version Download Mac Version

iOS Android

Try It Free >>

author avatar

Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Stop motion animation is becoming more and more popular by the year, and it’s not surprising. This style of making animated films is done by taking objects, either dolls with joints or soft clay items, and manipulating them. The physical manipulations and changes are then photographed. Each photograph acts as a frame, and when you play the frames together quickly, it looks like the objects have been animated.

If you want to make this type of animation, then you want to find the best stop motion animation software that you can find. Some options out there are even free! In this article, we’re going to share the 8 best options for stop motion animation software, separating them by whether they are for Mac or PC.

1 - Wondershare Filmora [Video] 2 - Dragonframe 3 - Stop Motion Studio 4 - Boinx iStopMotion
5 - Stop Motion Pro 6 - Frames 7 - iKITMovie 8 - MonkeyJam

Make Stop Motion Video

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Filmora secure download Secure Download

Make Stop Motion Video

For macOS 10.14 or later

Filmora secure download Secure Download

iOS Android

Try It Free >>

1. Filmora

Filmora is one of the most well-known options for stop motion animation and other types of filmmaking. This video-making software has easy-to-use tools for any type of animation project that you may be sorting out. It also offers an option called keyframing , which helps your stop-motion animation to look a lot smoother. You can use this for free if you are okay with Filmora’s watermark. They have perpetual and yearly packages, too.

Video Tutorial - How to Make Stop Motion Video on Mobile - Also Offers Win & Mac Versions

Best Stop Motion Software

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Filmora secure download Secure Download

Best Stop Motion Software

For macOS 10.14 or later

Filmora secure download Secure Download

iOS Android

Try It Free >>

2. Dragonframe

Dragonframe has been built especially for stop-motion animation, so it’s handy if that’s all that you plan on doing. If you’re looking to do any other type of filmmaking, you may want to consider some of the other options on this list. Dragonframe has a number of simple-to-use tools and has been used for top stop motion animation features like Kubo & The Two Strings and Isle of Dogs.

Dragonframe

3. Stop Motion Studio

Stop Motion Studio is, perhaps, the most versatile of all of these selections. It’s not just for Mac – you can also use it on your smartphone or your tablet if you’re editing on the go. The Stop Motion Studio does everything from helping you to take great pictures to making a live green screen while you’re out and about. There’s a free trial, and the prices are reasonable.

Stop Motion Studio

4. Boinx iStopMotion

iStopMotion from Boinx has everything that you need in order to learn how to do stop motion animation on your own. They have easy-to-use settings and many schools are using iStopMotion to teach their students about video editing because of its simple, yet complete, system. It’s got the most affordable licensing cost out of all of these choices, and they can work with you if you need to get multiple licenses for classrooms.

Boinx iStopMotion

5. Eclipse - Stop Motion Pro

Stop Motion Pro has some of the top software in the world for making animated films of all types, and it’s easy to connect it to your webcam or digital camera. Not only can it make and edit videos, but, when you connect it to your camera, you can control angles, zoom, and more. It even has lip-syncing capabilities and a multi-track editor, which makes it easy to add music and voices.

Stop Motion Pro

6. Frames

Frames is an animation powerhouse when it comes to offering the necessary tools for every sort of animation. From traditional cartoons to stop-motion animation options, Frames has it all and it’s really easy to navigate and learn the software quickly. Frames have won a number of awards and are available in multiple languages. It does have a one-time licensing fee (which is fairly reasonable for what is included), so keep that in mind when you’re considering it as an option.

Frames

7. iKITMovie

iKITMovie runs pretty well on Windows 7/8/10. It has more than 2000 music effects to use. You can use HD-quality images to start making stop motion videos. You can also use green-screen effects to unleash more imagination if you are an advanced user. The system requirement is low with only 2GB RAM. After making the stop motion animation, directly upload it to YouTube.

iKITMovie

8. MonkeyJam

MonkeyJam is an open-source, free option for people who are looking to dip their toes into stop-motion animation for the first time. While it doesn’t have quite as many features as what you may find in the other options we have in this article, you’ll find that it can be a great start for people that aren’t completely sure as to whether or not they want to dive head-first into it. It’s really easy to navigate and it takes next to no time to go from taking your pictures to putting together that first glance at your new and unique stop-motion animation.

MonkeyJam

Conclusion

Stop-motion animation is an art, and with all of the access we have to such technology via our computers, it really is a big deal to get started with all of it. That’s why you want to be sure that you look at everything in depth and see what you like. Determine which products are going to be best for your purposes and see why it makes such a big difference for you and everything that you want to accomplish in the long run.

You may be also interested in Creative Ideas for Stop Motion Lighting Tips .

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author avatar

Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Shanoon Cox

10 Best Public Domain Image Websites

author avatar

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Finding an image you like on the Internet doesn’t take long, since almost every website you can stumble upon, contains at least one picture. This doesn’t mean that you can just download any photo and use it in your blog, online marketing campaign or for any other purpose. Moreover, stock image websites like Getty Images or iStock let you purchase the right to use a photo commercially. As a reaction to an expanding stock image industry, many photographers, museums and cultural institutions are choosing to forfeit their rights and to publish public domain images. So, in this article, we are going to take you through the ten best public domain image websites where you can download pictures for free.

What Are Public Domain Images?

By definition, public domain images are photos, vectors or clip art that are available to anyone because their copyright has either expired or they never had a copyright owner. Consequently, anyone can use these images for both commercial or private projects without having to purchase the rights to do so. An image can enter a public domain under the following circumstances:

  • Scientists, educators or artists can use the Creative Commons Zero (CC0) license to dedicate their images to the public domain
  • A picture’s copyright is no longer in effect
  • A photo was never the subject to copyright

It is of utmost importance to check if an image is within the public domain before you use it publicly in order to avoid potential legal complications.

How and Where to Find Public Domain Images?

A simple google search will reveal hundreds of websites that let you download public domain and royalty-free images. Which source you’re going to use depends on the type of image you’re looking for, since some websites are dedicated only to photography, while others feature impressive collections of public domain images of artworks. In addition, you’ll only want to download public domain images from the websites that offer information about the author because using a public domain image without crediting its author is strictly prohibited.

Best Websites for Downloading Public Domain Images

We’ve searched the Internet and we utilized our results to compile a collection of the most reliable websites that grant its users access to vast numbers of public domain images. Let’s take a look at some of the best websites that let you download public domain images.

1. Pexels

Public Domain Images from Pexels

Graphic designers and all other creatives in constant need of a fresh supply of public domain images don’t need a special introduction to Pexels. The stock image platform is dedicated to photography and video, so you can’t use it to search for vectors or clip art. Even so, you can use Pexles to search for public domain images based on a particular keyword or browse through its collection of free images and discover photos spontaneously. Clicking on the Popular Searches tab will enable you to see the images from Light, Nature or Animals and it will shorten the amount of time you have to spend looking for a photo you want to download.

Pros:

  • Neatly organized website
  • Free and easy sign-up
  • Offers a huge selection of free public domain images and videos according to the CC0 license
  • Hand-picked High quality Images

Cons:

  • Some categories should contain more images
  • Optimizing the search terms can be difficult

2. Pixabay

Public Domain Images from Plxabay

Besides offering an impressive collection of royalty-free photos, Pixabay also lets you search for public domain vectors, illustrations, and videos. The website hosts more than a million high-resolution photos and videos you can download for free. To make things even better, becoming a member of the Pixabay’s community and creating an account on this platform won’t take more than a few minutes of your time. Pixabay also offers advanced search tools that enable you to combine searches, search for the author of an image or group search terms. In addition, you can also browse through the photographers that contribute their images to the platform on a regular basis.

Pros:

  • Powerful search tools and various filters
  • Huge collection of public domain images

Cons

  • Customer support could be better

3. Wikimedia Commons

wikimedia commons

This is probably the largest website on the Internet where you can download public domain images. There are more than 49 million images, illustrations, vector graphics and videos available that can be downloaded for free. Some media files on Wikimedia Commons have certain restrictions, but these restrictions are mostly related to image citations, which means that you can use them only if you credit the author. Such a huge selection of media files can be overwhelming for the newcomers to the Wikimedia Commons platform, but once you grow accustomed to the website’s interface discovering images becomes a straightforward process.

Pros:

  • All images are available in high resolution
  • Nearly all images can be used without any restrictions

Cons:

  • Getting used to the website’s interface takes time
  • The number of search results can be overwhelming

4. Flickr Commons

Flickr commons

For more than a decade Flickr has been a popular online destination for photographers in need of a platform that enables them to present their work. The Flickr Commons is a project that unites more than a hundred institutions in an effort to create a library of public domain images. The project makes available a stunning amount of historical photographs and it grants you access to highly esteemed collections of photographs. Flick Commons is perfectly suited for researchers and scholars in need of public domain photos, they can use in their essays or research papers.

Pros:

  • Unlimited access to historical photos
  • Extends the knowledge available to the general public

Cons:

  • Doesn’t offer videos or illustrations
  • Search results are poorly organized

5. Unsplash

Unsplash public domain image

With a library that contains over 800,000 photos, Unsplash is easily one of the largest websites that offer public domain images. All pictures on this platform are organized into different categories, which makes finding a photo you want to use in a commercial or non-commercial project a relatively simple process. Alternatively, you can insert a keyword into a search bar and Unsplash will show you the results within seconds. However, the images you can find on this platform are similar to those you can purchase on stock photography websites, although some of them have an artistic touch that is hard to find on the majority of stock photos.

Pros:

  • Excellent source of high-resolution photos
  • Quick and easy search

Cons:

  • Unsplash is dedicated solely to photography
  • Limited amount of available public domain images

6. From Old Books

In case you are searching for images from old books you should look no further. This is a private collection of 2,600 images that are hard to find anywhere else on the Internet. You can browse through woodcuts, old texts or old holiday images, which makes this platform an excellent choice for anyone interested in rare images that were featured in old books. All pictures you can find on the From Old Books website are free to use on non-commercial projects, but you must pay a small fee if you want to download a high-resolution image you can use on a commercial project.

  • Images are organized into categories
  • Access to rare images

Cons

  • Some images are not free
  • Rudimentary website design

7. Morguefile

Morguefile public domain image

Morguefile is a website that offers stock footage to its users, but some of the images can’t be downloaded for free. That’s why you must click on the Free Photos tab before you start searching for public domain images on this website. The website hosts nearly 400.000 photos, videos, and vector graphics, but you must make sure that a file you want to download is within the public domain before you download it. The only downside is that the images aren’t organized into categories which can make finding the images you’re searching for more difficult than it needs to be.

Pros:

  • Creating an account on Morguefile is free
  • All free photos can be used on commercial projects

Cons:

  • Images can be organized better
  • Fewer free images than on other public domain image websites

8. Public Domain Archive

As the website’s name indicates, this is an archive of public domain images you can download for free and use in commercial contexts. All photos are organized into categories like abstract, free stock photos, people or wood which makes the search simpler. However, these categories don’t contain more than a few hundred photos and some of them offer as few as five pictures you can download. All photos are in high resolution and ready for professional use. The download process can be completed effortlessly in just a few quick steps. New images are added on a weekly basis.

Pros:

  • Professional quality of images
  • All images are free

Cons:

  • A limited selection of photos
  • Doesn’t offer vector graphics

NYPL Digital Gallery

NYPL Digital Gallery is an excellent resource for anyone who is not interested in stock photography. The New Your Public Library has made hundreds of thousands of historical images available to the public and you can use it to browse through items, collections or divisions. Before you enter a keyword you should click on the search only public domain materials tick box to ensure that the search results are going to display only images that can be used without restrictions. Additionally, the NYPL Digital Gallery lets you browse through its collection of digital books while its collections of photographs include the work of some of the highly esteemed American photographers.

Pros

  • Public domain images are available in different resolutions
  • Offers valuable research materials

Cons

  • Some images are subject to copyright
  • Only aimed at scholars and researchers

10. Viintage

Viintage is a gold mine for graphic designers as it grants them access to hundreds of vintage posters, book covers, and images. However, the amount of public domain images this website offers is limited and if you want to download the images from the collections of works created by famous artists from the late 19th and early 20th centuries you must purchase the premium version of Viintage. The website lacks some basic search options as it only allows you to type in the search term into the search bar. The images are not organized into categories which further complicates the process of finding a public domain image you’re looking for.

Pros:

  • Offers a collection of rare vintage public domain images
  • A great resource for graphic designers

Cons:

  • Most images on Viintage can’t be downloaded for free
  • Search tools are far from perfect

You may also like: Best Image Hosting Sites >>

How to Cite Public Domain Images Properly?

If you’re planning on using a public domain image in a blog or on your website, you must cite the source from which you acquired a particular image. The image citations should include the following information:

  • The title of the image
  • Author’s name
  • Information about the institution at which an image is kept
  • The source from which you acquired an image

In case you don’t have access to all of these information or if the information is simply not available you should include all details about a public domain image you have the access to. Furthermore, there are several styles of image citations that depend on the source from which an image was acquired.

Conclusion

Spending large sums of money on images you can use in commercial or private projects is not always necessary. The public domain images are widely available and they can be used in a broad range of contexts. Which website that lets you download public domain images do you like to use the most? Leave a comment and share your opinions with us.

Dont worry when you forget the syntax of an HTML element, like and iframe, a link, a table, an image or anything else. Visit HTML CheatSheet and generate the code you need.

author avatar

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Liza Brown

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Finding an image you like on the Internet doesn’t take long, since almost every website you can stumble upon, contains at least one picture. This doesn’t mean that you can just download any photo and use it in your blog, online marketing campaign or for any other purpose. Moreover, stock image websites like Getty Images or iStock let you purchase the right to use a photo commercially. As a reaction to an expanding stock image industry, many photographers, museums and cultural institutions are choosing to forfeit their rights and to publish public domain images. So, in this article, we are going to take you through the ten best public domain image websites where you can download pictures for free.

What Are Public Domain Images?

By definition, public domain images are photos, vectors or clip art that are available to anyone because their copyright has either expired or they never had a copyright owner. Consequently, anyone can use these images for both commercial or private projects without having to purchase the rights to do so. An image can enter a public domain under the following circumstances:

  • Scientists, educators or artists can use the Creative Commons Zero (CC0) license to dedicate their images to the public domain
  • A picture’s copyright is no longer in effect
  • A photo was never the subject to copyright

It is of utmost importance to check if an image is within the public domain before you use it publicly in order to avoid potential legal complications.

How and Where to Find Public Domain Images?

A simple google search will reveal hundreds of websites that let you download public domain and royalty-free images. Which source you’re going to use depends on the type of image you’re looking for, since some websites are dedicated only to photography, while others feature impressive collections of public domain images of artworks. In addition, you’ll only want to download public domain images from the websites that offer information about the author because using a public domain image without crediting its author is strictly prohibited.

Best Websites for Downloading Public Domain Images

We’ve searched the Internet and we utilized our results to compile a collection of the most reliable websites that grant its users access to vast numbers of public domain images. Let’s take a look at some of the best websites that let you download public domain images.

1. Pexels

Public Domain Images from Pexels

Graphic designers and all other creatives in constant need of a fresh supply of public domain images don’t need a special introduction to Pexels. The stock image platform is dedicated to photography and video, so you can’t use it to search for vectors or clip art. Even so, you can use Pexles to search for public domain images based on a particular keyword or browse through its collection of free images and discover photos spontaneously. Clicking on the Popular Searches tab will enable you to see the images from Light, Nature or Animals and it will shorten the amount of time you have to spend looking for a photo you want to download.

Pros:

  • Neatly organized website
  • Free and easy sign-up
  • Offers a huge selection of free public domain images and videos according to the CC0 license
  • Hand-picked High quality Images

Cons:

  • Some categories should contain more images
  • Optimizing the search terms can be difficult

2. Pixabay

Public Domain Images from Plxabay

Besides offering an impressive collection of royalty-free photos, Pixabay also lets you search for public domain vectors, illustrations, and videos. The website hosts more than a million high-resolution photos and videos you can download for free. To make things even better, becoming a member of the Pixabay’s community and creating an account on this platform won’t take more than a few minutes of your time. Pixabay also offers advanced search tools that enable you to combine searches, search for the author of an image or group search terms. In addition, you can also browse through the photographers that contribute their images to the platform on a regular basis.

Pros:

  • Powerful search tools and various filters
  • Huge collection of public domain images

Cons

  • Customer support could be better

3. Wikimedia Commons

wikimedia commons

This is probably the largest website on the Internet where you can download public domain images. There are more than 49 million images, illustrations, vector graphics and videos available that can be downloaded for free. Some media files on Wikimedia Commons have certain restrictions, but these restrictions are mostly related to image citations, which means that you can use them only if you credit the author. Such a huge selection of media files can be overwhelming for the newcomers to the Wikimedia Commons platform, but once you grow accustomed to the website’s interface discovering images becomes a straightforward process.

Pros:

  • All images are available in high resolution
  • Nearly all images can be used without any restrictions

Cons:

  • Getting used to the website’s interface takes time
  • The number of search results can be overwhelming

4. Flickr Commons

Flickr commons

For more than a decade Flickr has been a popular online destination for photographers in need of a platform that enables them to present their work. The Flickr Commons is a project that unites more than a hundred institutions in an effort to create a library of public domain images. The project makes available a stunning amount of historical photographs and it grants you access to highly esteemed collections of photographs. Flick Commons is perfectly suited for researchers and scholars in need of public domain photos, they can use in their essays or research papers.

Pros:

  • Unlimited access to historical photos
  • Extends the knowledge available to the general public

Cons:

  • Doesn’t offer videos or illustrations
  • Search results are poorly organized

5. Unsplash

Unsplash public domain image

With a library that contains over 800,000 photos, Unsplash is easily one of the largest websites that offer public domain images. All pictures on this platform are organized into different categories, which makes finding a photo you want to use in a commercial or non-commercial project a relatively simple process. Alternatively, you can insert a keyword into a search bar and Unsplash will show you the results within seconds. However, the images you can find on this platform are similar to those you can purchase on stock photography websites, although some of them have an artistic touch that is hard to find on the majority of stock photos.

Pros:

  • Excellent source of high-resolution photos
  • Quick and easy search

Cons:

  • Unsplash is dedicated solely to photography
  • Limited amount of available public domain images

6. From Old Books

In case you are searching for images from old books you should look no further. This is a private collection of 2,600 images that are hard to find anywhere else on the Internet. You can browse through woodcuts, old texts or old holiday images, which makes this platform an excellent choice for anyone interested in rare images that were featured in old books. All pictures you can find on the From Old Books website are free to use on non-commercial projects, but you must pay a small fee if you want to download a high-resolution image you can use on a commercial project.

  • Images are organized into categories
  • Access to rare images

Cons

  • Some images are not free
  • Rudimentary website design

7. Morguefile

Morguefile public domain image

Morguefile is a website that offers stock footage to its users, but some of the images can’t be downloaded for free. That’s why you must click on the Free Photos tab before you start searching for public domain images on this website. The website hosts nearly 400.000 photos, videos, and vector graphics, but you must make sure that a file you want to download is within the public domain before you download it. The only downside is that the images aren’t organized into categories which can make finding the images you’re searching for more difficult than it needs to be.

Pros:

  • Creating an account on Morguefile is free
  • All free photos can be used on commercial projects

Cons:

  • Images can be organized better
  • Fewer free images than on other public domain image websites

8. Public Domain Archive

As the website’s name indicates, this is an archive of public domain images you can download for free and use in commercial contexts. All photos are organized into categories like abstract, free stock photos, people or wood which makes the search simpler. However, these categories don’t contain more than a few hundred photos and some of them offer as few as five pictures you can download. All photos are in high resolution and ready for professional use. The download process can be completed effortlessly in just a few quick steps. New images are added on a weekly basis.

Pros:

  • Professional quality of images
  • All images are free

Cons:

  • A limited selection of photos
  • Doesn’t offer vector graphics

NYPL Digital Gallery

NYPL Digital Gallery is an excellent resource for anyone who is not interested in stock photography. The New Your Public Library has made hundreds of thousands of historical images available to the public and you can use it to browse through items, collections or divisions. Before you enter a keyword you should click on the search only public domain materials tick box to ensure that the search results are going to display only images that can be used without restrictions. Additionally, the NYPL Digital Gallery lets you browse through its collection of digital books while its collections of photographs include the work of some of the highly esteemed American photographers.

Pros

  • Public domain images are available in different resolutions
  • Offers valuable research materials

Cons

  • Some images are subject to copyright
  • Only aimed at scholars and researchers

10. Viintage

Viintage is a gold mine for graphic designers as it grants them access to hundreds of vintage posters, book covers, and images. However, the amount of public domain images this website offers is limited and if you want to download the images from the collections of works created by famous artists from the late 19th and early 20th centuries you must purchase the premium version of Viintage. The website lacks some basic search options as it only allows you to type in the search term into the search bar. The images are not organized into categories which further complicates the process of finding a public domain image you’re looking for.

Pros:

  • Offers a collection of rare vintage public domain images
  • A great resource for graphic designers

Cons:

  • Most images on Viintage can’t be downloaded for free
  • Search tools are far from perfect

You may also like: Best Image Hosting Sites >>

How to Cite Public Domain Images Properly?

If you’re planning on using a public domain image in a blog or on your website, you must cite the source from which you acquired a particular image. The image citations should include the following information:

  • The title of the image
  • Author’s name
  • Information about the institution at which an image is kept
  • The source from which you acquired an image

In case you don’t have access to all of these information or if the information is simply not available you should include all details about a public domain image you have the access to. Furthermore, there are several styles of image citations that depend on the source from which an image was acquired.

Conclusion

Spending large sums of money on images you can use in commercial or private projects is not always necessary. The public domain images are widely available and they can be used in a broad range of contexts. Which website that lets you download public domain images do you like to use the most? Leave a comment and share your opinions with us.

Dont worry when you forget the syntax of an HTML element, like and iframe, a link, a table, an image or anything else. Visit HTML CheatSheet and generate the code you need.

author avatar

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Liza Brown

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Finding an image you like on the Internet doesn’t take long, since almost every website you can stumble upon, contains at least one picture. This doesn’t mean that you can just download any photo and use it in your blog, online marketing campaign or for any other purpose. Moreover, stock image websites like Getty Images or iStock let you purchase the right to use a photo commercially. As a reaction to an expanding stock image industry, many photographers, museums and cultural institutions are choosing to forfeit their rights and to publish public domain images. So, in this article, we are going to take you through the ten best public domain image websites where you can download pictures for free.

What Are Public Domain Images?

By definition, public domain images are photos, vectors or clip art that are available to anyone because their copyright has either expired or they never had a copyright owner. Consequently, anyone can use these images for both commercial or private projects without having to purchase the rights to do so. An image can enter a public domain under the following circumstances:

  • Scientists, educators or artists can use the Creative Commons Zero (CC0) license to dedicate their images to the public domain
  • A picture’s copyright is no longer in effect
  • A photo was never the subject to copyright

It is of utmost importance to check if an image is within the public domain before you use it publicly in order to avoid potential legal complications.

How and Where to Find Public Domain Images?

A simple google search will reveal hundreds of websites that let you download public domain and royalty-free images. Which source you’re going to use depends on the type of image you’re looking for, since some websites are dedicated only to photography, while others feature impressive collections of public domain images of artworks. In addition, you’ll only want to download public domain images from the websites that offer information about the author because using a public domain image without crediting its author is strictly prohibited.

Best Websites for Downloading Public Domain Images

We’ve searched the Internet and we utilized our results to compile a collection of the most reliable websites that grant its users access to vast numbers of public domain images. Let’s take a look at some of the best websites that let you download public domain images.

1. Pexels

Public Domain Images from Pexels

Graphic designers and all other creatives in constant need of a fresh supply of public domain images don’t need a special introduction to Pexels. The stock image platform is dedicated to photography and video, so you can’t use it to search for vectors or clip art. Even so, you can use Pexles to search for public domain images based on a particular keyword or browse through its collection of free images and discover photos spontaneously. Clicking on the Popular Searches tab will enable you to see the images from Light, Nature or Animals and it will shorten the amount of time you have to spend looking for a photo you want to download.

Pros:

  • Neatly organized website
  • Free and easy sign-up
  • Offers a huge selection of free public domain images and videos according to the CC0 license
  • Hand-picked High quality Images

Cons:

  • Some categories should contain more images
  • Optimizing the search terms can be difficult

2. Pixabay

Public Domain Images from Plxabay

Besides offering an impressive collection of royalty-free photos, Pixabay also lets you search for public domain vectors, illustrations, and videos. The website hosts more than a million high-resolution photos and videos you can download for free. To make things even better, becoming a member of the Pixabay’s community and creating an account on this platform won’t take more than a few minutes of your time. Pixabay also offers advanced search tools that enable you to combine searches, search for the author of an image or group search terms. In addition, you can also browse through the photographers that contribute their images to the platform on a regular basis.

Pros:

  • Powerful search tools and various filters
  • Huge collection of public domain images

Cons

  • Customer support could be better

3. Wikimedia Commons

wikimedia commons

This is probably the largest website on the Internet where you can download public domain images. There are more than 49 million images, illustrations, vector graphics and videos available that can be downloaded for free. Some media files on Wikimedia Commons have certain restrictions, but these restrictions are mostly related to image citations, which means that you can use them only if you credit the author. Such a huge selection of media files can be overwhelming for the newcomers to the Wikimedia Commons platform, but once you grow accustomed to the website’s interface discovering images becomes a straightforward process.

Pros:

  • All images are available in high resolution
  • Nearly all images can be used without any restrictions

Cons:

  • Getting used to the website’s interface takes time
  • The number of search results can be overwhelming

4. Flickr Commons

Flickr commons

For more than a decade Flickr has been a popular online destination for photographers in need of a platform that enables them to present their work. The Flickr Commons is a project that unites more than a hundred institutions in an effort to create a library of public domain images. The project makes available a stunning amount of historical photographs and it grants you access to highly esteemed collections of photographs. Flick Commons is perfectly suited for researchers and scholars in need of public domain photos, they can use in their essays or research papers.

Pros:

  • Unlimited access to historical photos
  • Extends the knowledge available to the general public

Cons:

  • Doesn’t offer videos or illustrations
  • Search results are poorly organized

5. Unsplash

Unsplash public domain image

With a library that contains over 800,000 photos, Unsplash is easily one of the largest websites that offer public domain images. All pictures on this platform are organized into different categories, which makes finding a photo you want to use in a commercial or non-commercial project a relatively simple process. Alternatively, you can insert a keyword into a search bar and Unsplash will show you the results within seconds. However, the images you can find on this platform are similar to those you can purchase on stock photography websites, although some of them have an artistic touch that is hard to find on the majority of stock photos.

Pros:

  • Excellent source of high-resolution photos
  • Quick and easy search

Cons:

  • Unsplash is dedicated solely to photography
  • Limited amount of available public domain images

6. From Old Books

In case you are searching for images from old books you should look no further. This is a private collection of 2,600 images that are hard to find anywhere else on the Internet. You can browse through woodcuts, old texts or old holiday images, which makes this platform an excellent choice for anyone interested in rare images that were featured in old books. All pictures you can find on the From Old Books website are free to use on non-commercial projects, but you must pay a small fee if you want to download a high-resolution image you can use on a commercial project.

  • Images are organized into categories
  • Access to rare images

Cons

  • Some images are not free
  • Rudimentary website design

7. Morguefile

Morguefile public domain image

Morguefile is a website that offers stock footage to its users, but some of the images can’t be downloaded for free. That’s why you must click on the Free Photos tab before you start searching for public domain images on this website. The website hosts nearly 400.000 photos, videos, and vector graphics, but you must make sure that a file you want to download is within the public domain before you download it. The only downside is that the images aren’t organized into categories which can make finding the images you’re searching for more difficult than it needs to be.

Pros:

  • Creating an account on Morguefile is free
  • All free photos can be used on commercial projects

Cons:

  • Images can be organized better
  • Fewer free images than on other public domain image websites

8. Public Domain Archive

As the website’s name indicates, this is an archive of public domain images you can download for free and use in commercial contexts. All photos are organized into categories like abstract, free stock photos, people or wood which makes the search simpler. However, these categories don’t contain more than a few hundred photos and some of them offer as few as five pictures you can download. All photos are in high resolution and ready for professional use. The download process can be completed effortlessly in just a few quick steps. New images are added on a weekly basis.

Pros:

  • Professional quality of images
  • All images are free

Cons:

  • A limited selection of photos
  • Doesn’t offer vector graphics

NYPL Digital Gallery

NYPL Digital Gallery is an excellent resource for anyone who is not interested in stock photography. The New Your Public Library has made hundreds of thousands of historical images available to the public and you can use it to browse through items, collections or divisions. Before you enter a keyword you should click on the search only public domain materials tick box to ensure that the search results are going to display only images that can be used without restrictions. Additionally, the NYPL Digital Gallery lets you browse through its collection of digital books while its collections of photographs include the work of some of the highly esteemed American photographers.

Pros

  • Public domain images are available in different resolutions
  • Offers valuable research materials

Cons

  • Some images are subject to copyright
  • Only aimed at scholars and researchers

10. Viintage

Viintage is a gold mine for graphic designers as it grants them access to hundreds of vintage posters, book covers, and images. However, the amount of public domain images this website offers is limited and if you want to download the images from the collections of works created by famous artists from the late 19th and early 20th centuries you must purchase the premium version of Viintage. The website lacks some basic search options as it only allows you to type in the search term into the search bar. The images are not organized into categories which further complicates the process of finding a public domain image you’re looking for.

Pros:

  • Offers a collection of rare vintage public domain images
  • A great resource for graphic designers

Cons:

  • Most images on Viintage can’t be downloaded for free
  • Search tools are far from perfect

You may also like: Best Image Hosting Sites >>

How to Cite Public Domain Images Properly?

If you’re planning on using a public domain image in a blog or on your website, you must cite the source from which you acquired a particular image. The image citations should include the following information:

  • The title of the image
  • Author’s name
  • Information about the institution at which an image is kept
  • The source from which you acquired an image

In case you don’t have access to all of these information or if the information is simply not available you should include all details about a public domain image you have the access to. Furthermore, there are several styles of image citations that depend on the source from which an image was acquired.

Conclusion

Spending large sums of money on images you can use in commercial or private projects is not always necessary. The public domain images are widely available and they can be used in a broad range of contexts. Which website that lets you download public domain images do you like to use the most? Leave a comment and share your opinions with us.

Dont worry when you forget the syntax of an HTML element, like and iframe, a link, a table, an image or anything else. Visit HTML CheatSheet and generate the code you need.

author avatar

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Liza Brown

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Finding an image you like on the Internet doesn’t take long, since almost every website you can stumble upon, contains at least one picture. This doesn’t mean that you can just download any photo and use it in your blog, online marketing campaign or for any other purpose. Moreover, stock image websites like Getty Images or iStock let you purchase the right to use a photo commercially. As a reaction to an expanding stock image industry, many photographers, museums and cultural institutions are choosing to forfeit their rights and to publish public domain images. So, in this article, we are going to take you through the ten best public domain image websites where you can download pictures for free.

What Are Public Domain Images?

By definition, public domain images are photos, vectors or clip art that are available to anyone because their copyright has either expired or they never had a copyright owner. Consequently, anyone can use these images for both commercial or private projects without having to purchase the rights to do so. An image can enter a public domain under the following circumstances:

  • Scientists, educators or artists can use the Creative Commons Zero (CC0) license to dedicate their images to the public domain
  • A picture’s copyright is no longer in effect
  • A photo was never the subject to copyright

It is of utmost importance to check if an image is within the public domain before you use it publicly in order to avoid potential legal complications.

How and Where to Find Public Domain Images?

A simple google search will reveal hundreds of websites that let you download public domain and royalty-free images. Which source you’re going to use depends on the type of image you’re looking for, since some websites are dedicated only to photography, while others feature impressive collections of public domain images of artworks. In addition, you’ll only want to download public domain images from the websites that offer information about the author because using a public domain image without crediting its author is strictly prohibited.

Best Websites for Downloading Public Domain Images

We’ve searched the Internet and we utilized our results to compile a collection of the most reliable websites that grant its users access to vast numbers of public domain images. Let’s take a look at some of the best websites that let you download public domain images.

1. Pexels

Public Domain Images from Pexels

Graphic designers and all other creatives in constant need of a fresh supply of public domain images don’t need a special introduction to Pexels. The stock image platform is dedicated to photography and video, so you can’t use it to search for vectors or clip art. Even so, you can use Pexles to search for public domain images based on a particular keyword or browse through its collection of free images and discover photos spontaneously. Clicking on the Popular Searches tab will enable you to see the images from Light, Nature or Animals and it will shorten the amount of time you have to spend looking for a photo you want to download.

Pros:

  • Neatly organized website
  • Free and easy sign-up
  • Offers a huge selection of free public domain images and videos according to the CC0 license
  • Hand-picked High quality Images

Cons:

  • Some categories should contain more images
  • Optimizing the search terms can be difficult

2. Pixabay

Public Domain Images from Plxabay

Besides offering an impressive collection of royalty-free photos, Pixabay also lets you search for public domain vectors, illustrations, and videos. The website hosts more than a million high-resolution photos and videos you can download for free. To make things even better, becoming a member of the Pixabay’s community and creating an account on this platform won’t take more than a few minutes of your time. Pixabay also offers advanced search tools that enable you to combine searches, search for the author of an image or group search terms. In addition, you can also browse through the photographers that contribute their images to the platform on a regular basis.

Pros:

  • Powerful search tools and various filters
  • Huge collection of public domain images

Cons

  • Customer support could be better

3. Wikimedia Commons

wikimedia commons

This is probably the largest website on the Internet where you can download public domain images. There are more than 49 million images, illustrations, vector graphics and videos available that can be downloaded for free. Some media files on Wikimedia Commons have certain restrictions, but these restrictions are mostly related to image citations, which means that you can use them only if you credit the author. Such a huge selection of media files can be overwhelming for the newcomers to the Wikimedia Commons platform, but once you grow accustomed to the website’s interface discovering images becomes a straightforward process.

Pros:

  • All images are available in high resolution
  • Nearly all images can be used without any restrictions

Cons:

  • Getting used to the website’s interface takes time
  • The number of search results can be overwhelming

4. Flickr Commons

Flickr commons

For more than a decade Flickr has been a popular online destination for photographers in need of a platform that enables them to present their work. The Flickr Commons is a project that unites more than a hundred institutions in an effort to create a library of public domain images. The project makes available a stunning amount of historical photographs and it grants you access to highly esteemed collections of photographs. Flick Commons is perfectly suited for researchers and scholars in need of public domain photos, they can use in their essays or research papers.

Pros:

  • Unlimited access to historical photos
  • Extends the knowledge available to the general public

Cons:

  • Doesn’t offer videos or illustrations
  • Search results are poorly organized

5. Unsplash

Unsplash public domain image

With a library that contains over 800,000 photos, Unsplash is easily one of the largest websites that offer public domain images. All pictures on this platform are organized into different categories, which makes finding a photo you want to use in a commercial or non-commercial project a relatively simple process. Alternatively, you can insert a keyword into a search bar and Unsplash will show you the results within seconds. However, the images you can find on this platform are similar to those you can purchase on stock photography websites, although some of them have an artistic touch that is hard to find on the majority of stock photos.

Pros:

  • Excellent source of high-resolution photos
  • Quick and easy search

Cons:

  • Unsplash is dedicated solely to photography
  • Limited amount of available public domain images

6. From Old Books

In case you are searching for images from old books you should look no further. This is a private collection of 2,600 images that are hard to find anywhere else on the Internet. You can browse through woodcuts, old texts or old holiday images, which makes this platform an excellent choice for anyone interested in rare images that were featured in old books. All pictures you can find on the From Old Books website are free to use on non-commercial projects, but you must pay a small fee if you want to download a high-resolution image you can use on a commercial project.

  • Images are organized into categories
  • Access to rare images

Cons

  • Some images are not free
  • Rudimentary website design

7. Morguefile

Morguefile public domain image

Morguefile is a website that offers stock footage to its users, but some of the images can’t be downloaded for free. That’s why you must click on the Free Photos tab before you start searching for public domain images on this website. The website hosts nearly 400.000 photos, videos, and vector graphics, but you must make sure that a file you want to download is within the public domain before you download it. The only downside is that the images aren’t organized into categories which can make finding the images you’re searching for more difficult than it needs to be.

Pros:

  • Creating an account on Morguefile is free
  • All free photos can be used on commercial projects

Cons:

  • Images can be organized better
  • Fewer free images than on other public domain image websites

8. Public Domain Archive

As the website’s name indicates, this is an archive of public domain images you can download for free and use in commercial contexts. All photos are organized into categories like abstract, free stock photos, people or wood which makes the search simpler. However, these categories don’t contain more than a few hundred photos and some of them offer as few as five pictures you can download. All photos are in high resolution and ready for professional use. The download process can be completed effortlessly in just a few quick steps. New images are added on a weekly basis.

Pros:

  • Professional quality of images
  • All images are free

Cons:

  • A limited selection of photos
  • Doesn’t offer vector graphics

NYPL Digital Gallery

NYPL Digital Gallery is an excellent resource for anyone who is not interested in stock photography. The New Your Public Library has made hundreds of thousands of historical images available to the public and you can use it to browse through items, collections or divisions. Before you enter a keyword you should click on the search only public domain materials tick box to ensure that the search results are going to display only images that can be used without restrictions. Additionally, the NYPL Digital Gallery lets you browse through its collection of digital books while its collections of photographs include the work of some of the highly esteemed American photographers.

Pros

  • Public domain images are available in different resolutions
  • Offers valuable research materials

Cons

  • Some images are subject to copyright
  • Only aimed at scholars and researchers

10. Viintage

Viintage is a gold mine for graphic designers as it grants them access to hundreds of vintage posters, book covers, and images. However, the amount of public domain images this website offers is limited and if you want to download the images from the collections of works created by famous artists from the late 19th and early 20th centuries you must purchase the premium version of Viintage. The website lacks some basic search options as it only allows you to type in the search term into the search bar. The images are not organized into categories which further complicates the process of finding a public domain image you’re looking for.

Pros:

  • Offers a collection of rare vintage public domain images
  • A great resource for graphic designers

Cons:

  • Most images on Viintage can’t be downloaded for free
  • Search tools are far from perfect

You may also like: Best Image Hosting Sites >>

How to Cite Public Domain Images Properly?

If you’re planning on using a public domain image in a blog or on your website, you must cite the source from which you acquired a particular image. The image citations should include the following information:

  • The title of the image
  • Author’s name
  • Information about the institution at which an image is kept
  • The source from which you acquired an image

In case you don’t have access to all of these information or if the information is simply not available you should include all details about a public domain image you have the access to. Furthermore, there are several styles of image citations that depend on the source from which an image was acquired.

Conclusion

Spending large sums of money on images you can use in commercial or private projects is not always necessary. The public domain images are widely available and they can be used in a broad range of contexts. Which website that lets you download public domain images do you like to use the most? Leave a comment and share your opinions with us.

Dont worry when you forget the syntax of an HTML element, like and iframe, a link, a table, an image or anything else. Visit HTML CheatSheet and generate the code you need.

author avatar

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Liza Brown

Also read:

  • Title: Updated Slowing Down the Action How to Use VLCs Slow Motion Feature
  • Author: Morgan
  • Created at : 2024-05-19 16:00:40
  • Updated at : 2024-05-20 16:00:40
  • Link: https://ai-video-tools.techidaily.com/updated-slowing-down-the-action-how-to-use-vlcs-slow-motion-feature/
  • License: This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
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Updated Slowing Down the Action How to Use VLCs Slow Motion Feature