Ultimate Guide to How to Speed Up a Video

For different needs, you want to speed up a video while watching or editing. Are you looking for a simple way to fast forward a video?

This post tells five effective methods to speed up or slow down a video. Whether you want to speed up a video online or make fast-forward videos on Mac and Windows 10 PC, you can find a video speed controller to make the footage play faster or slower.

Part 1: Speed Up Videos on Windows/Mac with Built-in Tool

Windows Media Player Quick Shortcuts to Speed Up Video Playback on PC

While Windows Media Player is often seen as a basic playback tool, it offers a surprisingly efficient way to control tempo through built-in playback speed shortcuts. By using the key combination Ctrl + Shift + G, you can instantly toggle into 'Fast Play' mode, allowing you to breeze through long recordings or review footage at an accelerated pace without navigating complex menus. Unlike professional editors that require manual Time Remapping and keyframe adjustments to create a speed curve, Windows Media Player provides a linear and immediate boost that is perfect for quick content consumption. It’s the ideal built-in solution for PC users who need to transition from normal speed to a high-velocity viewing experience seamlessly, ensuring you save time while maintaining full control over your media playback.

Here are the detailed steps of using it to fast-forward videos.

1.Open Video in Windows Media Player

Right-click on the video you want to speed up and select Open with > Windows Media Player to play the video.

2.Adjust Playback Speed Settings

The video will be played on this tool. Right-click the interface and choose the Speed option from the drop-down menu. Then, you will see many speed adjustment options.

3.Select One Speed Option

Select and click the desired speed choice, and the video will be played at a faster speed.

The steps are really easy that even beginners can master them within seconds. It is not a professional speed changer, so it lacks additional video editing tools for optimizing your video effects. If you just want to speed up videos for quick playback, it is a good choice.

QuickTime Built-in Speed Controller for Mac Users

For macOS users, QuickTime Player provides a native speed control system that integrates perfectly with the Apple ecosystem. While many users only notice the standard fast-forward buttons, the true power lies in its 'hidden' precision: by holding the Option key while clicking the forward or back buttons, you can unlock granular 0.1x increments. This level of exactness is perfect for users who need to find the perfect balance between speed and comprehension without the jumpy transitions of standard 2x playback. Because it is a built-in macOS utility, it requires no third-party installation and offers the most stable, resource-efficient way to accelerate high-resolution ProRes or H.264 files while maintaining the fluid performance Mac users expect.

1.Open A Video in QuickTime Player

Choose one video you want to speed up and open it in QuickTime Player.

2.Play Video and Adjust Playback Speed

Press Play to watch your video. Click the arrow icon to change the video playback speed. You can choose different speed options, like 1.5x, 2x, 5x, etc.

This tool also offers you intuitive steps for video playback speed control. Try it for free and enjoy your movies on it.

Part 2: Best Desktop Software to Speed Up Videos (Windows & Mac)

AnyMP4 Video Converter Ultimate - Fastest Way to Speed Up Video Without Quality Loss

When you want to speed up a video on a Mac or Windows 10/11/8/7 PC, you can use the powerful AnyMP4 Video Converter Ultimate. It is designed with many useful features and tools, including a Video Speed Controller. For users who refuse to compromise on visual integrity, it is the gold standard for high-performance desktop editing. Its dedicated 'Video Speed Controller' module offers granular control that few other tools can match, allowing for precise adjustments ranging from 0.125x to 8x speed. Most importantly, it features advanced algorithms designed to maintain original video quality and provide audio pitch correction, ensuring that your voice remains natural and clear rather than 'squeaky' even at high speeds. With support for over 500+ formats, it is the perfect permanent solution for creators who need to archive high-definition content while perfectly balancing accelerated pacing with professional-grade sound.

1.This video speed controller software is compatible with both Mac and Windows 10 PC. You can free install and open it to fast forward a video on your computer.

2.When you enter the Video Converter Ultimate, click on Toolbox and choose the Video Speed Controller tool.

3.You can click the big plus button in the central part to browse and add your video file.

4.A built-in media player is offered there for you to watch your video. You can use the speed up or slow down options to freely control the video playing speed. As you can see, it allows you to speed up a video to 1.25X, 1.5X, 2X, 4X, or 8X speed.

5.You can watch your video directly on it with a suitable playback speed. Also, you can choose to export it to the computer by clicking on the Export button.

Adobe Premiere - Professional Speed Ramping for Cinema-Quality Results

For those ready to move beyond basic playback toggles, Adobe Premiere Pro offers the ultimate cinematic control through its sophisticated 'Time Remapping' feature. Unlike standard editors that abruptly jump between speeds, Premiere allows you to utilize Keyframes to craft elegant speed curves, facilitating a seamless flow from fluid slow-motion into lightning-fast transitions. This 'Speed Ramping' technique is the secret behind professional action sequences and high-end travel vlogs, providing the frame-by-frame precision needed to emphasize specific movements without jarring the viewer. For the serious editor, it’s not just about making a clip faster - it's about manipulating time to tell a more compelling, professional-grade story.

1.Launch Premiere on Mac and add a video to it. Go to the Timeline or the Project panel.

2.Select one or more video clips. Press Command+click together to select a non-contiguous group of video clips in the Project panel.

3.Then, right-click over a selected video clip and choose the Speed/Duration option.

4.Customize the speed by entering the number next to Speed on the Clip Speed/Duration window. After that, click the OK button to save the changes.

The above is one of the easiest ways to speed up the video in Premiere. In addition, you can also use the Rate Stretch tool or Time Remapping to speed up and slow down a video in Premiere.

Part 3: How to Speed Up a Video Online for Free (No Installation)

Video Speed Controller Extension - Speeding Up Web & YouTube Videos

For users who want to save time while watching online content, the Video Speed Controller extension for Chrome is the ultimate 'secret weapon' for mastering HTML5 video playback. Unlike standard player settings that often cap speed at 2x, this browser extension allows you to break those limits using simple keyboard shortcuts, reaching speeds of 10x or even higher. It works seamlessly across almost any platform, including YouTube and Netflix, providing a minimalist overlay that lets you micro-adjust your viewing pace with precision. Whether you are skimming through a dense academic lecture or fast-forwarding through repetitive segments of a documentary, it empowers you to consume information at your own maximum frequency without being held back by default player restrictions.

1.Open your Chrome web browser and search for the Video Speed Controller extension. You can also go to the Chrome Web Store to quickly locate it. Click on Add to Chrome to quickly install this extension to your browser.

2.When you are watching a video online, you can see a speed indicator appears in the top-left corner of the video playback window. It is originally played at 1.0X speed. You can press the D key on your keyboard to speed up the video playing speed. To decrease the video playback speed, you should press S. Also, you can easily reset the video playing speed by pressing R.

For more video speed controller extensions, you can find here.

Clideo - Easy Online Video Speed Changer (No Software Install)

If you want an easy way to change video speed without installing heavy software, Clideo is one of the best online options. It is an all-featured online video editor that offers many editing tools, including Change Video Speed, Merge Video, Compress Video, Add Subtitles, and more for you to directly edit a video file on a web browser. It connects smoothly with cloud services like Google Drive and Dropbox, so you can pull in your files and start editing right away. The layout is simple and clean, with preset speed controls that let you slow down or speed up a clip in just a few seconds. Since everything runs in your browser, it’s a great on-the-go tool for quick edits or short social media videos, and it won’t take up space on your computer or strain your hardware.

1.Go to the Clideo Change Video Speed page. When you get to the page, click on the Choose file button to upload your video. It also allows you to speed up a video from Google Drive and Dropbox. Many commonly-used video formats like MP4, AVI, WMV, MOV, MPG, and VOB are supported.

2.After uploading, your video file will be automatically played. You can drag the video speed controlling bar or choose the playback speed option to speed up or slow down your video.

Clideo enables you to double speed video or slow down the video playback speed based on your need. You can also click on the Export button to store the edited video on the computer for later watching.

Note: To slow down videos, the steps are similar.

The free online video speed controller app is mainly designed for small video clips. You can't use it to fast-forward a large video file. What's worse, your exported video will be added with a watermark.

Part 4: Speed Up Videos on Mobile (iPhone & Android)

iMovie - Free and Intuitive Video Speed Changer for iOS Users

To edit your video and make a video faster on iPhone, you can rely on the default video editor for Apple products, iMovie. iMovie stands out as a powerful, free, and watermark-free video speed changer. It features a highly intuitive 'slider-based' speed interface. By simply tapping the speedometer icon and dragging the slider toward the rabbit, you can instantly accelerate your footage up to 2x speed with a smooth, precise response. Because it’s a native Apple tool, you can export your high-definition travel highlights directly to your camera roll without any distracting logos or hidden fees, making it the ideal choice for quick, high-quality mobile edits.

1.If you don't have the iMovie app installed on your iPhone, you should open App Store and free install it first. Open the iMovie app and then create a new project. You can tap + and then choose Movie to import your video to it.

2.Tap your loaded video clip on the timeline and then tap on the speed icon at the bottom screen. You can drag the speed bar to the right to speed up the video. If you want to slow down the playing speed, you can drag the speed bar to the left.

3.After speeding up the video, you can tap on the Play button to view the playing effect. If you are satisfied with the result, you can tap on Done and then store it on your iPhone or share it with others.

TikTok Video Editor - Speeding Up Videos for Social Media Trends

Android doesn't have a built-in feature to increase video speed. To adjust the video speed on an Android device, you must rely on a third-party app to speed up the video. TikTok video editor is a good choice for social creators. It is the ultimate tool for mastering viral trends through precise speed control. Designed specifically for high-energy content, it offers a seamless range of presets from 0.5x up to 3x, allowing you to slow down for dramatic effect or speed up long processes into snappy, watchable clips. Changing the speed also helps you match your movements or transitions to the beat of popular songs, making your video look polished and perfectly timed.

1.Download and open the TikTok app on your Android phone. Tap the + icon to add a video you have recorded before. Tap Adjust Clips on the right menu bar.

2.Tap Edit under the Timeline to select the Speed option. Here you can adjust the video speed to 0.1×，1×，4×，8×, etc.

3.After customizing the speed, you can save the changed video by tapping the save button in the top right corner.

TikTok not only can speed up videos for free, but also can trim, crop, rotate, and reverse your video easily.

Part 5: Troubleshooting and Tips

1. Fix 'Choppy' or Stuttering Motion

When you speed up a video, you are essentially asking the computer to skip frames. If the original footage was recorded at a low frame rate (like 24fps), the result can look 'jittery.'

The Fix: Use Frame Interpolation or Optical Flow. High-end editors like Premiere Pro or DaVinci Resolve have an 'Optical Flow' setting that uses AI to 'guess' and create new frames between the existing ones, smoothing out the motion.

Pro Tip: If you know you want to speed up a shot later, record it at a higher frame rate (60fps or 120fps). This gives the software more data to work with.

2. Solve 'Chipmunk' Audio (Pitch Shift)

Increasing video speed naturally raises the pitch of the audio, making voices sound unnaturally high.

The Fix: Look for a setting called 'Maintain Audio Pitch' or 'Pitch Correction.' This keeps the tone of the voice the same even as the speed increases.

3. Smooth Out Abrupt Transitions

Sudden jumps from normal speed to 4x speed can be jarring for the viewer.

The Fix: Use Speed Ramping. Instead of a hard cut, use keyframes to create a 'curve.' This allows the video to accelerate gradually (e.g., from 1x to 2x to 4x) over half a second, which looks much more cinematic and intentional.

Conclusion

This post shares 6 different methods to speed up videos on different devices to help you better control the video playback speed. Each tool has its unique features. With an intuitive table, you can directly choose one preferred video speed editor to adjust the speed for playing process.