How to Use the Playback Controls in PowerDVD
Find the scene you want, skip ahead, and adjust the volume while a video plays.
Updated Nov. 12, 2026 · 5 min read
In a hurry? Use the playback controls quick guide instead.
PowerDVD's playback controls sit in the bar under the video. Use them to pause, jump to a scene, skip ahead, change the volume, and switch to full screen. Once you know where each one is, you can get to any moment in a movie or a home video quickly.
- Click Videos, open a folder, and click the play button on a thumbnail.
- Use the bar under the video: press Space to pause or S to stop, click the timeline to jump to a scene, point to the elapsed time to skip back 8 seconds or ahead 30, click the speaker button to set the volume, and click Full screen (or press Z).
- For more control, use Rewind and Fast forward, step one frame at a time while paused, turn on Repeat (Ctrl+R), open the toolbox menu for bookmarks and subtitles, or click ••• to rotate or enhance the picture.
- To play a folder or playlist in random order, click Shuffle (V) on its bottom bar.
Steps to Play a Video in PowerDVD
Step 1: Play a Video From Your Library
Under Media Library on the left, click Videos and open the folder with your video. Point to a thumbnail and click the play button on it. If the first click only selects the clip, click again. Or double-click the thumbnail.
Is Videos empty? Add your video folder first, as shown in how to set up your Media Library. Or click My Computer under Source and browse to the folder.
The video opens in the player, with the playback controls in the bar at the bottom. A video you played before picks up where you stopped, so drag the playhead back if it starts near the end.
The first time you play a video, PowerDVD may offer to become your default player. Click Not Now to keep going, or see how to set PowerDVD as your default media player.
Step 2: Use the Playback Controls
The controls sit in the bar under the video. Use any of them, in any order, while the video plays. Point to a button to see its name.
Pause or Stop
Click the pause button in the middle of the bar, or press Space. Click it again to keep watching. Click Stop to the left of it, or press S, to close the player and go back to the folder.
Jump to a Scene
Click anywhere on the timeline above the buttons to jump there. Point to the timeline first to see a thumbnail of that spot, or drag the playhead to browse. Thumbnails show for the parts you've already played.
Skip Back or Ahead
Point to the elapsed time at the left end of the timeline. Two buttons take its place: Skip backward 8 seconds and Skip forward 30 seconds. The Left and Right arrow keys do the same. Hold Shift with an arrow key to jump 2 minutes, or Alt to jump 5 minutes.
Change the Volume
Click the speaker button (Adjust the volume) and drag the slider above it, from 0 to 100. Press Q to mute, and + or - to turn it up or down. This volume changes only PowerDVD. Right-click the speaker button to open the Windows Volume Mixer.
Watch in Full Screen
Click Full screen at the bottom right corner, or press Z. Press Z or Esc to go back to the window.
Rewind, Fast Forward, and Go to the Next Video
Rewind and Fast forward speed through the video while it plays (B or [, and F or ]). Press again to go faster. Previous media file and Next media file, on each side of Stop and play, go to the previous or next video in the folder (P and N).
Click Fast forward a second time to open the Play Speed Navigator. Drag the blue slider to set the speed, and press Space to go back to normal speed.
Step One Frame at a Time
Pause the video, and Rewind and Fast forward become Step backward and Step forward. Click them, or press E and T, to stop on the exact frame you want.
Crop to Fill, Time Display, and Return
Crop to fill, left of Full screen, zooms the picture to fill the screen and crops the black bars. It helps most on an ultrawide monitor. Click the time at the right end of the timeline to switch between the time left and the total length. Return to the previous window, at the bottom left, stops the video and goes back to the library (Backspace).
Bookmarks, Subtitles, and Snapshots
Click the toolbox button left of Rewind. Add Bookmark marks the current spot, and Bookmarks/Chapters lists your bookmarks so you can jump back. The menu also has Primary Subtitles, Secondary Subtitles, Snapshot, and Extract Audio....
Repeat a Video or a Folder
Click Repeat on the bar, or press Ctrl+R. Each click switches to the next mode, and the tooltip shows which one is on. Repeat stays on until you change it.
| Mode | What it does | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Repeat off | Plays the video once. | Normal viewing. |
| Repeat current | Plays the same video again and again. | A music video or a clip you want looping on a screen. |
| Repeat all | Plays every video in the folder or playlist, then starts over. | Background video for a party or a store display. |
To see which mode is on, right-click the video and point to Repeat. A check mark sits next to Off, Current, or All, and you can click another one to switch.
More Options
Click ••• at the right end of the bar. A row of five icons opens above it.
| Icon | What it does |
|---|---|
| Rotate right (arrow) | Turns the picture 90 degrees clockwise. Use it for a phone video that plays sideways. |
| Video Enhancements (eye) | Turns on TrueTheater to make the picture sharper and more vivid. See how to enhance video with TrueTheater. |
| Audio Enhancements (ear) | Turns on TrueTheater sound effects. See how to enhance audio with TrueTheater. |
| VR Options (headset) | Holds the settings for 360-degree and VR videos. It's dimmed while a regular video plays. |
| Play to (screen) | Sends the video to another screen or device, such as a smart TV. |
Shuffle a Folder or Playlist
Shuffle isn't on the bar while a video plays. It's on the bar at the bottom of a folder you open from My Computer, in Music, and in a playlist. Click Shuffle, or press V, and the button turns blue. Then click Play to play the items in random order.
Karaoke mode (microphone) has its own tutorial. The scissors button cuts a part of the video and saves it as an MP4 or audio clip. For subtitles, see how to customize subtitles.
We tested these steps in PowerDVD 365 version 24.0.1923 on Windows.
Don't have PowerDVD yet? Find the scene you want, then sit back and watch it full screen.
Download PowerDVD Free →FAQ About the Playback Controls in PowerDVD
Yes. Press Space to play or pause, S to stop, and Z for full screen. P and N go to the previous or next video. F fast forwards, B rewinds, and Q mutes. While the video is paused, E and T step one frame back or forward.
The arrow keys skip ahead 30 seconds or back 8. You can change these jumps in Settings > Hotkeys/Mouse Wheel.
No. The PowerDVD volume is separate from the Windows volume, so muting it leaves sound in other programs as it is.
PowerDVD makes the thumbnails as the video plays, so they show only for parts you've already watched. They also don't show for videos larger than 3300x1900, or when your display is set above that resolution.
