how to go frame by frame on youtube

Video editors, people who work in marketing, people who work in media; whether it be film, video, news, or sports – all require knowing how to use YouTube frame by frame. Heck, even curious YouTube users who just want to have another facet in their YouTube viewing habits also deserve to learn how to go frame by frame on YouTube.

So, is there a way one can watch YouTube videos one frame at a time? This article will discuss the possibilities, the techniques, and the reasons why one would want to watch YouTube videos one frame at a time.

And when you’re finished, take a look at our other YouTube guides:

Why Watch YouTube Videos One Frame at a Time?

As useful as YouTube is in entertainment and information, there is still the need to watch YouTube videos in a frame-by-frame manner. There are more than a few reasons why it is sensible to learn this frame-by-frame technique of watching YouTube videos.

Professional reasons

People working in media, marketing, and advertising will have the most reasons to watch YouTube videos in a frame-by-frame manner.

Advertisers and marketing teams who would want to use material found on YouTube videos might want to lift with proper permission, nonetheless, images or snippets that they might want to use in any of their advertising or marketing campaigns.

Filmmakers or people who have careers as YouTubers who want to study video material found on YouTube will find it easier to mince and analyze each scene through watching YouTube videos in a frame-by-frame manner. This way, a meticulous study is possible.

Educational reasons

Students of all sorts who need to get more out of the videos that contain educational material on YouTube will be able to extract more information when they watch YouTube videos in a frame-by-frame manner. Imagine students of science, film, and sports learning more from watching educational YouTube videos at a frame-by-frame playback speed. Even budding YouTube content creators can greatly benefit from this.

Plain curiosity

Since learning about the ability to watch YouTube videos one frame at a time, we wasted no time at all trying this frame by frame method out. There is just something about the ability to watch your favorite videos in frame rates you never really get to see.

Morbid curiosity qualifies as a valid reason to watch YouTube videos in a frame-by-frame manner. Plus, you never know when this could actually come in handy, so knock yourself out with this new method you will be learning. 

Maybe you come across an awesome video on YouTube and you just want to see how the awesomeness happens one frame at a time. That qualifies you, too, to learn how to watch YouTube videos frame by frame.

Ways to Watch YouTube Frame by Frame

youtube frame by frame

Unbeknownst to many, there are a few useful ways that one can watch YouTube in a frame-by-frame manner. There is a method that is built-in into YouTube that could prove useful but a little too simple for people who have more professional reasons.

There are also methods of using third-party programs and sites that have comprehensive tools that are useful for working with videos. These sites and programs have an entire array of other tools beyond frame-by-frame playback that may also be useful for you.

Let us dive into the meat of our discussion. Here is a list of the best ways one can watch YouTube videos in a frame-by-frame manner.

The YouTube Frame by Frame Controls

youtube advance one frame

YouTube has this cool and somewhat “secret” way to watch YouTube videos in a frame-by-frame way. Knowing how to do this will make you feel like you have unlocked some magic tricks! Try them out for yourself and see what we mean.

YouTube video frame-by-frame or go back a frame using shortcuts:

  1. Open YouTube.com on an internet browser of your liking.   
  2. Search for the video you would want to play in a frame-by-frame manner.
  3. Forward to the segment of the YouTube video that you would want to play frame by frame. Press the spacebar or k to pause the video.
  4. Then press . to go forward a frame, or , to go back a frame.

Use a Third Party Site

youtube frame by frame

If the method provided by YouTube does not work for some videos or does not satisfy you, try using sites like Watchframebyframe.com.

Other sites can do the same for you but for this example, let us discuss this method using this site as an example. Other sites will more or less have the same way to play videos frame by frame.

Here are the steps to watch YouTube videos frame by frame on a third-party site: 

  • Open your preferred internet browser, open YouTube, and play the YouTube video that you wish to see frame by frame.
  • Copy the URL of your YouTube video.
  • Then, go to Watchframebyframe.com and paste your YouTube video’s URL in the text box that says: “Enter Video URL or ID.”
  • Play the video and pause it in the intended part.
  • Set the steps to “1 Frame” and change the FPS to “30 FPS.”
  • Click forward to make your video from YouTube advance one frame at a time and the back button to do the same on rewind.

Use a Third-Party Desktop Program

youtube frame by frame hotkey

A more reliable way yet is to use an app or program that can play videos frame by frame, like the VLC Media Player. Other media players can do the same but in this example let us use VLC. Note that other players will have the same general steps.

Steps using VLC:

  • Copy the URL of the YouTube video.
  • Open VLC player.
  • In the Menu, Select “Media” and “Open Network Stream.”
  • This leads you to a window where you will paste the YouTube URL you copied.
  • Play the video and press E. This plays the video frame by frame.

Easy-Peasy

Who knew playing a YouTube video frame by frame could be possible and be very simple? With these ways, you could play any YouTube video frame by frame for whatever purpose you need it for. Play YouTube videos frame by frame for purposes of work, school, or just plain fun.

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