YouTube is known for its diverse video content uploaded by its community of creators. The video streaming platform has everything from gaming, live streams, commentaries, and other entertainment. Some YouTube users have also wondered how to go frame by frame on YouTube.
Watching YouTube frame by frame is sometimes necessary to get or capture a crucial moment in a video. This guide will show you the different ways to go frame by frame on YouTube. Read on to learn more.
Table of Contents
Methods to Watch YouTube Frame By Frame
Method #1: Via Keyboard Shortcuts
The most recommended way to YouTube move frame by frame is using keyboard shortcuts on your computer. You can do it directly on the YouTube website, and it doesn’t require any third-party plugins or apps.
To view YouTube frame by keyboard shortcuts, follow these steps:
- Open your computer’s default browser and go to YouTube.
- Browse and watch your desired video by clicking the Play button on the video player.
- Next, you’ll need to get to the video duration where you want to go through frame by frame. You can use the Spacebar or K keys on the keyboard to help pause the video accurately.
- Once you’ve paused on the exact video duration, press the Comma (,) key on the keyboard to move one frame backward on the video. Press the Period or Dot (.) key to move one frame forward.
If you want to download a specific video frame on YouTube, you’ll need to first remove all the video playback interface elements via your browser’s JavaScript console. While this may sound complicated, you can do this by following these easy steps:
- Access your browser’s JavaScript console. To do this on Chrome, Safari, and Firefox, follow the steps below:
- Google Chrome: Press the Menu button on the top-right corner and go to More Tools > Developer Tools or Option + Command + J (Mac) or Shift + CTRL + J (Windows).
- Safari: On the Menu bar, select Safari > Settings > Advanced and tick the checkbox next to the Show Develop menu in menu bar.
- Firefox: Choose the Menu button and go to Tools > Browser Console or press CTRL + Shift + J (Windows) or Command + Shift + J (Mac).
- Go to the Console tab. Then, copy and paste the following set of codes next to the > prompt on the screen:
document.getElementsByClassName(‘ytp-chrome-top’)[0].style.visibility = ‘hidden’;
document.getElementsByClassName(‘ytp-chrome-controls’)[0].style.visibility = ‘hidden’;
document.getElementsByClassName(‘ytp-gradient-top’)[0].style.visibility = ‘hidden’;
document.getElementsByClassName(‘ytp-gradient-bottom’)[0].style.visibility = ‘hidden’;
document.getElementsByClassName(‘ytp-progress-bar’)[0].style.visibility = ‘hidden’;
document.getElementsByClassName(‘ytp-progress-bar-container’)[0].style.visibility = ‘hidden’;
document.getElementsByClassName(‘iv-branding’)[0].style.visibility = ‘hidden’;
- Press Enter and close the console by clicking the Close (X) button on the top right corner of the console window.
- You can now take a screenshot of your desired frame. Press the F button to put the frame in full-screen mode. Here’s how you can take a screenshot on Windows and Mac:
- Windows: Press the Win + PrtScn keys on the keyboard or Fn + Win + Space bar if your keyboard does not have the Printscreen (PrtScn) key.
- Mac: Press the keys Command + Shift + 3 (full-screen capture) or Command + Shift + 4 (captures a portion of the screen).
Method #2: Using the VLC Media Player
Another way to go frame by frame on a specific YouTube video is via the VLC Media Player. Besides having essential video editing functions, you can also use it to view a video frame by frame. To view a specific frame on a YouTube video using the VLC Media Player, follow the steps below:
- Download and install VLC Media Player on your computer.
- Then, on your browser, copy the link address to your desired YouTube video.
- Launch VLC and go to Menu > Open Network System.
- Paste the YouTube video link and select the Play button to stream the video on the player.
- To view a video duration frame by frame, press the E button on the keyboard. VLC will now automatically play the video frame by frame.
We also have a guide that shows you How to Watch Private YouTube Videos.
Final Thoughts
Manually seeking a specific moment on a YouTube video can take a lot of work. However, you can go through frame by frame on that video to view your desired moment accurately. Hopefully, this guide helps you view a YouTube video frame by frame through easy-to-do methods.