VLC Upscale | Guide on How to Upscale Video Quality in VLC

What is VLC?

VLC Media Player is a free and open-source software that can play most multimedia audio and video files, webcams, DVDs, audio CDs, VCDs, and other streaming protocols. The Video LAN project developed VLC. VLC media player is available for all devices, iOS, iPad, Android, and digital platforms like Microsoft and Apple's App Store. 

VLC also has a feature to play video back again. It supports video compression and can apply effects and filters to videos. It can enhance video quality by hardware yuv rgb conversions and adjusting color components. VLC multimedia player has no spyware, ads, or user tracking.

Can VLC Upscale Video Quality?

Although VLC does not have the advanced AI-powered upscaling capabilities found in dedicated video enhancers, it still offers a variety of adjustable settings that can help improve video quality to some extent. With VLC, you can perform basic VLC upscale video adjustments—such as enabling VLC super resolution, applying video filters, correcting colors, and modifying output settings. In the following sections, we’ll detail these settings and show you how to use them to enhance your video playback.

[Guide] 4 Ways for VLC Upscaling

In this section, we'll explore four practical and effective methods for VLC upscale video—techniques that can help you enhance your video playback quality using VLC Media Player’s built-in features. These methods range from adjusting output modules and applying video filters to leveraging NVIDIA’s RTX Super Resolution technology.

1. Use VLC Super Resolution to Upscale Video

NVIDIA introduced Nvidia RTX Video Super Resolution, a cutting-edge technology for video playback. Initially, this feature was limited to the latest Chrome and Edge versions, but it is now supported by popular media players like VLC. Users can now enhance their video playback experience in VLC by upscaling resolutions. For example, VLC can upscale from 720p to 1080p, 1440p, or even 4k.

Prerequisites

Remember to activate the VLC super resolution feature, install the newest VLC (3.0.19 or later), and have a PC running NVIDIA or GeForce RTX 30 and 40-series graphics cards.

How to enable RTX Super Resolution in VLC

• Open the NVIDIA control panel and activate RTX Video Super Resolution for VLC super resolution.
• Next, navigate to 'Video' under 'Advanced Settings' and select Adjust video image settings.
• Locate this menu's "RTX video enhancement" settings and check the Super resolution option.
• Choose the desired upscaling level from the Quality drop-down options (level 4 delivers the best performance but uses more GPU resources.
• Next click the 'Save' to apply the changes.

2. Adjust Output Modules in VLC to Upscale Video

VLC has advanced video setting features that work excellently for upscaling video quality. You can adjust the output module or change VLC settings for the best video quality. To adjust module settings, you don't need to go through a complex process. Just follow these simple steps in this tutorial and see the magic of VLC upscale features.

DirectX output module setting in VLC

• Open the video in the VLC media player and click Tools at the top menu. Next, choose the 'Preferences' option or press Ctrl + P to open the following interface.
• Click 'Show Settings' and change settings from 'Simple' to 'All'. Next, tap the 'Video' panel and click 'Output Modules.'
• Select DirectX (DirectDraw) video output and uncheck "Use hardware YUV ->RGB Conversions'.
• Click the 'Save' button and restart the VLC media player to load your desired video or DVD.

If this module doesn't work, you can try the following VLC upscale output module to enhance video quality in VLC.

OpenGL output module in VLC

• Select the 2nd OpenGL from the Output Modules.
• In the color space conversion section, change the Relative colorimetric under the Rendering intent for color conversion to Absolute colorimetric or saturation.
• Click 'Save' and re-open VLC to play your desired video or DVD.

YUV output module setting in VLC

If your video lacks the best chromatic components, you can enable the hardware yuv rgb conversions to fine-tune the color components and enhance VLC upscale video quality.

• Open the Output module under the 'Video' panel and choose the 'YUV output' option.
• To save settings correctly, tick the 'Add a YUV4MPEG2 header' and click the 'Save' button.
• Restart the VLC media player to check if your video image is tuned fine for better visuals.

Note: These VLC settings for best video quality are undoubtedly helpful for improving overall visual clarity, but improvement will be limited by the quality of the original video.

3. Use VLC Filters to Enhance Video Quality

Effects and filters are a must-mention feature of VLC when it comes to VLC settings for the best video quality. VLC has dozens of filters and video effects you can apply for free. The classic 'Color threshold' effect is the best quality upscaling example.

How to apply video filters in VLC

• Open a video in the VLC media player and click on Tools at the top menu. Next, choose the 'Effects and Filters' option.
• Open the 'Video Effects' tab. Within the Adjustment and Effects popup, open the 'Video Effects' and apply the 'Color threshold' video effect.
• From the 'Essential' tab, you can adjust the hue, brightness, contrast, saturation, and sharpen to make your video look clearer.
• Once done, click 'Save,' then click 'Close.'

4. Change Video Color Range in VLC

If you have been troubled with the VLC washed-out color issue, you can change color range to VLC upscale video up to 4k. VLC media player doesn't change the color range. To do that, you need an NVIDIA graphics card. If you have a graphics card, follow the below steps for the best VLC upscaling settings:

How to change the color range for better VLC upscaling

• Search for the NVIDIA control panel in the window search tab and open it. Next, navigate to 'Video' under 'Advanced Settings.'
• Click on the 'Adjust video color settings' option, then tick 'with the Nvidia settings' and go to the 'Advanced' option.
• Change from a limited (16-235) color range to a full dynamic range (0-255) and relaunch the VLC media player on your desktop to put it into effect.

Tip: Changing the color range doesn't enhance sharpness; it only improves tone. UniFab AI can effortlessly improve color, clarity, sharpness, and overall quality.

VLC settings for best video quality (Quick checklist)

TL;DR: For the best VLC video quality, enable hardware decoding, switch output to DirectX/OpenGL, use gradfun + high-quality SW scaling, raise threads/cache, and fix full color range.

To get the best playback quality in VLC, go to Tools → Preferences, switch Show settings to All, then optimize the settings below.

Note: Click Save and restart VLC after changing these settings.

Limitations of VLC for Upscaling

While VLC offers useful settings to enhance video quality, it has several limitations compared to specialized video upscaling software:

• No AI Upscaling: VLC lacks AI-driven algorithms that can intelligently enhance and restore video details, so the overall quality improvement remains limited.
• Basic Enhancement Options: Its upscaling relies mainly on manual adjustments like sharpening and deinterlacing, which are insufficient for significantly improving low-resolution footage.
• Resolution Constraints: VLC cannot truly upscale videos to much higher resolutions with crystal-clear clarity; the output quality is still restricted by the source video.
• No Automatic Optimization: Unlike dedicated enhancers, VLC doesn’t automatically analyze and optimize video content for the best possible upscale results.

For those seeking more powerful, AI-based video enhancement, tools like UniFab AI provide automatic, high-quality upscaling—overcoming these limitations effortlessly.

Easier VLC Upscaler Alternative - UniFab AI

While VLC’s video enhancement options rely on manual tweaks and can be time-consuming, UniFab AI offers a faster, more powerful way to upscale video quality. Instead of adjusting multiple VLC settings one by one, UniFab lets you enhance clarity, reduce artifacts, and upscale videos to high resolutions with just a few clicks.

Importantly, UniFab provides three dedicated products for video upscaling, each optimized for different use cases and RTX acceleration:

1. UniFab RTX RapidHDR AI

UniFab RTX RapidHDR AI stands out as a cutting-edge option for those wanting to push video quality beyond what VLC can achieve. Built to fully leverage the AI capabilities and hardware acceleration of NVIDIA RTX GPUs (20 series and newer), this advanced technology performs comprehensive, real-time video enhancements.

Key Features and Advantages

• Optimized for NVIDIA RTX GPUs: UniFab RTX RapidHDR AI takes full advantage of RTX 20/30/40/50 series graphics cards with native CUDA acceleration, ensuring highly efficient, low-latency video processing.
• AI-Driven Super Resolution Upscaling: Its deep learning algorithms intelligently restore missing details and upscale videos from lower resolutions up to 4K without compromising clarity—perfect for breathing new life into old or compressed footage.
• Artifact Reduction: The AI models automatically detect and eliminate common video issues like color banding, block noise, and mosaic patterns, yielding cleaner and more natural visuals.
• SDR to HDR Conversion: UniFab AI converts standard dynamic range (SDR) videos to HDR10 compliance, expanding color gamut and dynamic range with adaptive tone mapping for richer colors and deeper shadows.

This blend of AI-enhanced super resolution, artifact reduction, and HDR conversion makes UniFab RTX RapidHDR AI a seamless and powerful alternative to VLC's mainly manual enhancements, offering premium video quality with minimal effort.

2. UniFab RTX Rapid Upscaler AI (NEW)

UniFab RTX Rapid Upscaler AI is a real-time, RTX-powered video upscaler that delivers instant 4K clarity with no lag. Built on NVIDIA RTX Video Super Resolution (RTX VSR) and CUDA acceleration, it boosts sharpness, textures, and edges while cleaning artifacts during upscaling, making old or compressed videos look much clearer than VLC’s manual tweaks.

Key Features and Advantages

• Real-time RTX AI upscaling powered by RTX VSR + CUDA
• Up to 4K output with smooth, low-latency performance
• AI edge enhancement for natural sharpness and refined textures
• Artifact removal while upscaling (blocks, banding, noise)
• Cleaner details + smoother gradients in one pass

3. UniFab Video Upscaler AI

If you have higher resolution demands or more specific enhancement needs, UniFab Video Upscaler AI is an excellent choice. It allows you to effortlessly upscale low-resolution videos to 4K, 8K, or even 16K with a single click, delivering stunning clarity and detail.

UniFab provides four specialized AI models to suit different needs:

• Texture Enhanced: Enhances video textures and fine details.

• Anime Optimized: Preserves sharp lines and vibrant colors in anime.

• Speed Optimized: Delivers fast upscaling with balanced quality.
• Quality Optimized: Maximizes overall video sharpness and clarity.

UniFab’s upscaling speed is impressively fast—up to 200% quicker than traditional video enhancers. The intuitive interface ensures that no technical expertise or complicated processes are needed to enjoy high-quality videos.

UniFab vs VLC: How UniFab Outperforms VLC Upscaling

To give you a clearer picture of how VLC’s upscaling capabilities compare to those of UniFab Video Enhancer AI, here’s a detailed breakdown across key features and performance aspects:

How to Improve Video Quality Easily with UniFab

Conclusion

VLC offers useful tools to improve video quality, including output settings, filters, and NVIDIA RTX Super Resolution. While these features enhance playback, they have limitations without AI-driven upscaling. For stronger, automatic video enhancement, AI tools like UniFab provide better results with less effort. Choose the method that best fits your needs to enjoy clearer, sharper videos.

FAQs of VLC Upscale

What is VLC RTX?

VLC RTX refers to the integration of NVIDIA RTX Video Super Resolution technology within the VLC Media Player. It leverages the AI-driven upscaling capabilities of NVIDIA RTX GPUs to enhance video quality by increasing resolution and restoring fine details during playback, providing clearer and sharper visuals without requiring separate upscaling software.

Does RTX Super-resolution work with VLC?

Yes, NVIDIA's RTX Video Super Resolution technology works with VLC starting from version 3.0.19, provided you have a compatible NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 or 40 series GPU. Enabling this feature via the NVIDIA Control Panel allows VLC to perform AI-powered real-time upscaling to improve video clarity and resolution during playback.

Does RTX HDR work on VLC?

Currently, NVIDIA RTX technologies like RTX Video Super Resolution primarily focus on AI-driven upscaling and do not directly enable HDR (High Dynamic Range) processing within VLC. For users who want to enhance HDR quality alongside upscaling, UniFab RTX RapidHDR AI offers a powerful solution. It combines AI-based super resolution with advanced SDR to HDR conversion, delivering richer colors, deeper shadows, and a wider dynamic range—features that go beyond VLC’s capabilities and NVIDIA’s RTX upscaling alone.

How to force VLC to use nvidia GPU?

To force VLC to use your NVIDIA GPU on a system with multiple GPUs (e.g., integrated Intel GPU plus NVIDIA GPU), follow these steps:

• Open NVIDIA Control Panel.
• Go to Manage 3D settings > Program Settings tab.
• Click Add and find the VLC executable (vlc.exe).
• Under Select the preferred graphics processor for this program, choose High-performance NVIDIA processor.
• Click Apply to save changes.

This forces VLC to run using the NVIDIA GPU for better video processing performance and to enable features like RTX Super Resolution.

Can VLC upscale a video to 4K?

Yes, VLC allows you to upscale a video to 4k. You can apply video filters, change output modules and color range, and deinterlace a video to increase clarity and sharpness.

Can I use VLC as a free video-enhancing software?

Yes, VLC is a free media player that offers basic video enhancement through its adjustable video settings. For more powerful free options, check out the guide on the free video upscaler.

How to make video quality better on VLC?

To make video quality better on VLC, go to Tools → Preferences, switch Show settings to All, then enable Hardware-accelerated decoding in Input/Codecs, change Video Output from Automatic to DirectX (DirectDraw) or OpenGL, and turn on helpful Video Filters like gradfun plus light sharpen/deinterlace if needed; for cleaner upscaling, set SW scale to a high-quality mode (like SincR/Lanczos), increase Threads (2+) and File caching (1000 ms+) to avoid stutter, and if colors look washed out on NVIDIA, set color range to Full (0–255) in the NVIDIA Control Panel—then Save and restart VLC to apply everything.

What are the best VLC settings for best video quality?

The most important VLC settings for best video quality are: enable Hardware-accelerated decoding, switch Video Output Module to DirectX/OpenGL, turn on gradfun, choose a high-quality SW scale (SincR/Lanczos), increase Threads and File caching, and fix Full color range for NVIDIA GPUs. These settings improve sharpness, stability, and color accuracy during playback.