VLC fake instructions
VLC fake instructions
Advanced settings are located in Tools > Preferences (CTRL + P). In the bottom-left, select All. Go to Video in Advanced Preferences and scroll down to the Zoom video option. Adjust the zoom level using the numbers 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, or 5. Save the changes. This method works—those values simply control the default zoom behavior. You’re looking for programs that let you freely adjust zoom, stretch, orientation, and more without artificial limitations.
The video playback controls... adjusting the zoom isn't the right approach. VLC offers other options for resizing or stretching the video during playback, but those are limited to that moment. They won't change the original source files unless you re-encode it. What are you aiming for? It seems you might need a video editing tool. For cropping videos to various aspect ratios, a dedicated video editor is necessary. BlackMagic DaVinci Resolve handles most tasks typically handled by an NLE and is free. You can perform simple crops and ratio adjustments with FFMPEG or similar tools, but it requires iterative tweaking until you're satisfied. Edited September 20, 2022 by Needfuldoer
The steps for zooming in VLC work precisely as designed. The goal goes past just media playback features.
These tools can adjust digital video by zooming, stretching, changing orientation, and more—just master them. If you prefer not to use them, simply remove them.