Skip to main content

Find a help guide

All help guides

How to Change Video Playback Speed on Any Website

Speed up or slow down videos with Helperbird. Learn how to choose a pace from 0.1x to 2x on YouTube, Vimeo and other websites that use standard HTML5 video.

Jump to the steps
On this page

What is Video Playback Speed?

The Video Playback Speed feature lets you control how fast or slow videos play on any website. You can slow videos down to 0.1x speed for detailed viewing, or speed them up to 2x to get through content faster. It works on any website that uses HTML5 video, including YouTube, Vimeo, and most modern video players.


Who is This For?

This feature is helpful for:

  • Students watching lectures or tutorials who want to speed up or slow down content
  • Anyone who finds videos too fast and needs to slow them down for comprehension
  • People learning a new language who want to slow down spoken dialogue
  • Anyone who wants to get through video content faster
  • People with auditory processing difficulties who benefit from slower playback

Step 1: Open Helperbird

Click the Helperbird icon in your browser toolbar. It looks like a small owl and is usually in the top-right corner of your browser.

This will open the Helperbird menu.


Step 2: Go to the All Features Section

Scroll down to the bottom of the Helperbird menu. You will see a section called All Features.

Click the arrow next to All Features to expand it and show all available features.


Step 3: Find Media Controls

Look through the list of features until you see Media controls. The playback speed controls live inside this panel, along with Volume boost.


Step 4: Open Media Controls

Click Open on the Media controls row. The panel holds Playback speed and Volume boost.


Step 5: Turn on Playback Speed

In the Media controls panel, click the toggle switch next to Playback speed to turn it on. The toggle will turn blue when it is enabled.


Step 6: Adjust the Speed

Use the slider to set your preferred playback speed. You can also use the minus (-) and plus (+) buttons to adjust the speed in small increments of 0.1x.

  • Below 1x - Slows the video down (for example, 0.5x plays at half speed)
  • 1x - Normal speed
  • Above 1x - Speeds the video up (for example, 1.5x plays at one and a half times normal speed)
  • 2x - Maximum speed, plays at double speed

The speed change applies to all HTML5 videos on the current page immediately.

Tip: Pair this with the Volume Booster feature if you find that speeding up videos makes the audio harder to hear. You can also combine it with text-to-speech subtitles for the best learning experience.

Media controls with Playback speed enabledView full-size image (opens in a new tab)


Need Additional Help?

If you have any questions or run into any issues, please contact the Helperbird support team. You can reach us at Helperbird support. We are happy to help you get the most out of Helperbird.

Printed from the Helperbird Help Center · Updated September 22nd, 2026

Questions? We are happy to help — helperbird.com/support

A few guides for your next step.

All help guides

Reviews from the Chrome Web Store, Firefox Add-ons and G2

Join over 1,000,000 people who use Helperbird every day.

Very easy to use.
MokakotoHelperbird user

post concussion syndrome

I found this extension on a whim to help myself. Suffering with post concussion syndrome symptoms and working remotely is really hard! This extension basically saved my job. It gave me back productivity and the ability to read the screen. This extension has so many neat features I never even knew I needed. I love this and you will too! You don't need to be dyslexic or have dyslexia for this extension to benefit you. Do yourself a giant favor and get it! I highly recommend it!
Catherine ContilloHelperbird user

makes reading easier for dyslexics

Really makes reading easier for dyslexics.
Máiréad JonesHelperbird user
Helperbird logo: a stylized owl with large round yellow eyes and a beige face.

Download Helperbird

Text to speech, dyslexia fonts, reading rulers, color overlays, and 44 more.

Free to add, and the everyday tools stay free. Works in Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari.