How to keep VLC player in minimized mode?

I'm using VLC media player which can play almost all kinds of audio and video formats. While listening to audio, I keep VLC in minimized mode and can work on other windows. But when I select to listen video songs mixing with audio songs, VLC is maximizing itself to play every video song in the playing list, which is really annoying in the middle of work.

So how can I keep always VLC player in minimized mode while playing a list of songs mixed with audio and video songs?

user113701

Posted 2012-01-17T07:22:22.017

Reputation: 681

Answers

If you want to start it minimized:

Open Tools -> Preferences
Click on All settings (left bottom)
Interface
Main Interface
Select Qt interface from the Interface Module Drop-down (right side)
Now in the left hand page, expand Main Interface
Click Qt
Check Start VLC with only a system tray icon

sandiejat

Posted 2012-01-17T07:22:22.017

Reputation: 131

I found that VLC media player will stay minimized if you disable video playback from the settings. VLC will then no longer show videos, and stay minimized while playing your clips.

To disable video, go to Tools > Preferences (or Ctrl + P), go to Video and un-check Enable video.

If you want to see videos again, you can re-enable it from the settings.

user2428118

Posted 2012-01-17T07:22:22.017

Reputation: 331

That's really strange... as a workaround it suits most use cases, since you'd keep a playing video on top, but I use a semi-transparent term emulator over videos, and it steals focus at the worst times. Changing this setting didn't work anyway, sadly. 'Always on top' for the term breaks other things, and WM focus protection was disastrous (changing hotkeys launched a background modal window stealing inputs like escape / alt+f4 / alt+tab... I don't even remember how I got out of it.) If you can think of anything, please let me know. Cheers! – John P – 2017-07-27T18:46:13.757

I had both video and visualizations disabled, but it opened a spare window with the last visualization I tried and stole focus anyway. I toggled those settings again and it stuck that time for some reason. I'll take a look at the source, but it's probably over my head... in the mean time, try moving VLC to a new workspace, and going through WM tweaks ('do nothing' when a window self-raises, etc.) Last resorts: alt display with ssh/X11 (https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/141417/starting-a-vnc-session-on-a-new-x-display); Linux container or VM; VLC browser plugin, back end, or TUI.

– John P – 2017-07-27T20:59:16.850

1I tried moving VLC to a different Gnome3 workspace, and it stole focus from another workspace as soon as there was a new video playing from the playlist ; however, there is also Hide in Systray on Gnome 3, that seems to also prevent the VLC video window on focusing on itself – sdaau – 2019-01-05T09:07:12.127

I found that VLC media player will stay minimized if you turn off "Deinterlacing" from the settings. VLC stays minimized while playing your clips and movies.

To turn off "Deinterlacing", go to

Tools -> Preferences (or Ctrl+P) -> Video

and choose "OFF" from menu in the "Deinterlacing" section.

user1106603

Posted 2012-01-17T07:22:22.017

Reputation: 11

There is a now a setting for this: Tools > Preferences > Interface:

Set Auto raising the interface to Never.

Deleet

Posted 2012-01-17T07:22:22.017

Reputation: 101

This didn't work for me, it still un-minimised itself. Which is weird, this menu point sounds exactly like it should prevent that. (I'm using VLC player 3.0.8 on Debian.) – Fabian Röling – 2019-10-06T23:57:40.070

uncheck "Show systray icon" for not duplicating icon and use RBTray to move vlc completely to system tray right clicking in minimize button, resolving this problem instead.

Melk Souza

Posted 2012-01-17T07:22:22.017

Reputation: 1