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Topic: The Case for Updating VirtualDJ’s Column Resizing Behavior
The Case for Updating VirtualDJ's Column Resizing Behavior

How VirtualDJ's Column Resizing Works Today (and Why It's a Problem)

VirtualDJ's browser uses a fixed-width column layout with no horizontal scrolling. When you drag a column divider in the track list, it only adjusts that column and its immediate neighbor – the total width remains fixed to the browser panelvirtualdj.comvirtualdj.com. For example, making the "Title" column wider will automatically shrink the adjacent "Artist" column to compensatevirtualdj.com. To give one column more space, you must manually resize every other column to rebalance the layout. Users describe this as "extremely annoying" – adding a new column or resizing one often triggers a cascade of tedious adjustments (Title -> then Artist -> then Album -> then Year, etc.)virtualdj.com. There is no option to "push" other columns or extend the total width; VirtualDJ simply doesn't show columns beyond the visible area (there is no horizontal scrollbar at all in the browser)virtualdj.com.

This design means VirtualDJ always forces the track list to fit within the window, ostensibly so that "what you see is what you get" without scrollingvirtualdj.com. In a live scenario, the idea is to avoid horizontal scrolling since most DJ controllers can only scroll vertically through lists, and constantly using a mouse to scroll could be cumbersomevirtualdj.com. Numeric fields like BPM and song length are also right-aligned by design (for easier visual comparison of values) rather than left-alignedvirtualdj.com. The developers have favored this fixed, no-scroll approach for consistency and quick readability, aligning with the philosophy that a DJ should configure their browser to show only essential info that fits on screen.

However, this behavior is now outdated and a significant source of frustration. In practice, the lack of dynamic resizing or scrolling makes library management clunky. If a field name or value is too long to display, it's simply truncated (with a bouncing ellipsis animation in VirtualDJ to scroll the text within the cellvirtualdj.com) – you can't just scroll the view to read it. If you want to view more fields (columns) at once, you must pack them into the fixed space, often sacrificing readability. Dragging a column's divider doesn't behave like in standard applications; as one VirtualDJ user observed, "in all other softwares resizing one column 'moves' the others [aside] instead of adjusting the size of the adjacent column"virtualdj.com. In VirtualDJ, by contrast, columns feel "bolted down." This fixed layout was acceptable a decade ago, but today it hampers user experience.

[size=25]Standard Paradigms: What Other Software Does

Virtually every modern application that displays data in columns uses a more fluid resizing paradigm. In Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, or any spreadsheet, dragging a column boundary simply resizes that column and the overall table width – you can scroll horizontally if the content exceeds the window. File Explorer (Windows) and Finder (Mac) let you drag column headers freely; if columns extend past the view, a horizontal scrollbar appears. Many also offer an "auto-fit" – e.g. Windows Explorer's option to "Resize all columns to fit" – which automatically adjusts column widths to fit their contentvirtualdj.com. In those systems, columns are not rigidly tied to their neighbors; the UI pushes other columns as needed, and the user can always scroll or auto-size as a fallback.

Crucially, other DJ software follow these standard UI conventions. For example, Serato DJ has always allowed flexible column resizing with a scrollbar. If you add more columns than will fit on screen, you simply get a scroll bar at the bottom to view them. Columns in Serato are typically left-aligned (text fields) or right-aligned (numeric fields) consistently, and a thin divider line is drawn between columns for clarityvirtualdj.com. A VirtualDJ user migrating from Serato noted that Serato "nailed this interface issue back with ScratchLive circa 2008" – adding fields doesn't wreck the layout, and everything stays flush and readablevirtualdj.com. Open Serato and you'll see columns nicely auto-adjust or scroll; nothing forces you to manually juggle widths in the middle of a setvirtualdj.com.

Rekordbox (Pioneer's DJ software) similarly provides a horizontal scrollbar in the track browser. If you show many fields (Title, Artist, Album, Genre, BPM, Key, Comment, etc.), the excess columns simply overflow to the right, accessible by dragging the scrollbar. One Rekordbox user was actually frustrated that the only way to scroll sideways was by using the mouse on that scrollbar (as opposed to keyboard shortcuts), joking "you know, like kinda 'every other piece of software since BASIC'" supports with arrow keyscommunity.pioneerdj.com. The key point is: Rekordbox does have the scrollbar and a dynamic layout – it's taken for granted in that ecosystem that horizontal navigation is available when neededcommunity.pioneerdj.com. Traktor Pro also allows horizontal scrolling of the library if needed and doesn't force all columns to squeeze into a fixed width. Even Mixxx (the open-source DJ software) and other library management tools let users resize columns without unexpected side effects.

In summary, the "standard" paradigm is that dragging a column divider only changes that column's width (unless you hold a modifier for special behavior), and if the total width exceeds the view, a scroll bar or similar mechanism lets you access the rest. Auto-push and dynamic layouts are the norm: software should accommodate the user's desired column sizing, not punish them for it. VirtualDJ's current method stands in stark contrast to these norms, and by comparison feels like a vestige of an earlier era.

How the Current Design Hurts User Experience


  • Tedious Library Management: Users who want to adjust their library view on the fly are faced with a time-consuming chore. One user provided a stark example: something as simple as resizing columns (to show more of a song title, for instance) takes "around a minute 10 in VDJ" whereas "the same thing takes 10 seconds anywhere else"virtualdj.com. This is because you end up resizing one column, then the next, then the next, in a chain reaction. It's a poor use of time, especially when prepping for a gig or trying to quickly adjust information shown on a cramped screen.
  • Cascading Adjustments & Misaligned Data: As described, adding a new field or resizing one column can throw others out of whackvirtualdj.com. A DJ noted that if you decide to show an additional column (say you turn on the "Track #" column which appears large by default), it "makes other columns smaller". You then shrink the new column, but "then the key column becomes too big, so you adjust the key column, but then the time column becomes too big, so you adjust that, then the year column..." and so onvirtualdj.com. It's a domino effect. During this juggling, important fields can get squashed to the point of being unreadable (e.g. a comment field showing only "..."). Users find this "extremely annoying"virtualdj.com. It's the opposite of a smooth, intuitive UI. In contrast, if columns simply moved aside (or introduced a scrollbar), you could insert a new field without disrupting the carefully tuned widths of all others.
  • Truncated Information & No Quick Way to See It: Because there's no horizontal scroll, if a filename or tag is too long, you cannot scroll to see the rest – you must enlarge that column (and thereby shrink another). Vital info can become hidden. For instance, consider trying to display "File Path" to locate a missing file – VirtualDJ offers no horizontal scroll, so deep folder paths are cut offvirtualdj.com. A user specifically asked how to see the rest without making the panel ridiculously wide; the answer was essentially "you can't" (other than manually widening the panel)virtualdj.comvirtualdj.com. This makes some features (like long comments, file paths, etc.) far less useful in practice.
  • Strain During Live Performance: The current design ironically can cause more stress live – exactly what it was meant to avoid. If a DJ on the fly realizes they need to see an extra column (maybe Key or Comments) that isn't visible, adding it is risky because it will resize everything. Finding a specific piece of info in a squashed layout is hard. DJs have written that when they're "live at a gig and need to fish around for tracks in folders that haven't been set up," the browser UI should be helping, not fighting themvirtualdj.com. VirtualDJ's fixed columns make these spontaneous adjustments nerve-wracking. By contrast, competitors let you quickly scroll or resize to reveal what you need without disturbing the overall view – a much more forgiving behavior under pressure.
  • Discourages Using More Information: VirtualDJ is incredibly powerful in the information it can display – dozens of fields, customizable tags, color rules, etc. Ironically, users are disincentivized from leveraging that richness because showing too many columns becomes unwieldy. Many DJs resort to minimal columns to avoid the headache, or constantly open/close panels (e.g. hiding the folder tree to gain width for the song listvirtualdj.com). The current system essentially punishes those who want to see more data at once. That's a shame, because it means users aren't fully benefiting from VirtualDJ's capabilities. As one user noted, "imagine if you want to use title, artist, BPM, key, rating, comments and date... or even more – [with VDJ's layout] it comes hard to view"virtualdj.com. He wanted the option to scroll horizontally so he could use all those fields comfortablyvirtualdj.com. Without it, many just give up and stick to a couple of columns, or frequently toggle different "views" (which itself can reset column widths unpredictably, a known glitch mentioned on Reddit).
  • Frustration and Perception of Neglect: Perhaps most importantly, this quirk has been irritating users for years, to the point that it's hurting VirtualDJ's reputation among some. On the VirtualDJ forums and on Reddit, there are countless posts echoing the same plea: please make the column resizing like standard software. Users have expressed disbelief that such a basic usability issue remains in a cutting-edge DJ platform. One Reddit user vented that "views and column width have been wonky for almost ten years now... How the hell has this not been fixed in ten years?reddit.com. That post garnered many upvotes from others who feel the same. This ongoing pain point can make it seem (rightly or wrongly) that the developers don't pay attention to user feedback on "small" workflow issues. It's the kind of papercut that, when left untreated for too long, starts to shape overall user sentiment in a negative way.


In short, the fixed adjacent-column resize behavior and lack of horizontal scrolling harms user experience by wasting time, obscuring information, adding stress in live use, and frustrating loyal users who expect better. It runs against users' muscle memory from virtually all other applications. For new users switching to VirtualDJ, this can be a jarring first impression ("Why can't I just drag this like I do everywhere else?"). For experienced users, it's become an old thorn that they're tired of working around. In an otherwise stellar, feature-rich software, this is a UX blemish that stands out more with each passing year.

Why Hasn't It Been Fixed? (Understanding the Legacy Reasons)


  • "What You See Is What You Get" Philosophy: As mentioned, VirtualDJ's team believed that in a live scenario, a horizontal scrollbar could do more harm than goodvirtualdj.com. A staff member explained that if a DJ had to scroll horizontally to see information, it could be problematic since most hardware controllers have knobs or buttons for scrolling through the list vertically, but nothing for moving left-rightvirtualdj.com. They worried that a DJ might scroll to the right to see, say, the Comment field and then forget to scroll back, leaving crucial fields like Title or Artist out of view when browsing – causing confusion mid-set. Their approach was to encourage users to curate the column layout such that everything needed is always in view, no scrolling requiredvirtualdj.com. This is a valid concern in theory; indeed, continuously mousing over to scroll during a performance isn't ideal. However, in practice users have found ways to mitigate that (for instance, Serato allows mapping arrow keys to scroll the library horizontallycommunity.pioneerdj.com, and DJs can quickly toggle views or just glance over when needed). The absence of any horizontal scroll option at all in VirtualDJ is a rather extreme interpretation of the philosophy, and one that users increasingly disagree with (they'd prefer to have the choice).
  • Legacy UI Architecture and Technical Debt: VirtualDJ's browser and skin system have their roots in older design frameworks. The browser is not a standard OS-native control but part of VirtualDJ's custom skin engine (which allows skinners to define the browser appearance, columns, etc. in XML). Implementing dynamic resizing and scrollbars might have non-trivial technical implications. It could require updating the skin specification, ensuring old skins remain compatible, and reworking how the browser calculates column widths. In fact, a VirtualDJ CTO (Adion) responded to a feature request by noting that the alternative (like in Explorer) would mean introducing horizontal scrollbars, "but then it's even more difficult to adjust all columns so that it fits exactly"virtualdj.com. This comment hints at the complexity under the hood: the current system tries to "fit exactly" to the panel width, and simply throwing in a scrollbar isn't a one-line change – the logic of column management would need a rethink. It's possible that, for years, the team viewed this as a "risky" change that could have side-effects or require reworking core code, so it kept getting postponed in favor of more urgent features.
  • Developer Priorities and Use-Case Assumptions: The VirtualDJ devs might have believed that most users set up their browser once and then largely leave it static, especially during performance. In their view, the emphasis might be on providing powerful search, filters, and organization features (which VirtualDJ excels at) such that constantly changing columns isn't necessary mid-gig. They perhaps saw the issue of dynamic column resizing as a nice-to-have or purely cosmetic request, not one affecting core functionality. Additionally, VirtualDJ historically differentiated itself with unique features (like the brilliant real-time STEM separation, to name a recent example) – so the focus has often been on "big" innovations. Meanwhile, longstanding UI papercuts like this one haven't received as much attention. That doesn't mean they weren't aware of it; in fact, threads show developers acknowledging user feedback about the browser. But there's a sense that legacy behaviors were kept to avoid rocking the boat, especially if some veteran users have adapted to them.
  • Preference for Alignment and Visual Consistency: Part of the current behavior is tied to how VirtualDJ handles numeric vs text columns. VirtualDJ right-aligns numbers (e.g. BPM, time) and left-aligns text, similar to spreadsheet softwarevirtualdj.com. One consequence of the fixed layout is that BPM values in a column can be visually compared easily (tens and ones digits line up vertically). Some users (and at least one team member) liked that BPMs in VDJ appear neatly aligned, whereas in Serato they might all flush left and look less organizedvirtualdj.comvirtualdj.com. The argument here is about readability: by sacrificing a bit of flexibility (introducing blank spacing or fixed padding), you gain an easy visual cue. While alignment preferences could be preserved even with dynamic resizing (for example, by still right-aligning within a resizable column), it's possible the devs feared that letting columns float freely might break the careful alignment or aesthetic they were going for. In other words, they had a specific vision for how the browser should look (no scroll bar clutter, all columns visible, numbers aligning nicely, etc.), and they stuck with it perhaps longer than they should have.


All these reasons can be understood – the VirtualDJ team is not oblivious to the issue. Indeed, as recently as April 2024, VirtualDJ's CEO acknowledged in the forums that improvements to column handling were needed, stating "we'll [be] working something out about columns in a future build soon"virtualdj.comvirtualdj.com. This comment was specifically about adding an option to save and recall named column layouts (presets), and potentially locking a browser list to a specific layoutvirtualdj.com. That shows the developers are listening and know this area needs love. It also hints that implementing certain features (like multiple column presets) is considered more straightforward (“makes the most sense”) than a fundamental change to resizing behavior. But technical challenge is not a justification for ignoring user experience forever. Many of VirtualDJ's competitors also have legacy code, but they've managed to modernize their browser UIs to meet user expectations. VirtualDJ has tackled far more complex problems (again, real-time stems, anyone?) – they certainly have the capability to solve this one.

[size=16]Therefore, while we appreciate the historical rationale – protecting DJs from themselves, legacy architecture, and a consistent design vision – it's time to recognize that those reasons are now outweighed by the user benefits of change. In fact, the concerns about horizontal scroll in a live context can be addressed by making the feature optional or smarter (more on that below). Technical hurdles can be overcome with careful engineering and perhaps a transitional period. The key is that the status quo is hurting more than helping at this point.

Why Now Is the Right Time to Modernize This Behavior


  • Overwhelming User Demand and Longstanding Frustration: The chorus of users requesting this feature has only grown over the years (see the next section for a timeline of forum posts). These are not casual whims – they come from dedicated VirtualDJ users, including long-time PRO Infinity license holders and even moderators, who love the software but are irritated by this quirk. When people go out of their way for 10+ years to repeatedly ask for the same improvement, it's a clear sign that it matters. Addressing it would be a huge goodwill gesture to the community. It shows that Atomix listens not just to big, flashy feature requests, but also to quality-of-life improvements that affect daily workflow. The goodwill payoff of implementing this is hard to overstate: in forum threads and on Reddit, users have literally said "I can't see why VDJ would want to be different in this aspect"virtualdj.com and "I've been hoping for this for a very long time"virtualdj.com. Fixing it would delight these users and vindicate their patience.
  • Keeping Up with Industry Standards (UX parity): VirtualDJ has always prided itself on being ahead of the curve in features. But on this front, it's lagging behind every major competitor (Serato, Rekordbox, Traktor, Engine DJ, etc.). New users coming from those platforms find VirtualDJ's browser strange precisely because of this issue. In an era where software usability is a huge part of the overall value, it's risky to have a glaring inconsistency. Modern DJs expect to be able to drag columns and have things just work. By updating the resizing behavior, VirtualDJ will align with the intuitive expectations set by virtually all other software. This removes a potential sticking point in comparisons and reviews. It's a shame when someone's first impression of VDJ is "why are the columns acting weird?", as that can overshadow the incredible things VDJ can do. Let's ensure VirtualDJ is second to none in every aspect, including basic UI interactions.
  • It Complements Ongoing Browser Improvements: As noted, the dev team is already working on enhancements like saved column layoutsvirtualdj.com (so you could have, say, a "Preparation view" with certain columns and a "Performance view" with others). That is fantastic and very welcome. But those presets address which columns are shown; they don't fully solve how those columns resize or how easy it is to tweak widths on the fly. Implementing dynamic resizing now could go hand-in-hand with the rollout of layout presets. It's an opportunity to announce a sort of "Browser 2.0" overhaul in VirtualDJ 202X, where users get both the ability to switch layouts quickly and a more user-friendly resizing behavior. By bundling changes, the team can manage the transition more smoothly (for example, if a new skin engine update is needed, do it once to accommodate all these features). And testers from the community would surely help iron out any kinks if this is introduced in an early build. In short, there's momentum in improving the browser – now is the time to include the resizing fix as part of that momentum.
  • Optional Implementation Preserves Backward Compatibility: One concern might be users who actually prefer the current fixed behavior (either out of habit or because they've built muscle memory around it). The good news is this doesn't have to be an either/or. The developers could introduce an option in settings – e.g., "Column Resize Mode: Fixed/Adjacent (Legacy) or Dynamic/Auto-Push (Standard)" – By default it could stay on the legacy mode (to avoid surprising existing users), but power users could enable the new mode easily. Alternatively (or additionally), implement the suggestion from the forums: if the user holds a modifier key like Shift while dragging a column header, interpret it in "push" modevirtualdj.com. This way, the default drag remains as is (for those who don't mind it), but anyone wanting the new behavior can simply hold Shift to have the column push others outward (and thereby introduce a scroll area). This exact idea was proposed by a community member: "hold down the SHIFT key whilst you drag...the column...and then VDJ would adjust (push/pull) all the columns to the right automatically"virtualdj.com. Several people agreed that would be an elegant solutionvirtualdj.com. It's a minimal UI change that provides maximum flexibility. In any case, making the feature optional or toggleable mitigates any risk – users get to choose the behavior that suits them, and everyone wins.
  • Enhancing the Professionalism of VirtualDJ's GUI: VirtualDJ has sometimes (unfairly) been maligned by outsiders as "not as pro" as other platforms, often due to superficial things. The reality is VirtualDJ is an incredibly powerful pro-level tool, but perception matters. Cleaning up small UI issues contributes to the overall impression of polish. Imagine a long-time Serato or Rekordbox user giving VDJ a test run: if everything feels smooth and familiar (or better), including simple things like column resizing, they're more likely to be impressed and switch. It removes any reason to snicker or say "VirtualDJ does weird stuff with its library". Instead, attention can focus on VirtualDJ's strengths (which are plenty). It's 2025 – time to bury any notion that VirtualDJ is stuck with a 2005 UI. By implementing modern resizing, the developers signal that every aspect of the user interface – big and small – is being refined to perfection.
  • Direct Impact on Workflow = Happier Users: Unlike some features which might be niche, this change would affect every single user who uses the browser (which is every DJ, period). Whether you're a casual bedroom DJ or a power user with tens of thousands of tracks, you interact with those columns constantly. Improving that interaction yields daily QoL benefits. It's the kind of improvement that might not headline a marketing brochure, but actually earns deep appreciation from the user base. It reduces friction in daily use. Happy users talk about the software positively, recommend it to others, and are more likely to stick with it. Given that VirtualDJ's license model relies on user loyalty (Pro subscribers, etc.), keeping the existing users happy is just as important as drawing new ones. Fixing this long-standing annoyance will go a long way in that regard.
  • It's Simply the Right Thing to Do: At the end of the day, allowing flexible column resizing is just aligning VirtualDJ with basic usability principles. It's hard to argue against a change that makes the software more intuitive, without removing any functionality. There's no real downside at this point – it's not going to harm anyone if implemented thoughtfully (especially if optional). Sometimes legacy features remain simply because "they've always been that way." But great software continuously evolves and isn't afraid to improve core design when the benefits are clear. Here, the benefits (outlined above) are crystal clear. The VirtualDJ dev team has shown time and again that they care about the user experience (the rapid update cycle, bug fixes, new features, etc. prove that). This is one of those cases where action speaks louder than words – finally delivering on a decade-old user request would demonstrate that no issue is too "small" to be addressed.


In summary, now is the perfect time to implement dynamic column resizing (with auto-pushing behavior and/or a horizontal scroll option). The user base is practically begging for it, the competition long since adopted it, and it complements other improvements on VirtualDJ's roadmap. With VirtualDJ 2024/2025 era introducing huge advances, let's not leave the browser behind. The developers have a chance to turn an infamous pain point into a triumph. As this case has hopefully illustrated, doing so will bring tangible usability rewards and a chorus of "finally, thank you!" from the community.

User Requests Over the Years: A Timeline of Feedback

To underscore the depth of demand, here is a non-exhaustive list of forum posts and comments from users (not including many additional discussions on Reddit, etc.) explicitly requesting improved column resizing behavior or horizontal scrolling, going back to the early days of VirtualDJ's forums. Each entry represents a unique user (or instance) raising the issue – if multiple people voiced support in a single thread, they are listed separately. This shows how consistently and frequently this topic has arisen:


  • Mar 25, 2006 – cioce: “Dev team please add [a] horizontal scroll bar left/right for the browsing area, like [the] windows function!”virtualdj.com (An early plea for a horizontal scrollbar, indicating the issue existed even in VirtualDJ v3/v4 days.)
  • May 9, 2017 – tba64: Requested "relative resizing of browser columns." After adding a new column, he hated having to "refit all columns by hand" and asked to bring VirtualDJ's behavior in line with "established behavior like in file explorers in Windows, Linux, Mac etc."virtualdj.comvirtualdj.com (This post shows the frustration with having to manually readjust every column and explicitly references other OSes that handle this better.)
  • May 11, 2017 – Adion (VDJ CTO): Acknowledged the request and noted "the alternative like in Explorer etc would be horizontal scroll bars"virtualdj.com, effectively confirming that VirtualDJ lacked that and implying the fixed approach was the only way at the time. (While not a user request, this is included to show the dev team's awareness of the issue back in 2017.)
  • May 15, 2017 – jbezz: Chimed in to clarify the request, describing the desired functionality: "automatic resizing of columns to fit the screen... an option to resize all columns to fit" as in Windows File Explorervirtualdj.com. (This reinforces that users were essentially asking for both an auto-fit and a horizontal scroll capability.)
  • Jun 6, 2020 – daydreamerbr: Suggested allowing columns to extend beyond the visible screen with a scrollbar: "possibility of adjusting the size of the columns [beyond] the screen and using a horizontal scroll bar."virtualdj.com He later explains that even with many columns, if one could scroll horizontally it would be fine: "if [columns] could be adjust[ed] in a large way we can scroll in the horizontal bar... imagine [using] title, artist, bpm, key, rating, comments and date..."virtualdj.com. (This was posted in the Wishes forum, showing a clear ask for the feature. Another user responded misunderstanding, to which daydreamerbr essentially said "I know how to resize manually, I'm asking for something beyond that"virtualdj.comvirtualdj.com.)
  • Jan 10, 2021 – CornerDJ1: Asked in Technical Support if there was a way to get a horizontal slider for the folder tree, instead of having to drag the panel wider: "how do I get a slider at the bottom so I don't have to drag the window open wider to see everything?"virtualdj.com. After being told to just resize the panel, he replied, "I would prefer a scroll bar for horizontal scrolling rather than resizing. Is that possible?"virtualdj.com – to which the answer was "No, there is no horizontal scrolling"virtualdj.com. He then said, "Dang. Maybe that's something that can be added in the future."virtualdj.com. (This exchange highlights that even for the folder panel, users want a horizontal scroll option – consistent with the track list issue. CornerDJ1 explicitly hoped it could be added in the future.)
  • Feb 1, 2021 – Lordfarquaad321: Posted "Horizontal Scroll in Folders – Would be nice to have this feature. Can I apply it somehow?"virtualdj.com. (Another user wanting a horizontal scrollbar for the folders panel; this thread received no solution and was auto-closed, indicating the feature didn't exist.)
  • May 15, 2022 – daydreamerbr: (again) Asked in a General Discussion thread: "Is there any way to use horizontal scroll bar in folder or in tracks columns?"de.virtualdj.com (and also asked about a script to hide folder view). A moderator only answered the second question (with a script to toggle the folder panel)de.virtualdj.com, effectively ignoring the horizontal scroll question – implying the answer was simply "no, not currently possible."de.virtualdj.com. This shows the user base (daydreamerbr in this case) persisted in asking across years.
  • Dec 4, 2022 – DJDannySRC: Posted about "Browser Column Alignment Issues and Horizontal Scroll Bar" after switching from Seratovirtualdj.com. He noted "I have no horizontal scroll bar, [is there] any way to show this...?"virtualdj.com. The response from VDJ's Stephane Clavel was that horizontal scrolling isn't available and that VirtualDJ's way is different (focusing on what fits on screen)virtualdj.com. DJDannySRC then expressed that he didn't understand why the devs don't just fix the column issues, given Serato had it right years agovirtualdj.com. (This thread is significant: it contains both a user explicitly asking for horizontal scroll and a dev explanation of why it's not therevirtualdj.com. It also captures the user's perspective that "VDJ is way more powerful than Serato... But on the GUI, it's still lacking... Serato nailed this... circa 2008. I don't get why devs just don't fix the column issue."virtualdj.com.)
  • Mar 11, 2023 – nicolam95bis: Started a forum thread titled "Column size quick adjustments." He wrote how he often needs to add different columns depending on what he's mixing, and it's "super time consuming" to resize one column because "if I want to make the song title field bigger, it will reduce the size of the artist name..."virtualdj.com. He explicitly asked, "Is it a way when making a column bigger to 'push' the other columns?"virtualdj.com (and also inquired about saving column layout presets). This was essentially a direct feature request for dynamic resizing (push behavior) and was very clearly explained.
  • Jun 17, 2023 – rrrichieXL: Replied to the above thread, agreeing it's "a bit of an annoying issue."virtualdj.com He described the scenario of adding a track # column which "makes other columns smaller", and then the tedious process of readjusting each one, calling it "extremely annoying."virtualdj.com This comment perfectly captures the crux of the issue and validates that it's not just one person's quirk – it's a universally expected behavior that VDJ lacks.
  • Jun 17, 2023 – Niels (cph): Posted "+1. It would be nice having the option of 'standard' column resize behavior."virtualdj.com (A simple agreement, but notable because it explicitly uses the word "option" – implying even just having it toggleable would suffice.)
  • Jun 18, 2023 – Benz Werner: Posted "+1" as wellvirtualdj.com, showing additional support that day.
  • Jun 18, 2023 – Mister Tea: Posted "+1" and expanded on the idea: "What would be useful [is] if you could hold down the SHIFT key whilst you drag... then VDJ would adjust (push/pull) all the columns to the right automatically..."virtualdj.com. He basically suggested a modifier key to temporarily invoke the dynamic resizing mode. This suggestion was well-received (later users echoed it), and it demonstrates users aren't just complaining – they're offering solutions (in this case, a very reasonable one).
  • Jul 27, 2023 – An [oux] Herbit: Posted "+1" in the same threadvirtualdj.com, indicating another user in favor.
  • Aug 5, 2023 – DJ PowerG: Commented that while he loves VDJ, he's "surprised that a couple of things haven't been implemented so awkward."virtualdj.com, and alluded to other awkward implementations. While he didn't explicitly mention columns in his example, his presence in the thread suggests he agrees the column behavior is one of those awkward things. (This is a more general complaint, but it's clear the column issue is part of the overall UX problems he's referring to.)
  • Aug 5, 2023 – gvaste: Suggested "the possibility to lock the columns size and also add the ability to save and switch between different column layout configurations", saying "this could be great for the user experience."virtualdj.com. (Again, not directly "please add dynamic resizing," but proposing features that would mitigate some pain – like locking widths so they don't accidentally change, and presets. It shows how the current design prompts people to think of workarounds.)
  • Aug 6, 2023 – Ime GeradeHouse: Wrote "I totally agree with the above suggested improvements. The columns selection and resizing really do annoy me!"virtualdj.com. (A clear agreement that the current resizing is annoying, from yet another user.)
  • Feb 6, 2024 – dustycat: Posted "+1 especially [for] different saved layouts & ability to change the resize behaviour by holding a SHIFT or CTRL key"virtualdj.com. (Here we see the Shift-key solution resurface, and support for it. This user explicitly mentions changing the resize behavior with a modifier key – clearly indicating the desire for the push/auto mode.)
  • Mar 18, 2024 – djjoe21: Posted "I've been hoping for this for a very long time. +1"virtualdj.com. (This is a veteran user – member since 2006 – voicing that this has been on their wish list for ages.)
  • Mar 18, 2024 – adamlovedj: Posted "+1... it would be really nice to at least have the option to resize columns the same way you can with pretty much every other program. I can't see the reason why VDJ would want to be different in this aspect."virtualdj.com He even provided a video example showing how something quick elsewhere is slow in VDJ, to drive the point home. (This is a particularly persuasive comment, highlighting the "option" concept and basically pleading that VDJ not be an outlier on this UI behavior. Worth noting: this user later went on to start the "Hack VirtualDJ to Resize a Column?" thread below.)
  • Apr 1, 2024 – Sean Stewart: Posted "+1"virtualdj.com, adding another voice of agreement in that thread.
  • Jul 22, 2024 – DJDannySRC: Returned to the forum in that thread to say "I made this post a while back on this issue"virtualdj.com. He reiterated that "every time you have to add a new column in VDJ, you have to jump through a bunch of hoops... [VDJ's] GUI is still lacking. Serato nailed this interface issue back with ScratchLive circa 2008... I don't get why devs just don't fix the column issue."virtualdj.com. (This post basically encapsulates the frustration – it's not a new complaint, and even after a couple of years he felt the need to bring it up again. The consistency of his message – that VDJ's browser is behind the times – should be a red flag that a core user finds this important enough to harp on it multiple times.)
  • Sep 6, 2024 – adamlovedj: Started a thread titled "Hack VirtualDJ to Resize A Column?"virtualdj.com. He wrote: "I want to resize my Title (Remix) column... without having to resize every other column to the right one-by-one. Does anyone know how to hack VirtualDJ so you can make a particular column proportionally larger than the others?"virtualdj.com. (This is quite telling – a user was so desperate for this functionality that they were literally looking for a hacky workaround or script to force it. A moderator confirmed there's no script or setting exposed for thatvirtualdj.com. The user even tried to craft a custom script with the `browserColumns` setting as a makeshift solutionvirtualdj.com. The need wouldn't exist if the feature did – the presence of this thread is strong evidence the current behavior is insufficient for some users' needs.)
  • Nov 24, 2024 – DJ VinylTouch: Weighed in on the "Column size quick adjustments" thread, acknowledging he prefers VirtualDJ's way of aligning numbers for BPM comparisons but still agreed "the resizing concerns voiced here" need improvementvirtualdj.comvirtualdj.com. He noted that when you have many columns, "things become harder to read" and "I agree with somehow improving that + the resizing concerns voiced here."virtualdj.com. (This is notable because it shows even users who might appreciate one aspect of the current system (like right-aligned BPM) are not opposed to changing the resizing behavior – they see the bigger picture that it needs to be better.)
  • Multiple Reddit Threads (2018–2023): Outside the official forums, users on Reddit's r/virtualdj and other DJ communities have echoed the same complaints. For instance, one Reddit user in frustration wrote, "If you dare to change the preset views [in VDJ], your column width will change... The last 2-3 columns will go out of view... How the hell has this not been fixed in ten years?"reddit.com. Others chimed in with agreement, pointing out how VirtualDJ's column behavior felt "busted." These third-party discussions show that even in less formal settings, the issue persists as a top gripe among experienced DJs.


(The above list includes 20+ distinct user instances from the forums, spanning from 2006 to late 2024, and is likely not exhaustive. It doesn't even count the many users who replied "+1" without extra comment or those who discussed it on social media or chat groups. Clearly, this is not a niche request by one or two people, but a recurring demand from the wider user base.)

As the timeline shows, users have been asking for this feature for a very long time – literally since the early 2000s and repeatedly in the years since VirtualDJ 8's major overhaul. They come from different countries, different use cases (club DJs, hobbyists, even moderators/admins), but the message is consistent: please make the column resizing and browser UI more user-friendly. And to be fair, the development team has occasionally responded with understanding and partial measures (like discussions about column presets). Yet the core request – dynamic resizing or a horizontal scroll option – remains unfulfilled.

Quote :
“These are only the users who went out of their way to ask. The real number of users who want this is much, much higher.” Every DJ who has silently struggled with readjusting columns, every user who just sighed and accepted the tedium, would benefit from this change even if they never voiced it publicly. It's a quality-of-life improvement whose impact extends to virtually the entire user base. The voices quoted above represent the tip of the iceberg of frustration. By finally addressing this, VirtualDJ's developers will relieve a decade's worth of accumulated aggravation and make a lot of DJs very, very happy.


* * *

In conclusion, the fixed-width column behavior in VirtualDJ's browser is a relic that needs to evolve. It harms user experience by making simple tasks needlessly difficult. Competing software and general UI standards have long solved this with flexible resizing and scrollbars. While VirtualDJ had its reasons for the original design, those reasons no longer outweigh the benefits of change – especially not in 2025 when usability is paramount. The community has been vocal and patient in requesting this. Now it's on the developers to deliver.

VirtualDJ has always been software that innovates fearlessly and adapts to the needs of its users. Implementing dynamic column resizing (or offering it as an option) would be another example of VirtualDJ leading by listening. It's a chance to turn a common complaint into a celebrated improvement. Let VirtualDJ's browser be as modern and accommodating as the rest of its feature set. We're confident that the effort to implement this will be more than worth it, repaying itself in user satisfaction and workflow efficiency. The time is right to make this long-awaited change – the users are ready for it, and VirtualDJ as a platform will be better for it.

Thank you for considering these points. We truly believe that fixing the column resizing behavior (or adding an alternate mode for it) will remove a significant pain point and continue VirtualDJ's legacy as the DJ software that gets it right. The community eagerly awaits this improvement, and we're optimistic that the VirtualDJ team can finally bring this much-needed enhancement to life. The moment it happens, you'll likely hear a collective cheer from DJs everywhere who will say, "Finally! This is how it should have been all along."virtualdj.comvirtualdj.com

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Posted 7 days ago @ 12:18 pm
Have you tried holding ctrl while resizing the columns?
 
This "issue" is so minor that it doesn't really qualify as an issue
(actually it's a change request no an issue, since it works as designed)
Most users will set this once and leave it be

I find it crazy that you have generated such a long text about it
It makes no sense
 
Also, since you used AI to generate it, and I'm not going to read all this fluff anyway, perhaps ask your AI to summarize it in a single paragraph or so.
 
Makes me wonder how all those DJs using industry standard Pioneer CDJs manage to get through their gigs with no horizontal scrolling...

:-)
 
Set it once and leave it alone.
 
Hi everyone,

If I'm correct, It looks like this is the first time the Ctrl-drag column-resize trick has ever been documented in the forums, changelogs, (haha - possibly on the internet?!), after twenty years of feature requests. Huge thanks to Adion for flagging it—and to everyone who kept pushing for a smoother workflow.

I acknowledge there’s been some debate:
-Klaus, I appreciate your perspective. The sheer volume of +1s listed in links above, including a discussion you're part of, show a staggering number of people have wanted it for a very, very long time. Not to mention that basically every app everywhere resizes columns this way - there's a reason UI experts everywhere have standardised this. If you do want to skim over my OP, you can just read the bold headings at the start of each paragraph.
-While GroovinDJ’s point is interesting, it’s hard to see how dynamic resizing would break existing styles.
-Kradcliffe’s concern about his differing setup is valid, which is why having the option seems like the perfect solution.

It might not cover every possible DJ workflow, but making it an official, documented option would help so many of us. Any chance this can land in an upcoming update as a toggleable setting?

I have made quire a few posts in the past, including posting a video, asking if anyone knows how to 'hack' vdj to get it to resize columns, and I'm pretty sure this is the first time it has been mentioned that it's available. Thank you SO MUCH Adion!

In short: Ctrl+drag already works today, it fixes the pain point countless people have felt strongly enough to post about. Documenting it if not already (or adding it as an official toggle) would finally help answer years of community requests.