About
VLC media player is a free, open-source multimedia player that plays movies, shows, and music in most formats without requiring conversion. It supports file synchronization with Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, Box, and iCloud Drive, as well as streaming from SMB, FTP, SFTP, NFS, UPnP/DLNA media servers and the web. Features include advanced subtitle support with full SSA compatibility, multi-track audio, playback speed control, and Chromecast rendering.
Highlights
- Plays most video, audio, and media formats without conversion
- Cloud file sync with Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, Box, and iCloud Drive
- Streams from SMB, FTP, SFTP, NFS, UPnP/DLNA servers and the web
- Advanced subtitle support including full SSA compatibility
- Multi-track audio and playback speed control
- Chromecast rendering for casting to compatible devices
Best for
Anyone needing a free, universal media player for movies, TV shows, and music across multiple formats and sources, including those who stream from home media servers or cast to Chromecast devices.
At a glance
VLC media player is rated 3.6 out of 5 from 1,732 ratings and is available on iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS — all free to download.
It is developed by VideoLAN.
Install on macOS via Homebrew with brew install --cask vlc.
Screenshots
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is VLC media player free?
- Yes — VLC media player is free to download on iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS.
- What platforms is VLC media player available on?
- VLC media player is available on iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS.
- How do I install VLC media player?
- You can download VLC media player from the download links on this page. On macOS, you can also install it with Homebrew by running: brew install --cask vlc
- What is VLC media player?
- VLC is a free and open-source multimedia player that plays movies, shows, and music in most formats directly without conversion. It supports streaming from multiple sources and cloud storage services.
- What cloud services does VLC support?
- VLC supports file synchronization with Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, Box, and iCloud Drive, as well as direct downloads and Wi-Fi sharing.
- Can VLC stream from media servers?
- Yes, VLC can stream from SMB, FTP, SFTP, NFS, and UPnP/DLNA media servers, as well as from the web.
- Does VLC support subtitles?
- VLC offers advanced subtitle support including full SSA compatibility, along with multi-track audio and playback speed control.
- What are the alternatives to VLC media player?
- VLC media player is similar to YouTube Music, TIDAL Music: HiFi Sound, F1 TV, and YouTube. Browse related apps by tag: open source, media player, and streaming.
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