Vlc
VLC plays multimedia files, discs, streams, and devices, and can also convert, encode, and stream media.
About Vlc
VLC is a libre and open-source media player and multimedia engine developed by the VideoLAN project and supported by a community of volunteers. It plays most multimedia files, discs, streams and devices, and can also convert, encode, stream and manipulate streams into numerous formats.
The GitHub repository hosts the source code, while development and merge requests take place on the project's GitLab repository. The playback engine, libVLC, can be embedded in third-party applications and has bindings for languages such as C++, Python and C#. VLC is available for Windows 7 and later, macOS 10.10 and later, GNU/Linux and affiliated systems, BSD and affiliated systems, Android 4.2 and later (including Android TV and Android Auto), iOS 9 and later (including Apple TV and iPadOS), Haiku, OS/2 and a few others; not all platforms receive the same amount of care due to limited resources. The Android and iOS apps are kept in separate repositories.
Key features
- Plays most multimedia files, discs, streams and devices
- Converts, encodes and streams media into numerous formats
- libVLC playback engine can be embedded in third-party applications
- libVLC bindings for C++, Python and C#
- Released under GPLv2 or later; libVLC under LGPLv2 or later
- Runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, BSD, Android, iOS, Haiku and OS/2
Best for: Users who need a cross-platform open-source player for a wide range of media types, and developers who want to embed the libVLC engine in their own applications.
Good for
- Libre and open source under the GPLv2 or later, with libVLC under the LGPLv2 or later
- Available across many platforms, including older operating system versions
- libVLC can be embedded in third-party applications that keep other licenses
Watch out for
- Maintained by unpaid volunteers with limited resources, so not all platforms receive the same amount of care
- Contributions go through merge requests on the GitLab repository rather than this GitHub one
- Android and iOS applications live in repositories separate from the main one
Vlc at a glance
- Website
- github.com/videolan/vlc
- Category
- Software & Utilities › Media Players & Servers
- Type
- Open-source project
- Pricing
- Not confirmed. Check the site
- Open source
- Yes · Source code
- Language
- English
- Last checked
- Oct 6, 2026 · Online when checked
- Listed
- Oct 5, 2026
Guides for Media Players & Servers
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Vlc FAQ
Is VLC free and open source?
Yes. VLC is released under the GPLv2 or later, and on some platforms it is de facto GPLv3 because of the licenses of its dependencies. The libVLC engine is released under the LGPLv2 or later.
Which platforms does VLC support?
Windows 7 and later (including UWP and Windows 10 versions), macOS 10.10 and later, GNU/Linux and affiliated systems, BSD and affiliated systems, Android 4.2 and later (including Android TV and Android Auto), iOS 9 and later (including Apple TV and iPadOS), plus Haiku, OS/2 and a few others.
Where should code contributions be made?
Contributions are made through merge requests on the project's GitLab repository. Continuous integration and discussions should be resolved before a merge request can be merged.
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