FreeGPL-2.0C

VLC

A media player that plays almost any file, stream or disc without codec packs

Alternative toInfuseWindows Media Player

VLC plays nearly every video and audio format, network streams and discs, with its own codecs built in. It is the open source alternative to paid players such as Infuse and to the default player that refuses your file, made by the nonprofit VideoLAN under GPL-2.0.

Website Source Docs

Best for when

you want one player that opens every file without codec packs
you play videos with several audio or subtitle tracks
you want a player with no ads and no tracking

Watch out for

the desktop interface looks dated and library features are basic
4K HDR playback may need settings changes and can look flat on non-HDR screens
its convert tool is basic compared with HandBrake

It just plays the file

The reason people install VLC is that it opens the file the default player refuses: MKV with several audio tracks, an old AVI, a HEVC recording, a broken download. It ships its own decoders, so there is no codec pack to install, and it runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS.

Beyond playback it handles subtitles in many formats with sync adjustment, playback speed, audio and video filters, network streams and DLNA shares, and a simple convert and record function. It has no ads and does not collect your viewing history.

What switching really costs

There is not much to switch from, which is the point. The trade-offs are in polish: the interface on desktop looks dated, and library features for a large movie collection are basic compared with Infuse or a media server like Jellyfin.

Its convert feature works for quick jobs, but HandBrake gives more control. On some systems, hardware decoding of 4K HDR content needs settings changes, and HDR tone mapping on non-HDR screens can look flat depending on the platform.

Last checked: 2026-10-25.md