VLC media player
Free, open-source media player that plays most video and audio files, discs and network streams.
Last verified: October 2, 2026
Official links
Links go directly to the developer, publisher or authorized store. Welcome Free Tools does not host any files. Official domain: videolan.org
Overview
VLC media player is developed by VideoLAN, a non-profit organisation, and is one of the most widely used media players on desktop and mobile. It is free and open source and is available for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS.
Its main strength is format support: VLC plays most video and audio files without installing separate codec packs, and it can also play DVDs, audio CDs and network streams. It includes subtitle support, playback speed control, audio and video filters, and basic conversion between formats.
VLC is a good choice when a file will not open in the default player on your device, or when you want one player that behaves the same on every platform. The VideoLAN website states that VLC has no ads or user tracking. Because VLC is very popular, many unofficial download sites bundle it with extra software, so always install it from videolan.org or your device’s official app store.
Features
- Plays most video and audio formats without extra codec packs
- Plays DVDs, audio CDs and network streams
- Subtitle support and playback speed control
- Audio and video filters and basic format conversion
- Available on desktop and mobile platforms
Questions and answers
What is VLC media player?
Free, open-source media player that plays most video and audio files, discs and network streams. It is developed by VideoLAN.
Is VLC media player free?
VLC media player is listed as: Free & Open Source. Whether optional purchases exist has not been verified yet. Pricing can change, so confirm on the official source.
Is VLC media player available on Android?
Yes, Android is a listed platform. Get it from the official source linked on this page.
Does VLC media player have a Windows version?
Yes, Windows is a listed platform.
Where is the official VLC media player website?
The official website is https://www.videolan.org/vlc/ (official source verified on October 2, 2026).
Similar tools
Sumatra PDF
Software
Free, open-source, lightweight PDF and e-book reader for Windows.
PDFsam Basic
Software
Free, open-source desktop app to split, merge, rotate and extract pages from PDF files, fully offline.
7-Zip
Software
Free, open-source file archiver with a high compression ratio and its own 7z format.
Mozilla Firefox
Android App
Free, open-source web browser from the non-profit Mozilla, with built-in tracking protection.