VLC media player
VideoLAN and contributors · Free, open-source multimedia player for local files, discs and network streams, with broad codec support, subtitles, playlists and conversion tools.
About
VLC is VideoLAN's free, open-source multimedia player for people who watch video, listen to music, or work with media files and network streams. Its built-in playback support handles many common formats without separate codec packs.
Features
- Play local audio and video, DVDs and supported network streams.
- Choose audio tracks and subtitles and adjust playback speed and synchronization.
- Manage playlists, resume supported files and customize playback preferences.
- Convert or stream supported media through built-in tools.
- Use supported hardware decoding and renderer features; availability depends on the platform and device.
Installation and first use
Install brew install --cask vlc, then open VLC.app in Applications. Alternatively download the appropriate official Mac DMG and drag the app to Applications. Choose the Apple Silicon, Intel or universal build for your Mac. Open a file with File > Open File, drag media into VLC, or open a network location. The cask also provides a vlc command wrapper. Review audio devices, subtitle settings and update preferences before regular use.
Requirements, dependencies and conflicts
VideoLAN's Mac download page states Mac OS X 10.7.5 or later and a 64-bit Intel processor or Apple Silicon. Apple Silicon Macs necessarily run a compatible modern macOS; the older Intel minimum is not an Apple Silicon operating-system option. First-generation 32-bit Intel Core Solo/Core Duo Macs require an obsolete older release. Homebrew's current cask lists Big Sur and newer supported Mac variants, a narrower installation scope than the publisher's downloadable legacy-compatible binary. No additional formula dependency is declared in this cask; codecs included in VLC should not be confused with external Homebrew dependencies. VideoLAN does not publish a fixed RAM/storage minimum on this download page; workload and media resolution determine resource needs.
Homebrew declares a conflict with vlc@nightly. An existing manually installed VLC.app can occupy the same Applications path. Back up settings before changing distributions; optional Homebrew zap cleanup removes VLC preferences, caches and application data. Optical-disc playback needs appropriate hardware and accessible media; DRM-protected content is not guaranteed to play. Network streams need a reachable server and may require that service's credentials. The obsolete NPAPI browser plugin is not maintained, and version 3.0.24 removes the broken bundled YouTube Lua script.
Other platforms
VideoLAN also distributes VLC for Windows, GNU/Linux, Android, iOS and tvOS. Those are separate builds with platform-specific requirements and interfaces. This cask installs only the Mac application. Windows Direct3D GPU filters and Windows/Linux Qt dark-mode changes are not Mac interface features.
Accounts, cost and license
VLC playback requires no VideoLAN account or paid subscription. The application is free; donations are optional. Network or third-party media services may impose their own access requirements. The VLC source includes GNU GPL version 2 licensing and separately licensed components; consult the distributed license notices for redistribution. The VLC name and cone logo are VideoLAN trademarks, distinct from source-code permissions.
Official references
New What’s new in 3.0.24 Oct 7 · OpenNavo editorial
- CodecsUpgrade FFmpeg and add APV and Atrac3/Atrac9 decoding.
- PlaybackImprove subtitle-language detection and add CEA-708 captions in MP4.
- SecurityChange update verification to a new RSA-4096 key.