Documentation:Quick Start Guide

Languages: English • Deutsch

Read on for a quick overview of VLC's features and capabilities.

Starting VLC

Windows

• In Windows XP: Click Start -> Programs -> VideoLAN -> VLC media player.
• In Windows 7: Click Start -> All Programs -> VideoLAN -> VLC media player.

VLC is shown on the screen and a small icon is shown in the system tray.

macOS

Start VLC from the applications menu or the system dock.

VLC is shown on the screen and a small icon is shown in the dock.

Linux

Start VLC from the command line with vlc or start it from your desktop environment's application launcher.

Interface

The main interface

VLC media player on Windows and Linux	VLC media player on macOS
1 : Menu Bar 2 : Elapsed Time 3 : Seek Bar 4 : Total/Remaining Time 5 : Play/Pause 6 : Previous 7 : Stop      8 : Next 9 : Toggle Fullscreen 10 : Extended Settings 11 : Show Playlist 12 : Loop 13 : Random 14 : Volume Control

More interface informations

Go to Documentation:Interface

Play a media

Play a single media file

Find a media file you want to play with your favourite File Explorer (Windows Explorer, Finder, Konqueror...) and double-click on it.

You can also drag and drop the file onto VLC.

Play a whole media folder

Start VLC, open the Media menu, and select the Open Folder... menu item. An Open Folder dialog box will appear. Select the folder you want to open and select Open.

Play a CD/DVD/VCD

Insert your disk and your OS should ask you what you want to do. Select Play with VLC and select the OK button.

More open options

Go to Documentation:Open Media

Preferences

Where are the VLC preferences?

To open the Preferences panel, open the Tools menu , and select the Preferences menu item.
Here is the Simple Preferences panel where you can modify the essential settings of VLC.

How to reset the VLC preferences?

Go to VSG:ResetPrefs

Playlist view

Overview

This view allows you to easily browse different sources of media. To access the Playlist View, click on the Playlist button in the main interface.

1: The current Playlist you are listening and your Media Library 2: The OS default media folders 3: Your local optic drive (CD, DVD...) 4: Your local network sources 5: Internet sources (Podcasts, Shoutcast radios...) 6: The media listing you are listening or browsing

More Playlist options

Go to Documentation:Playlist

This page is part of official VLC media player Documentation (User Guide • Streaming HowTo • Hacker Guide • Modules)
Please read the Documentation Editing Guidelines before you edit the documentation

Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.