VSG:ResetPrefs

Many problems with VLC are due to incorrect settings or a broken plugin cache. You can solve these by deleting VLC's preferences and cache.

Reset preferences from VLC

Using VLC within preferences

If you can launch VLC, in the preferences dialog, from the Tools menu, you can hit the "Reset preferences" button.

NB: This might not solve all your issues, all the time; so if you still have issues, then see the rest of this article.

Reset preferences and cache

Windows

Using the shortcut in the start menu

If you installed VLC properly you can delete the preferences and cache by simply opening the shortcut you can find in your start menu:

All programs > VideoLAN > Reset VLC media player preferences and cache files

Deleting the files manually

Open the explorer and type %APPDATA% into the address bar and hit enter. This should lead you to the AppData folder of your user.

Therein you should find a folder named vlc. Delete that folder and you're done.

macOS

Using VLC

In case VLC still launches, open it. Select "VLC" menu -> "Preferences" and hit "Reset All" in the bottom left corner. VLC will ask for confirmation, reset and restart itself.

Manual deletion

1) Quit the VLC application.

2) Use a Terminal and enter the following command: defaults delete org.videolan.vlc

3) Remove everything from ~/Library/Preferences called "org.videolan.vlc.*". Use "Go To Folder" within the Finder's "Go" menu to show this folder.

GNU/Linux

Delete the ~/.config/vlc and ~/.cache/vlc folders or execute vlc --reset-config in a terminal.

Old versions of VLC had the data stored in ~/.vlc

BeOS

Delete the config/settings/vlcrc folders.

iOS

Delete the app from SpringBoard and re-download it from the App Store to fully reset the media library and settings.

Android

From the settings

In Settings, go to Applications → VLC → Clear data.

Within the application

Go to Preferences → Other to clean the history and the media database.

See also

• VLC HowTo
• VLC Support Guide

This page is part of the informal VLC Support Guide.

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.