Documentation:Installing VLC

There are VLC binaries available for the many OSes, but not for all supported ones. If there are no binaries for your OS or if you want to change the default settings, you can compile VLC from sources.

Windows

95, 98, ME

You can install VLC on Windows 95, 98 or ME operating systems by using KernelEx.

2000, XP, Vista, 7, 8

Recommended

The normal and recommended way to install VLC for Windows is via the installer package.

Step 0: Download and launch installer

Download the installer package from the VLC download page for Windows. Once that's done, double click on it to begin the install process. If you're using Windows Vista, 7 or 8 and have UAC enabled, you may be prompted to grant the programme administrator permissions. Clicking Yes will allow you to continue.

Step 1: Select installer language

Before you can continue, you have select the language that you want the installer to be displayed in. It is usually a good idea to select one that you can understand.

Step 2: Welcome screen

Like millions of people before you, your love affair with VLC begins with an ominous warning about closing all other applications before installing it. You can just go ahead and click Next.

Step 3: Licence agreement

You should thinking about read the Terms of Service prior to clicking Next. It talks about your rights and stuff... I think.

Step 4: Select components

This menu provides you with the ability to customise your install. You choose all the components you wish to install and whether you want VLC to be your default media player or not. Once you are done, feel free to click Next.

Step 5: Pick a location

You choose the installation folder with Browse... and when you are ready you click Install.

Step 5: Now installing

Wait as VLC begins installing. It shouldn't take too long. You may click on the "Show details" if you must. Once clicked, however, there is no going back so choose wisely.

Step 7: Installation complete

Once installation is completed, you may choose to run VLC, read a bunch of boring release notes, or do nothing at all. Nothing at all. Nothing at all.

Alternative

If you want to be pro and perform an unattended (or silent) installation of VLC, you can do so via a command line interface. Just type in "filename" /L="languagecode" /S. For example, the English installation would look something like vlc-2.0.1-win32.exe /L=1033 /S.

PowerShell

Installing VLC using PowerShell is as easy as pie.

Command Prompt

You can also do it using the command prompt... if that's your thing.

100x100px Mac OS X

1. Download the Mac OS X package from the VLC MacOS X download page.
2. Double-click on the icon of the package: an icon will appear on your Desktop, right beside your drives.
3. Open it and drag the VLC application from the resulting window to the place where you want to install it (it should be /Applications).

Linux

BeOS

1. Download the Zip file from the VLC BeOS download page.
2. Unzip the file in a directory to install VLC.

Debian

Debian stable (lenny)

Add the following lines to your /etc/apt/sources.list:

deb http://download.videolan.org/pub/videolan/debian stable main
deb-src http://download.videolan.org/pub/videolan/debian stable main

Then, for a normal install, write the following commands in Terminal:

# apt-get update
# apt-get install vlc libdvdcss2

Debian testing (squeeze)

You should not be using Debian testing unless you perfectly know what you are doing. It is almost impossible to support Debian testing and there are no plans to do it.

For more information on Debian testing, please look at the Testing Page.

Debian unstable (sid)

Add the following lines to your /etc/apt/sources.list:

deb http://download.videolan.org/pub/videolan/debian sid main
deb-src http://download.videolan.org/pub/videolan/debian sid main

Then, for a normal install, write the following commands in Terminal:

# apt-get update
# apt-get install vlc libdvdcss2

Linux Mandrake

There are VLC packages for Mandrake 9.1 and Cooker.

To install them, add the following sources for either Mandrake 9.1 or Cooker (you can use Easy urpmi for that): contrib from the core distribution and plf (Penguin Liberation Front) from the external add-ons.

Then install the required packages with urpmi:

# urpmi libdvdcss2 libdvdplay0 wxvlc vlc-plugin-a52 vlc-plugin-ogg vlc-plugin-mad

Linux (EL5)

1. Download and install the latest rpmforge-release rpm (eg rpmforge-release-0.3.6-1.el5.rf.i386.rpm)

2. Either;

# yum install vlc 

or (if you have epel-release installed);

# yum --disablerepo='epel' install vlc 

Linux RedHat

Download the RPM package vlc and the packages listed in the required libraries and codecs section (the other packages are optional) from the VLC Red Hat download page and put them all into the same directory.

Then install the RPM packages you have downloaded:

# rpm -U *.rpm

If you have not installed all the RPM packages included with your distribution, you may be asked to install a few of them first.

100x100px Ubuntu

Launch the Ubuntu Software Center and go to All Software → Sound & Video then in search VLC Player. After it will come click on it and it will automatically install

You need to check that a universe mirror is listed in your /etc/apt/sources.list file.

 # sudo apt-get update
 # sudo apt-get install vlc vlc-plugin-pulse mozilla-plugin-vlc

Compile the sources by yourself

For more detailed information on compiling VLC, please see Compile VLC.

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.