VLC
VLC is a free, open-source media player for macOS that plays video, audio, discs, and network streams in many common formats.
What is VLC?
VLC is a multimedia player for macOS that helps you watch video, listen to audio, open discs, and play network streams without needing extra codec packs for most formats. It is widely used by people who want a flexible player for local media files, DVDs, Audio CDs, VCDs, webcams, capture devices, and streaming sources. VLC includes playback controls, subtitle support, playlist handling, and tools for adjusting audio and video during playback. It also supports conversion and streaming features that are useful for more advanced media workflows. On Mac, it is available for both Apple Silicon and 64-bit Intel systems. VLC is published by VideoLAN and is best suited for users who want a capable general-purpose media player instead of relying only on built-in playback apps.
Key features
- Play many video and audio file formats without installing separate codec packs
- Open DVDs, Audio CDs, VCDs, webcams, capture devices, and local media files
- Stream and play media from network sources and online stream URLs
- Show subtitles and let you adjust playback speed, audio, and video settings
- Organize media in playlists for continuous playback
- Convert or stream media for compatible playback workflows
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Safety overview
Status: Safe
VLC is a well-known open-source media player, and its normal behavior is consistent with a desktop playback app. It may access removable media, local files, the network, and audio devices when you use related features such as streaming or opening discs and webcams. Downloading VLC from the official VideoLAN site helps reduce the risk of bundled or modified installers from third-party sources.
Recommendation: Keep VLC if you use it for playing media formats, discs, or streams that your other apps do not handle well. If you no longer use it, you can remove it without affecting macOS, though media files associated with VLC may open differently until you choose another default player.
Common paths
/Applications/VLC.app
Cache paths
~/Library/Caches/org.videolan.vlc
Support paths
~/Library/Application Support/org.videolan.vlc
Preference paths
~/Library/Preferences/org.videolan.vlc.plist
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