VLC

Review:

Every Android phone comes with a video player, and most of them are fine until they meet a file they cannot open. That is the moment people go looking for VLC. VLC for Android is the mobile version of the free, open-source media player that has been around since 2001, and it does one job better than almost anything else on the Play Store: it plays the file. MKV, MP4, AVI, MOV, FLAC, DVDs, network streams, subtitles — it handles them without asking you to install extra codecs or pay for a pro version. There is no pro version. There are no ads, no in-app purchases, and the app collects no data from you.

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The app is made by Videolabs for the non-profit VideoLAN project, and it has been downloaded more than 500 million times on Google Play. It has been on Google Play since 2015, and it is the same player people have trusted on Windows, Mac, and Linux for over twenty years. It works on phones, tablets, and Android TV, and it plays local files, files on your home network, and streams from the internet.

The current version on this page is v3.7.1, updated on July 1, 2026, and the official package name is org.videolan.vlc. The file is about 45.8MB, so it downloads quickly even on mobile data. This guide covers the genuine app by Videolabs: what VLC for Android is, what it can play, how to use it, how to download and install the APK safely, and answers to the questions people ask most.

What is VLC for Android?

VLC for Android is a free and open-source media player for Android from Videolabs. It is a port of the VLC media player to Android, and it plays almost any video and audio file without extra codec packs. Where most built-in players stop at MP4 and MP3, VLC keeps going: MKV, AVI, MOV, FLV, WMV, FLAC, OGG, AAC, and many more. If a file has a video or audio track in it, VLC will usually play it.

The app is more than a video player. It keeps a media library of the videos and music on your device, so you can browse by folder, by title, or by artist instead of digging through a file manager. It plays audio in the background, so you can listen to a long video or a podcast with the screen off. It supports subtitles, including downloading subtitles automatically for a video you are watching. And it can open streams and files from your local network — a shared folder on your computer, a NAS drive, or a media server — without copying the file to your phone first.

VLC is owned by the non-profit VideoLAN organisation, and the app is completely free. There is no advertising in it, no subscription, and nothing to unlock. The Google Play listing says the app collects no data and shares no data with third parties, and independent checks have found no tracker libraries in it. That is rare for a free app, and it is one of the reasons people keep recommending VLC after all these years.

VLC APK Download Latest Version:

The latest version of VLC for Android available on this page is v3.7.1, with a file size of around 45.8MB. It requires Android 4.2 or higher. The official package name is org.videolan.vlc, which you can check after installation to confirm you have the genuine app from Videolabs.

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The file on this page is the official arm64-v8a build from VideoLAN's own download archive, which covers most modern Android phones and tablets. It is a plain APK, so it installs like any normal app file: tap it, allow the install, and open it. There is no split bundle to worry about, and the app needs no extra downloads to start playing. Make sure the device has at least 100MB of free space before installing, so the installer has room to unpack the file.

The version on this page is the genuine release from the developer. VideoLAN updates VLC regularly, and each update brings small fixes, better hardware decoding, and support for newer Android versions. Keeping the app updated is worth doing, because media playback depends on the codecs and the decoding, and a newer version plays more files smoothly.

Features of VLC for Android:

VLC packs a lot into one app. Here are the features that matter most:

- Plays almost any video and audio format, including MKV, MP4, AVI, MOV, FLV, WMV, FLAC, OGG, AAC, and MP3, with no extra codec downloads.

- Hardware decoding for smooth playback, even for high-resolution and 4K videos, on phones that support it.

- A media library that organises your videos and music automatically, with browsing by folder, title, artist, or album.

- Subtitle support, including downloading subtitles for a video automatically, and adjusting their size, colour, and timing.

- Playback speed control from 0.25x to 4x, so you can slow down a tutorial or speed through a long recording.

- On-screen gestures: swipe to change the volume and brightness, double-tap to skip forward or back, and tap to pause.

- Network streaming from local shares and servers, including SMB, FTP, SFTP, NFS, and UPnP/DLNA, plus direct stream URLs.

- Chromecast support, so you can send a video from your phone to a TV.

- An audio player with an equaliser, background playback, and a home-screen widget for quick controls.

- Picture-in-picture mode, so a video keeps playing in a small window while you use another app.

- Works on Android TV, with a remote-friendly interface for watching on a bigger screen.

- Completely free, with no ads, no in-app purchases, and no data collected or shared.

How to Use VLC on Android:

Using VLC is simple, but a few of its best features are easy to miss. When you first open the app, it scans your device and lists the videos and music it finds in the media library. Tap any video to play it. While a video is playing, swipe up or down on the right side of the screen to change the volume, and on the left side to change the brightness. Double-tap the right side to skip forward 10 seconds, and the left side to go back.

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For subtitles, tap the subtitle button during playback and choose Download subtitles. VLC fetches a matching subtitle file for the video, and you can pick from several results. If the subtitles are out of sync, the same menu lets you delay or speed them up until they match the dialogue.

To play a file from your computer or home server, open the side menu and go to Local Network. VLC can browse shared folders over SMB, FTP, and other protocols, and it can also find media servers on your network through UPnP. You can play a file straight from the share without copying it to your phone, which is handy for a movie collection stored on a computer. To stream a video from a web link, use the Open MRL option in the menu and paste the stream URL.

The audio side of the app is easy to overlook. Open the Audio section to see your music organised by artist, album, and genre, and tap the equaliser icon to adjust the sound. Audio keeps playing when you leave the app or turn the screen off, so VLC works as a music player and as a podcast player for long videos. The widget on the home screen gives you play, pause, and skip controls without opening the app.

Is VLC Free? Is VLC Safe?

Yes, VLC is completely free. There is no paid version, no subscription, and no feature locked behind a payment. The app is open-source software from the non-profit VideoLAN project, and it has been free since it started in 2001. Anyone charging you for a VLC download is selling you something that is free, and you should not pay them.

VLC is also safe to use when you get it from a genuine source. The official sources are Google Play, F-Droid, and VideoLAN's own download archive. The app on this page is the official VideoLAN build, with the package name org.videolan.vlc and the developer listed as Videolabs. Fake VLC sites are common — some of them bundle ads or extra software with the installer — so check the package name after installing. If it is not org.videolan.vlc, uninstall it and get the real app instead.

The app asks for a few permissions, such as access to your files so it can find and play your media, and network access so it can stream. That is normal for a media player. Its Play Store listing says it collects no data and shares no data with third parties, and it contains no ads and no trackers. Keep the app updated, because VideoLAN fixes security issues in the media libraries with new releases, just like any other software.

VLC vs MX Player:

People often compare VLC with MX Player, the other big name in Android video players, so here is the honest difference. Both play almost any video format, both support subtitles and gestures, and both have hardware decoding. The difference is what comes with the app. VLC is free and open source with no ads and no in-app purchases at all. MX Player is free with ads, and it sells a pro version to remove them.

MX Player has a few extras that some people like, such as a more polished interface, a kids lock, and its own online video section. VLC has stronger network features: it browses shared folders and media servers on your home network more easily, and it handles stream URLs directly. VLC also has no ads interrupting anything, and no account or sign-in anywhere in the app.

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Which one to pick comes down to what bothers you more. If you want a free player that never shows an ad and never asks for money, VLC is the straightforward choice. If you prefer MX Player's layout and do not mind the ads or paying for pro, it is a fine player too. Both are legitimate apps. What you should not do is download a "VLC Pro" or "MX Player Pro unlocked" file from a random site — there is no official VLC Pro, and those files are not from the developers.

VLC for Android TV:

VLC works on Android TV as well as on phones and tablets, and it is one of the easiest ways to watch your own files on a television. The TV version has a simpler interface made for a remote control: big tiles for your videos and music, and the same playback controls, subtitles, and network browsing as the phone app.

On a TV, the network features are the most useful part. You can point VLC at a shared folder on your computer or a NAS drive and play movies straight from it, with no need to copy files onto a USB stick. It also handles subtitles and multiple audio tracks, which matters for films in other languages. If your TV box or stick runs Android TV, install VLC from the Play Store on the TV itself, or sideload the same APK from this page — the arm64 build on this page works on most modern TV boxes.

How to Download and Install VLC APK:

Follow these steps to install the app on your Android phone, tablet, or TV box:

1. Tap the Download button on this page to get the VLC APK file (v3.7.1, about 45.8MB). The file is small, so it downloads in a minute or two on a normal connection.

2. When the download finishes, tap the file to install it. If your phone asks, allow installs from the browser or file manager you are using. This is the standard "Install unknown apps" permission, and you can turn it off again after the app is installed.

3. Open VLC and give it permission to access your media files. The app needs this to find your videos and music and build its library. You can change this later in the app settings or in the system settings.

4. VLC will scan your device and list the videos and music it finds. Tap any file to play it, and use the side menu to browse folders, your local network, or a stream URL.

5. After installing, check the package name in your app settings or with any app-info tool. The genuine VLC build is org.videolan.vlc. If the package name is different, you have a different app wearing a similar name, and you should uninstall it.

If the app does not open after installing, restart the device and try again. If the install itself fails, check that you have at least 100MB of free storage and that you are on Android 4.2 or newer. The file on this page is the arm64-v8a build, which fits most phones made in the last ten years. Very old 32-bit devices need the armeabi-v7a build instead, which VideoLAN also publishes in its official archive.

VLC FAQs:

What is the latest version of VLC for Android?

The latest version on this page is v3.7.1, released on July 1, 2026. The official package name is org.videolan.vlc, and the file is about 45.8MB. It needs Android 4.2 or newer.

Is VLC for Android really free?

Yes. VLC is free and open-source software from the non-profit VideoLAN project. There are no ads, no in-app purchases, and no subscription. The app collects no data and shares no data with third parties.

Is VLC safe to download as an APK?

Yes, when it comes from a genuine source. The file on this page is the official VideoLAN build, and you can confirm it after installing by checking the package name: org.videolan.vlc, developer Videolabs. Avoid sites that bundle ads or extra software with the VLC installer.

What video formats can VLC play?

Almost all of them, including MKV, MP4, AVI, MOV, FLV, WMV, and WebM for video, and FLAC, MP3, AAC, OGG, and WAV for audio. It also plays DVDs, network streams, and files from shared folders, with no extra codec downloads.

Can VLC play videos from my computer over Wi-Fi?

Yes. Open the side menu, go to Local Network, and browse shared folders over SMB, FTP, SFTP, or NFS, or find media servers through UPnP/DLNA. You can play files straight from the share, and you can also paste a stream URL with the Open MRL option.

Does VLC work on Android TV?

Yes. VLC has a TV-friendly interface for Android TV, with the same playback, subtitle, and network features as the phone app. You can install it from the Play Store on the TV or sideload the APK from this page.