Tips to open VLC file

Can't open the VLC file? You are not the only one. Thousands of users face similar problems every day. Below you will find tips on how to open VLC files as well as a list of programs that support VLC files.

VLC file extension

File Name VLC Playlist
File Developer VideoLAN
File Category Audio Files

The VLC file is supported on 4 operating systems. Depending on your operating system, you may need different software to handle the VLC files. Below is a summary of the number of programs that support and open the VLC file on each system platform.

Operating systems
  • 1
  • 1
  • 1
  • 1
  • 0
  • 0

What is VLC file?

The VLC file has been categorized as Audio Files. It was designed by VideoLAN. In addition to this file, the Audio Files category includes 771 related files. VLC Playlist is most often found on 4 operating systems. These systems consist of Android, Linux, Mac OS, Windows, although it may occasionally be found on another system, it will be non-functional. The main program that supports this format is VLC media player. This was created by VideoLAN Project Team. Alternatively, you can use 3 other programs. You can use VLC media player for Android in case VLC media player cannot be used.

How to open VLC file?

An often recurring problem with VLC Playlist is that VLC is not associated with the correct program file. Thus, when you open VLC, the program selection wizard or some other program starts. This problem can be easily remedied.

The first thing you should do is just "doubleclick" on the VLC file icon you want to open. If the operating system has an appropriate application to support it and there is also an association between the file and the program, the file should be opened.

Step 1. Install VLC media player

An often overlooked issue is to make sure that VLC media player is installed on the computer. This can be achieved by typing VLC media player into the operating system search engine. If we do not have this program, it is worth installing it, as it will help you automatically associate the file VLC with VLC media player. Later in this article you will find a list of programs that can open VLC files.

Step 2. Create association of VLC media player with VLC files

If the application is or has been freshly installed, but the VLC file still does not use the VLC media player program, it means no association. It is most convenient to call the context menu with the right mouse button and select Properties. Information about the file and the program that the file is associated with are available here. Using the "Change" button we can set the program to handle this type. If there is no software on the list, simply select "Browse" and manually select the directory where the application is installed. Checking the "Always use the selected program ..." box will permanently associate the VLC file with the VLC media player program.

Step 3. Update VLC media player to the latest version

If, despite the association of the VLC media player program with the VLC Playlist file, the file still does not open, check the program version and possibly update it to the newest version. This can be done using the application (if it provides such options) or from the VideoLAN Project Team website and install the latest version.

Step 4. Check for the following problems with the VLC file

The problem may also be with the file itself if the above steps don't work. This could be due to the file itself, the cleanest issues are:

The affected file may be 0 KB or smaller than expected. This suggests truncating the VLC file contents when downloading or copying. Downloading the file again should fix the problem.
The most common cause here is computer viruses. A quick virus scan using an up-to-date antivirus program should clear up any doubts. Some antivirus vendors also provide free online scanners. For the best results, we will scan the entire operating system, not just our VLC file. As a result of the scan, sometimes it is not possible to recover VLC files, which are deleted if there is a backup of this file, then after restoring it, it must also be scanned.
This can happen especially when the program is dynamically developed and the structure of the VLC files changes over time. Help should be sought from the software developer, as they usually recommend using free file converters or installing an older version of the program.
There can be many reasons for the failure. The repair method must be adapted to the type of file and damage. Some programs offer the option of recovering data from damaged VLC files. You can restore the file from a backup or use VideoLAN help.
The program indicates that the file is encrypted or corrupted. The encrypted VLC files cannot be played on other computers than the one on which they were encrypted, they must be decrypted before using on another device.
Some of the system directories are excluded from modification. These directories are write-protected to them and it's very hard to fix this problem. If possible, you can try to move the VLC file to another location.
This can happen on a file that does not support multiple access. Some file types can only be opened in one program at a time. Running programs (including those in the background) should be verified. If the error persists after closing other programs, wait for a while. Some anti-virus or backup software may occupy the VLC file for a certain period of time. If this does not work either, restart the device.