Sometimes, you may need VLC alternatives because of the annoying "Rebuilding Font Cache" thing or others. This post lists different VLC alternatives for Windows/Mac. Choose the best VLC alternative depends on your actual situation.
Have you ever used VLC media player? This post is going to show you some excellent VLC alternatives for Windows/Linux/Mac. You can find a suitable VLC alternative to play video and audio files.
VLC is a free, open-source, portable, and cross-platform media player and streaming media server developed by the VideoLAN project. It is able to play incomplete, unfinished or damaged video, but it will drive you crazy sometimes.
For example, here is a true story.
I have been using VLC media player for a while and was pleased with it. Then I get a notice about an update, which I did. Now all I get is green lines over the movie. I have tried everything to solve the problem, installing the backup, uninstall and install, with no success. Everything worked great until this update. Does anybody have a solution to this? It is driving me crazy. Please help. Thank you.
In general, a VLC alternative can solve this problem easily. The below are some common problems you might encounter when using the VLC media player.
4 Reasons Why You Need a VLC Alternative
1. VLC is unable to play broken files.
Generally, VLC media player can play unfinished or damaged video. But, sometimes, it cannot play video file and tells you that the file is damaged. Actually, this file is just being downloaded.
2. VLC doesn’t support a few codes and file types.
VLC supports a lot of video and audio codes and formats, but it requires codec settings for a few formats. For many common people, it is a difficult job.
3. VLC crashes without warning.
Sometimes, VLC media player suddenly crashes when you watch some normal files, try to insert subtitle or make it full screen.
4. VLC media player will damage the speakers!
If you are using VLC media player and keep the volume loud for a long time, your speakers could be damaged. Sadly, some manufacturers like Dell say replacing the speakers will not be covered by the hardware warranty. Therefore, please keep the volume down while using VLC.
Now, it is time to look for VLC alternatives to play your video or audio files. No matter you have come across these problems or not, it is a good idea to prepare a suitable alternative to VLC.
You will find many people are searching for VLC alternatives on the Internet. Here, we list different alternatives to VLC media player for Windows/Mac/Linux. Read on and find out which one suits you best.
Part 1. VLC Alternatives for Windows
VLC is a free video editing software, you might need to look for a VLC alternative because of the unfriendly UI, “Rebuilding Font Cache” thing and other problems. Now, try the following alternatives to VLC media player for Windows.
No 1. Windows Movie Maker
There is no doubt that many people have probably heard of Windows Movie Maker, a video editing tool developed by Microsoft. It not only allows you to watch video, but also lets you edit this video simply, for instance, add text to video.
Related article: How to Add Text to Video in Windows Movie Maker (Step-by-Step Guide).
Now, some users might want to know where to get this tool since it was officially discontinued on January 10, 2017. Fortunately, you can get this Microsoft video editing tool by clicking the following button.
Cons
- It supports playing videos as well as pictures.
- It can edit your videos simply.
- It is able to share your videos on YouTube, Facebook, etc.
Related article: How to Use Movie Maker | Step-by-step Guide for Beginners.
Pros
- Microsoft does not support it now.
- It cannot play music alone.
No 2. 5KPlayer
5KPlayer is a mixture of free (MKV) HD video player and music player. This real media player is compatible with Windows as well as Mac OS X. If your VLC crashes suddenly, you can try this alternative.
Pros
- It supports a lot of video formats, including MKV, M2TS, MPEG1/2, WMV/ASF, AVI, MOV, RM, OGV, FLV, MP4, H.264, M4V, WEBM.
- It can play 4K UHD videos without any glitches.
- It is able to play 1080p or 1080i high-definition videos under 10% CPU cost.
- It can play MP3 AAC APE FLAC music perfectly to activate your senses.
- It can download online videos from YouTube, Facebook, Vimeo, etc.
Cons
This alternative to VLC media player for Windows might be confusing for beginners.
No 3. Windows Media Player
Windows media player is another VLC alternative. It allows you to play video and audio files. Besides, it allows previewing images on personal computers running the Microsoft Windows operating system, as well as on Pocket PC and Windows Mobile-based devices.
Pros
- It provides a less cluttered user interface.
- It offers a better music library.
- It supports network sharing.
- It can access to online music services.
Cons
- It cannot handle 4K, 3D and 360-degree video.
- It doesn’t support for VR headsets.
No 4. Photos App
If you are running Windows 10, you have another great VLC alternative – Photo app. This Windows 10 hidden media player not only can play video but also can play images. Besides, it can help to trim video.
Related Article: How to Cut Video Easily and Quickly (The Definitive Guide).
Pros
- It can play videos quickly.
- It has a simple, touch-friendly interface.
- It also supports browsing photo, and is able to create albums automatically.
- It has cool video editing effects.
Cons
- It cannot tag faces.
- It doesn’t support panorama stitching and selective focus.
No 5. KMPlayer
KM player can play video as well as audio in Windows. This alternative to VLC supports almost any format that Windows can play including AVI, ASF, WMV, AVS, FLV, MKV, and many more. With the VLC alternative, you can slow down or increase playback speed, select parts of a video as favorites.
Pros
- It supports many audio and video formats.
- It supports 3D and VR and setting related to that.
- It has extensive subtitle management.
- It can capture audio and video.
Cons
Advertisement (There are no hidden or misleading clauses while installing, but we will be asked whether we want to install Avast Antivirus after installing.)
After learning these different VLC alternatives for Windows, you can take a look of the below wonderful video tool.
No 6. MiniTool Movie Maker
MiniTool Movie Maker, free and simple video tool, lets you review videos, and pictures. Besides, it also lets you create videos and slideshow easily and quickly. For instance, I usually use this simple and free tool to create Facebook Slideshow.
Pros
- It supports a lot of video format including WMV, MP4, AVI, MOV, F4V, MKV, GIF, MP3, and so on.
- It offers wizard-like interfaces. This tool can help you create a movie without requiring professional knowledge and skill.
- It offers movie as well as trailer templates. You are able to easily create cool movies or Hollywood-style movie trailers.
- It allows you to make video with pictureseasily and quickly.
- It offers some filters to help you change the color, style, or tone in minutes.
- It offers plenty of useful transition effects to make the presentation, slideshow or movie good looking and impressive.
- It not only can split large video into small parts but also can trim video to remove the unwanted frames from the start or end of a clip. More details can be found in How to Trim Video Easily (Step-by-Step Guide with Pictures).
Cons
It only supports Windows OSs, now.
Part 2. VLC Alternative Mac
Mac users can try the following alternatives when the VLC media player isn’t working.
No 1. QuickTime Player
QuickTime player, the best VLC alternative Mac, is the most familiar media players for Mac users. As the default movie player as Mac, QuickTime player is capable of supporting various formats of videos, music, images, and other media files.
- QuickTime player enables you to set playback from 1/2x to 3x the normal speed.
- This alternative to VLC is capable of watching videos from hard drive and internet.
- This VLC alternative Mac allows you to screen recording your Mac, edit movies and extract audio from a video. However, you need to purchase the QuickTime Pro license key to unlock the recording, editing and extracting features.
No 2. MPlayerX Media Player
MPlayerX, a free and open source media player, is another VLC alternative.
- It can handle any media format in the world without extra plug-ins or codec packages as it is armed by FFmpeg and MPlayer.
- It provides you the easiest way to control the playback as it will follow your gestures.
- It can automatically and seamlessly detect and convert the encoding method of the subtitle file.
No 3. Movist
Movist, a free, simple yet powerful player for Mac, supports QuickTime, FFmpeg as well as subtitles.
- It is easy to use.
- It owns a beautiful and convenient user interface.
- It is available to adjust aspect ratios and configure keyboard shortcuts.
Unfortunately, this VLC alternative Mac doesn’t support Apple remote.
Part 3. VLC Alternative Linux
Let’s start with a true example from my best friend.
I’ve used VLC in Linux for years. But lately, it’s been choking and dying for no discernible reasons and attempts to troubleshoot have failed. Are there any other comparable alternatives for media players out there at the moment?
Now, my friend can try the following VLC alternative Linux.
No 1. Bomi Player
The best VLC alternative Linux, Bomi player (known as CM Player), works well on Linux and provides GUI features.
- This easy-to-use VLC alternative Linux provides some powerful features which you will find in the context menu.
- It supports audio file and subtitle at all.
- It allows browsing your old playlist because it generally saves all your playback record.
No 2. SMPlayer
SMPlayer supports for all the default formats as like as other media players.
- This VLC alternative Linux allows you to play YouTube video directly from this player because of its built-in codec.
- This VLC alternative loads the subtitle of a movie from the internet. And, it saves your all settings when you play video.
- This alternative to VLC is fully resume supported video player.
Your Choice
The above video editing tools are good alternatives to VLC media player. You can choose a suitable one to play your videos.
Which VLC alternatives do you like to choose? Let us know by leaving comments.
Should you have any other good suggestions about VLC alternatives, please share them with us. Thanks in advance!
VLC Alternatives FAQ
Is VLC the best media player?
VLC is a free, open-source, portable, and cross-platform media player that can play incomplete, unfinished or damaged video.
Is VLC better than QuickTime?
QuickTime Player is bundled into the macOS, thus it becomes the default option for a lot of users. However, VLC is often the best option since it supports a massive number of both audio and video file formats, and it is available on Windows, Mac, and Linux.
Which media player is better than VLC?
- PotPlayer
- KMPlayer
- Media Player Classic – Home Cinema
- ACG Player
- GOM Media Player
- DivX Player
- Kodi
- Plex
- 5KPlayer
- MediaMonkey
What’s the best video player for Windows 10?
- VLC Player
- PotPlayer
- Media Player Classic – Home Cinema
FAQs
Is there a better player than VLC for Mac? ›
5KPlayer. Last but not least on our list of VLC alternative Mac solutions is 5KPlayer. Like VLC, it is a free media player, but some different features are available. It has a video and audio library, which can, in addition to files on your hard drive, also add and organize media from online services.
Is there a better alternative to VLC? ›DivX is another good alternative to VLC. It can play most popular video formats. Besides that, you can use it to watch streaming videos in DivX, AVI and MKV formats through the web player. It also provides the DivX Converter for Mac, with which you can create and backup content or convert them into DivX or MKV.
Is SMPlayer better than VLC? ›SMPlayer not only fit the bill, it surpassed VLC in every way. It can sync audio - a vital feature of VLC. It loads and plays faster. It can instantly play in full screen, which many media players including VLC have problems with in Win 7.
Is it safe to use VLC on Mac? ›Apart from its sleek features, VLC media is a hundred percent safe for you to download.
What is the best video player for Mac OS? ›- Elmedia Player. Elmedia includes the most useful features you'll find in a video player for macOS devices. ...
- JustPlay. If you are looking for a compact player with wide format support, check out JustPlay. ...
- VLC Media Player. ...
- IINA. ...
- QuickTime. ...
- 5KPlayer. ...
- DivX. ...
- Cisdem Video Player for Mac.
VLC supports almost all file formats, eliminating the need to download additional codecs. This makes it a reliable choice for you who frequently use different media files. VLC also allows you to optimize video and audio playback based on the device you are using.
Can VLC reduce video quality? ›The VLC video compressor allows users to compress video without compromising image quality by reconfiguring the audio parameters like audio codec, bit rate, sample rate, and more.
What is the disadvantage of VLC? ›Drawbacks or disadvantages of VLC communication
➨There are challenges to integrate VLC with wifi system. ➨Other drawbacks with VLC system are atmospheric absorption, shadowing, beam dispersion etc. ➨It requires both source and receiver should be in LOS. Hence non-LOS communication is difficult to be achieved.
The official KMPlayer program is safe, meaning it's virus and malware-free.
Is VLC player Chinese? ›The VideoLAN software originated as a French academic project in 1996. VLC used to stand for "VideoLAN Client" when VLC was a client of the VideoLAN project.
Which is the best all format video player? ›
| Name | Best For |
|---|---|
| CyberLink PowerDVD 20 Ultra | Media playing with 8K, 4K, Ultra HD Blu-ray & H.265/HEVC playback. |
| VideoLan VLC Media Player | Open Source Multmedia Player |
| GOM Player | Play 4K, UHD and 360degree videos |
| Pot Player | 3D Video Viewing Experience |
VLC focuses more on the technical aspects, whereas MX Player focuses on customization and personalization. What is this? MX Player was initially just for videos but now supports audio files. Take a look at the below table for complete tools and options.
Why is VLC crashing Mac? ›The file you are trying to load could be corrupted, damaged, or even not supported by VLC. Your computer's Operating system might have updated, causing potential playback troubles. A security app, firewall, or other settings on your Mac could potentially block VLC or the file that you are trying to open.
Is VLC Apple Silicon Ready? ›Devices and Mac OS X version
VLC media player requires Mac OS X 10.7. 5 or later. It runs on any Mac with a 64-bit Intel processor or an Apple Silicon chip.
Yes, for many years no acOS upgrades have be no cost. View the complete list of compatible computers.
Is Mac best for video editing? ›Well, generally speaking, Macs are the better choice for beginners, mobile editors, and filmmakers who don't need a lot of customization and don't mind investing in a computer that could last them a decade.
What is the easiest video maker on Mac? ›With iMovie, create professional‑looking videos without an editing degree. Easily add photos and videos to projects, trim clips with your finger, add seamless transitions, and fade audio like a pro. You can also import and edit ProRes video 2 and add Apple ProRAW images to your movies and trailers.
Why is Mac OS better for video editing? ›For those who want to do video editing or graphic design work, the Mac might be a better option because they come equipped with built in tools which make it easier to manipulate images and videos without having to install additional software like Adobe Photoshop or Premier Pro.
Why was VLC banned in India? ›Why was VLC 'banned' in India? It was reported that a Chinese hacker group named Cicada had used VLC to deliver malware. According to cyber-security researchers at Symantec, the Cicada victims were found in India, the US, Canada, Israel, Hong Kong and several other countries.
Why is VLC so laggy? ›Change Power Plan to High Performance. Enabling a strict power profile on your Windows computer can cause apps to run slowly. As a result, videos in the VLC media player may lag or stutter. To avoid such performance issues, you can change your computer's power plan to High Performance mode and see if that helps.
Is 5kplayer better than VLC? ›
If you're all about being able to play many formats without issues, VLC is your top choice. However, if you're looking for a friendly interface and easy navigation, 5K Player is best.
How do I play 4K videos smoothly on VLC? ›- Update VLC Media player.
- Increase Cache Value.
- Change Video Output Settings.
- Disable Hardware-accelerated Decoding.
- Change ? Skip H.264 in-loop Deblocking Filter? Setting.
- Update Graphics Card Drivers.
- Convert to compress 4K UHD videos.
- Repair corrupt 4K UHD videos.
Run VLC, click on "Media" and select "Convert / Save" option in the context menu. Alternatively, you can directly press the hotkeys "Ctrl + R". On the pop-up "Open Media" window, navigate to "File" tab and click on "Add" button to add the 4K video you want to downconvert to 1080p, then press "Convert / Save" button.
Can VLC convert 1080p to 720p? ›VLC is actually a video player that has a conversion option. It's just that people use the conversion so often that they are starting to use the player more to convert videos rather than playing videos. The steps to convert 1080p to 720p using VLC are pretty straightforward, and users can do it in 5 minutes.
Is VLC not banned in India? ›The VLC Media Player website, which was banned in India, is now accessible for the Indian consumers as the Central government removed the block. The ban was lifted by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. The ban on the VLC Media Player's website was lifted on Monday, 14 November.
What is the safest site to download VLC Media Player? ›VideoLAN.org: This is the official site to download VLC media player for free. CNET: This is one of the trustworthy websites offering the VLC player for free. It provides you the latest version of the software. Softonic: On this website, you can enjoy a free and fast VLC player download.
Is VLC Legal? ›Most pieces of software from VideoLAN are licensed under the GNU General Public License Version 2 (referred herein as GPL). You will find a license file named COPYING in all our products.
Which is the safest video player? ›- 1 VLC for Android.
- 2 RealPlayer.
- 3 Video Player - OPlayer.
- 4 Video Player All Format - InShot Inc.
- 5 MX Player.
- 6 Playit-All in One Video Player.
- 7 aPlayer.
- 8 Video Player - Recorder & Music Apps.
KMPlayer was developed by Kang Yong-Huee (Korean: 강용희) and was officially released on 1 October 2002. On 5 March 2008, The KMPlayer's Forum announced that KMPlayer had been taken over by Pandora TV, a Korean streaming video company, in August 2007.
Should I uninstall KMPlayer? ›- The program is not compatible with other installed applications.
- The program crashes or hangs periodically/frequently.
- The program is not as good as the user expected.
- The program is being re-installed (uninstalled and installed again afterwards).
Is VLC working in India? ›
VCL media player is now available for download in India. The Indian government has removed the ban on the website of VLC media player.
Is VLC safe India? ›India has removed its controversial ban on VLC media player after the company went through an appeals process and addressed some of the concerns raised by the Ministry of Electronics and IT, according to the company's president.
Is VLC media player safe in India? ›However, it has a Chinese connection though. Cicada, a hacking group that is allegedly backed by the Chinese government, uses VLC Media Player to deploy malicious malware. Symantec, a cyber security research firm says that it has found victims of the same in India, Canada, Israel and several other countries.
Which player is best for 4K video? ›- Top 1. EaseUS RecExperts.
- Top 2. VLC Media Player.
- Top 3. CyberLink PowerDVD Ultra.
- Top 4. Cisdem Video Player.
- Top 5. Kodi.
- Top 6. DivX Player.
- Top 7. GOM Player Plus.
Nano is the Smallest portable media player Gadget which is just 21x16 pixels, smaller than icon size which is usually 32x32. The created media player can play various kind of audio and video fileswith Audio Visualization. It supported audio file types are (mp1, mp2. mp3, ogg, wma, asf).
Is VLC ad free? ›Based on the number of downloads, reviews, and ratings, the best video player for Android without ads may be VLC and MX Player. Both players offer tons of features without annoying ads.
What is the best version of VLC to download? ›VLC-2.1.
It had better efficiency and device management support. It fixes around 1000 bugs that were in older versions.
Launch VLC and open Tools > Preferences or press the keyboard shortcut (Ctrl + P). At the bottom-left of the Settings window click the All bullet to display additional settings. Now scroll down to Stream Output and change the caching to a larger number.
How do I stop VLC from freezing? ›- Update VLC Media Player to the latest version.
- Increase cache value in VLC Player.
- Disable Hardware Decoding.
- Change FFmpeg settings in VLC Player.
- Switch video output to DirectX DirectDraw in VLC.
Open VLC media player. Click on Tools > Preferences > Input/Codecs, you should see Hardware-accelerated decoding, click the drop-down icon, select Disable to disable hardware-accelerated decoding. Go back to the main interface of VLC, select a video to play to check if the VLC crashing issue is resolved.
Is VLC optimized for M1? ›
The latest update to ubiquitous open-source media player VLC is here, and it comes with native support for Apple silicon Mac computers — the new versions of the MacBook Pro, the MacBook Air, and the Mac mini with Apple's own M1 processor.
Why is Apple Silicon faster than Intel? ›Before Apple silicon, Macs used multiple chips for CPU, I/O, and security, but Apple's effort to integrate these chips is the reason why the M1 is so much faster and more efficient than prior Intel chips.
Is 8GB enough for Apple Silicon? ›For everyday activities — browsing the web, managing emails, or working with an office suite — 8GB is perfectly adequate. But once you need more, or you're working with several apps running simultaneously, for example, on multiple displays, it's better to pay extra.
Which Apple OS is free? ›Apple has released this family of software as a free and open source operating system named Darwin. On top of Darwin, Apple layered a number of components, including the Aqua interface and the Finder, to complete the GUI-based operating system which is macOS.
Does Bill Gates use macOS? ›Bill Gates has said many times that he prefers Android over iPhone, and that apparently hasn't changed. In a recent “Ask Me Anything” on Reddit, the Microsoft co-founder revealed that he unsurprisingly hasn't made the switch to an iPhone nor does he use an iPad, Mac, or Microsoft Surface Duo.
What is the latest Mac version? ›| Version | Release Name | Most recent version |
|---|---|---|
| macOS 10.14 | Mojave | 10.14.6 (18G9323) (July 21, 2021) |
| macOS 10.15 | Catalina | 10.15.7 (19H2026) (July 20, 2022) |
| macOS 11 | Big Sur | 11.7.7 (20G1345) (May 18, 2023) |
| macOS 12 | Monterey | 12.6.6 (21G646) (May 18, 2023) |
The VLC software might not have been installed correctly on your Mac when you initially downloaded it. The file you are trying to load could be corrupted, damaged, or even not supported by VLC. Your computer's Operating system might have updated, causing potential playback troubles.
How do I speed up VLC on Mac? ›- Add the video file to VLC, whose speed you wish to increase.
- Once the video is imported, head over to the toolbar and click on the Playback tab.
- A drop-down menu will pop-up. Locate the Playback Speed option and adjust the speed of the video file.
- That's it!
Best Overall: VLC Media Player
When it comes to the best video players for Mac, VLC is the longtime king. This free, lightweight, open source cross-platform media player is powerful enough to cope with most video formats including MPEG, WMV, MP4, MKV, MOV, and AVI.
The difference between Apple's free version of QuickTime and the paid version, QuickTime Pro, is one of functionality.
Is QuickTime still valid? ›
Then, with the release of Catalina in October 2019, QuickTime was dead, leaving few Mac users now able to name its successor, AV Foundation (or AVFoundation, if you prefer), which had been introduced back in 2011. QuickTime supported three main classes of media: audio, video and pictures.
What is the newest version of VLC? ›| Windows, Linux, & macOS | 3.0.18 / 29 November 2022 |
|---|---|
| Android | 3.5.3 / 3 November 2022 |
| ChromeOS | 1.7.3 / 23 December 2015 |
| iOS, Apple TV | 3.3.12 / 21 December 2022 |
| Windows (UWP) | 3.1.2 / 20 July 2018 |
Change Power Plan to High Performance. Enabling a strict power profile on your Windows computer can cause apps to run slowly. As a result, videos in the VLC media player may lag or stutter. To avoid such performance issues, you can change your computer's power plan to High Performance mode and see if that helps.
How to clear VLC cache on Mac? ›Select "VLC" menu -> "Preferences" and hit "Reset All" in the bottom left corner.
What app speeds up videos on Mac? ›- SpeedPro Slow speed video edit. Photo & Video.
- Slow Fast Motion Video Editor. Photo & Video.
- Video Speed Changer - Editor. Photo & Video.
- Slow-Fast Motion Video Editor. Photo & Video.
- Slow Motion: Video FX Editor. Photo & Video.
- Slo Mo Video: Slow Motion Edit. Photo & Video.