VLC for Android

Videolabs

About this app

VLC media player is a free and open source cross-platform multimedia player that plays most multimedia files as well as discs, devices, and network streaming protocols.

This is the port of VLC media player to the Android™ platform. VLC for Android can play any video and audio files, as well as network streams, network shares and drives, and DVD ISOs, like the desktop version of VLC.

VLC for Android is a full audio player, with a complete database, an equalizer and filters, playing all weird audio formats.

VLC is intended for everyone, is totally free, has no ads, no in-app-purchases, no spying and is developed by passionate volunteers. All the source code is available for free.


Features
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VLC for Android™ plays most local video and audio files, as well as network streams (including adaptive streaming), DVD ISOs, like the desktop version of VLC. It also support disk shares.

All formats are supported, including MKV, MP4, AVI, MOV, Ogg, FLAC, TS, M2TS, Wv and AAC. All codecs are included with no separate downloads. It supports subtitles, Teletext and Closed Captions.

VLC for Android has a media library for audio and video files, and allows to browse folders directly.

VLC has support for multi-track audio and subtitles. It supports auto-rotation, aspect-ratio adjustments and gestures to control volume, brightness and seeking.

It also includes a widget for audio control, supports audio headsets control, cover art and a complete audio media library.


Permissions
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VLC for Android needs access to those categories:
• "Photos/Media/Files" to read your all media files :)
• "Storage" to read your all media files on SD cards :)
• "Other" to check network connections, change the volume, set the ringtone, run on Android TV and display the popup view, see below for details.

Permission Details :
• It needs "read the contents of your USB storage", in to order to read your media files on it.
• It needs "modify or delete the contents of your USB storage", in order to allow deletion of files and store subtitles.

• It needs "full network access", to open network and internet streams.
• It needs "prevent phone from sleeping" in order to prevent... your phone from sleeping when watching a video.
• It needs "change your audio settings", in order to change audio volume.
• It needs "modify system settings", in order to allow you to change your audio ringtone.
• It needs "view network connections" in order to monitor whether device is connected or not.
• It needs "draw over other apps" to start the custom picture-in-picture widget.
• It needs "control vibration" to give feedback on the controls.
• It needs "run at startup" to set recommendations on Android TV launcher screen, only used on Android TV devices.
• It needs "microphone" to provide voice search on Android TV devices, only asked on Android TV devices.

Ratings and reviews

It is one of the better 3rd party media apps. One thing that infuriates me and they refuse to acknowledge or fix is how sensitive the "swipe to dismiss" feature for tracks on playlists is. If I'm scrolling through a playlist or even just a file directory, if I slide my finger a millimetre left or right, it "dismisses/deletes" the file from playback, non-consenually. Some creepy french guy on GitHub couldn't understand the issue, so that doesn't inspire me much in their technical competence.

Its great, ad free and does the job. Acquired taste for some, but im glad I downloaded it after trying other free options. No data sharing, competent player. The others spammed me with ads and honestly weren't super great either. By the way, a lot of old reviews are defunct now. Ie: one user complained about shuffle not being available after starting playing. Theres a shuffle button now.

Possibly one of the best Mp4/Mp3 offline player apps I have used yet. (Maybe ever.) No internet needed in order to actually play stuff like spotify, etc. No Ads, ease of use, and no annoying micro-transactions! Honestly, the stars say it all. I could use this anywhere and everywhere. Not to mention, it even works when the app is closed! +bonus points. Recommended.

What's new

* Fix media controls not working after some time on Android 13
* Fix audio notification icon transparency
* Fix some Android Auto and Android TV behaviors
* Fix opening from other apps
* Bluetooth fixes
* Minor interface fixes
* Crash fixes