Set VLC as your default player on Windows, Mac, or Linux

VLC becomes your default player when you tell your operating system to open video files with it instead of whatever player came built in. On Windows, you do this through Settings. On Mac, you use the Get Info window for a video file. On Linux, the method depends on your desktop environment, but most let you right-click a video file and choose "Open With" to set a default.

The steps take less than a minute, and once you set it, every video file on your computer will open in VLC unless you specifically choose a different player. You can change it back the same way if you decide you want a different default later.

Key Takeaways

  • Windows users open Settings, go to Apps > Default Apps, search for a video format like .mp4, and select VLC from the list.
  • Mac users right-click any video file, select "Get Info", choose VLC under "Open With", and click "Change All".
  • Linux users typically right-click a video file, choose "Open With", select VLC, and check a box to make it the default.
  • You can set VLC as the default for one file type at a time or for all video formats at once, depending on your operating system.
  • Changing the default back to another player uses the exact same steps — just select a different program instead of VLC.

Windows: Using Settings to set VLC as default

Open the Windows Settings app by pressing the Windows key and typing "Settings", then press Enter. Navigate to Apps in the left sidebar, then click Default Apps.

Scroll down until you see a list of file types. Look for video formats like .mp4, .avi, .mkv, or .mov — whichever format you use most often. Click on the file type you want to change. A window will pop up showing all the programs on your computer that can open that format. Find VLC in the list and click it. Windows will now open that file type with VLC by default.

If you want VLC to be the default for multiple video formats, repeat this step for each one. You can also scroll to the bottom of the Default Apps list and look for a "Set defaults by app" option, which lets you select VLC and have it become the default for all video formats at once.

Mac: Using Get Info to set VLC as default

Find any video file on your Mac — it can be any format that VLC plays. Right-click the file and select "Get Info" from the menu that appears.

In the Get Info window, look for a section called "Open With". Click the dropdown menu next to it and find VLC in the list. If VLC does not appear, click "Other" at the bottom of the dropdown, navigate to your Applications folder, and select VLC from there.

After you select VLC, you will see a button that says "Change All". Click it. This tells your Mac to open all files of that type with VLC from now on. Close the Get Info window and you are done.

Linux: Setting VLC as default through file manager or terminal

On most Linux desktop environments, right-click any video file in your file manager. Look for an option called "Open With" or "Properties". Select VLC from the list of available programs. Some file managers will show a checkbox or button that says "Set as default" — click it if you see it.

If your file manager does not offer that option, you can use the terminal instead. Open a terminal and type the command xdg-mime default vlc.desktop video/mp4 (replace video/mp4 with whatever format you want to set). This tells your system to open that video format with VLC. You can repeat the command for other formats like video/x-matroska or video/x-msvideo.

Different Linux distributions and desktop environments handle this slightly differently, so if neither method works, check your file manager's preferences or settings menu for a "File Associations" or "Default Applications" section.

What to do if VLC does not appear in the default apps list

If you have VLC installed but it does not show up when you try to set it as default, the program may not be fully installed or your system does not recognize it. On Windows, try uninstalling VLC completely, restarting your computer, and installing it again from the official VLC website. Make sure you download the correct version for your system — 32-bit or 64-bit.

On Mac, make sure VLC is in your Applications folder, not just in your Downloads folder. If it is still in Downloads, drag it to Applications first. On Linux, you may need to install VLC through your package manager (like apt, dnf, or pacman) rather than downloading it directly, so your system registers it properly.

Changing your default player back to something else

If you decide you want a different default player instead of VLC, use the exact same steps you used to set VLC. On Windows, go back to Settings > Apps > Default Apps, find the video format, and select a different program. On Mac, right-click a video file, select Get Info, choose a different player under "Open With", and click "Change All". On Linux, right-click a video file and select a different program from the "Open With" menu.

You can switch back and forth between players as many times as you want. There is no limit to how many times you can change your default.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will setting VLC as default affect other programs that use video files?

No. Setting VLC as your default only changes what happens when you double-click a video file in your file manager. Other programs like web browsers, email clients, or video editing software will still open video files the way they are configured to, unless you specifically tell them to use VLC instead.

Can I set VLC as default for only some video formats, not all of them?

Yes. On all three operating systems, you can set the default one file type at a time. For example, you could make VLC the default for .mp4 files but keep another player as the default for .mov files. Just repeat the steps for each format separately.

What if I want to open a video with a different player just one time?

Right-click the video file and select "Open With" (or "Open With" > "Other" on Mac). Choose the player you want to use for that one file. This does not change your default — the next time you open a video, it will still use VLC.

Do I need to restart my computer after setting VLC as default?

No. The change takes effect immediately on Windows and Mac. On Linux, you may need to close and reopen your file manager, but a full restart is not necessary.