Overview

Features & Capabilities

VLC is a free, open-source cross-platform multimedia player that plays almost all movie, show, and music formats directly without conversion.

It supports cloud sync with Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, Box, iCloud Drive, and iTunes, direct downloads, Wi‑Fi sharing, and streaming from SMB/FTP/SFTP/NFS/UPnP/DLNA servers and the web. It also offers advanced subtitles (SSA compatibility), multi-track audio, playback speed control, and Chromecast rendering. VLC is completely free and open source.

User Growth & Download Statistics

Contact the developer

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Developed by:
VideoLAN
Apple Apps Store
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/vlc-media-player/id650377962
Website:
http://www.videolan.org/vlc/download-ios.html

User Reviews

Reviews praise VLC for broad format support, zero-cost usage, and strong audio tools, plus easy PC–iOS media transfer and solid video playback. However, multiple users report reliability and playback issues after updates (startup lag, background stutter, crashes), data/media loss or import failures, playlist/automation shortcomings, and subtitle syncing problems. Common requests include Picture-in-Picture, watchOS support, and improved playlist/shortcut integration, reflecting a mix of high capability and notable reliability gaps.
Pros
  • Versatile across a wide range of audio and video formats and tasks.
  • Free to use and widely adopted.
  • Strong audio tools, including an equalizer and audio manipulation features.
  • Easy transfer of media files between PC and iOS devices.
  • Solid video playback and general media playback capabilities (watching movies).
Cons
  • Playback starts with a lag or skip and occasional pitch shift at the beginning of tracks.
  • Stuttering or lag when the app is backgrounded or minimized, and lack of Picture-in-Picture support.
  • Data loss or media disappearing/not appearing after updates or imports.
  • Limitations in playlist management and automation (no reliable local playlists or Shortcuts integration; limited playlist search).
  • Subtitle synchronization and automatic matching issues (subtitles often out of sync or require manual download).
Recent reviews
1. Add PiP 2. Fix the stutter that happens when an audio track is played
by la*****, 2026-08-05

I've gotten to the point of not using vlc because of the annoyance of mistakenly swipping up or down and vlc dimming or brightening my screen when I don't want it to. At least allow the user to disable that function.
by Ap*****, 2026-08-05
View all user reviews ›

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