Did you know that you can make VLC your default media player on Windows 11? If you’re tired of using the default Windows Media Player, or if you simply prefer VLC’s features, then this is a great option for you.
VLC is a free and open-source media player that is available for Windows, Mac, Linux, and other platforms. It is known for its wide range of features, including the ability to play almost any type of media file, support for subtitles, and the ability to stream media over the internet. In addition, VLC is highly customizable, so you can change its appearance and behavior to suit your own preferences.
Making VLC your default media player on Windows 11 is a simple process. Here are the steps:
1. Open the Settings app on your computer. You can do this by pressing the Windows key + I.
2. Click on the “Apps” tab.
3. Click on the “Default apps” link.
4. Scroll down to the “Video player” section.
5. Click on the “VLC media player” option.
6. Close the Settings app.
That’s it! VLC is now your default media player on Windows 11. You can now open any video file or audio file on your computer and it will automatically play in VLC.
Setting VLC as the Default Player for General File Types
VLC is a versatile media player that can play a wide range of file formats. If you prefer to use VLC as your default media player, you can easily configure it as such in Windows 11.
To set VLC as the default player for general file types, follow these steps:
- Open the Settings app by pressing Windows Key + I.
- Click on Apps, then select Default apps.
- Scroll down to the “Media player” section and click on the current default app.
- In the “Choose an app” pop-up window, select VLC media player.
Now, all media files on your computer will automatically open using VLC. If you later decide to change the default media player, you can repeat the above steps and select a different app.
Additional Notes:
- You can also set VLC as the default player for specific file types. To do this, select the file type in the “Default apps” settings and then choose VLC from the list of available apps.
- If you don’t see VLC in the list of available apps, it means it’s not installed on your computer. You can download VLC for free from the official website.
Specifying VLC for Specific File Extensions
To associate specific file extensions with VLC, follow these detailed steps:
1. Open the Settings App
Click on the Start menu and type “Settings” in the search bar. Select the “Settings” app from the results.
2. Navigate to App Settings
In the Settings app, click on “Apps” from the left-hand menu. Then, select “Default apps” from the right-hand pane.
3. Set VLC as Default for File Extensions
Scroll down to the “Choose default apps by file type” section. Find the file extension you want to associate with VLC (e.g., .mp4, .avi). Click on the current default app for that extension and select “VLC media player” from the drop-down menu.
Repeat this step for all the file extensions you want to open with VLC.
| File Extension | Default App |
|---|---|
| .mp4 | VLC media player |
| .avi | VLC media player |
| .mkv | VLC media player |
Using Command Prompt for System-Wide Changes
To set VLC as the default player system-wide using Command Prompt, follow these steps:
- Open Command Prompt as an administrator.
- Run the following command to set VLC as the default association for all supported file types:
- To set VLC as the default player for all files, run the following command:
- To set VLC as the default player for specific file types, run the following commands for each type:
assoc .mp4=vlc.lnk
Replace “.mp4” with the file extension of the type you want to associate with VLC.
assoc *.*=vlc.lnk
This command sets the default association for all files to VLC.
| File Type | Command |
|---|---|
| MP4 | assoc .mp4=vlc.lnk |
| MP3 | assoc .mp3=vlc.lnk |
| AVI | assoc .avi=vlc.lnk |
Make sure to replace “.mp4”, “.mp3”, and “.avi” with the actual file extensions you want to associate with VLC.
Modifying Registry Settings
Editing the Windows Registry is a more advanced method that requires caution. Here are the detailed steps:
Step 1: Back Up the Registry
Before making any changes to the Registry, it’s crucial to create a backup to prevent data loss in case of any errors. To do this:
- Press Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog box.
- Type “regedit” and click “OK” to open the Registry Editor.
- Click “File” > “Export.”
- Select a location on your computer to save the backup file.
Step 2: Navigate to the VLC Key
In the Registry Editor, navigate to the following key:
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths
Step 3: Create the VLC Value
If the “VLC” value does not exist, right-click on the “App Paths” key and select “New” > “String Value.” Name the new value “VLC.”
Step 4: Set the Default Value
Double-click the “VLC” value and enter the following data in the “Value data” field:
| Value Name | Value Data |
|---|---|
| VLC | [Full path to VLC.exe] |
For example, if VLC is installed at “C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC,” the value should be:
“C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\vlc.exe”
Click “OK” to save the changes.
Utilizing Third-Party Applications
If the above methods do not suffice, you can employ third-party applications to seamlessly make VLC your default media player. File Association Fixer, for instance, is a dedicated tool that rectifies file association inconsistencies, enabling you to effortlessly set VLC as the default player for particular file types.
Alternatively, you can utilize a comprehensive file manager like Total Commander or FreeCommander. These utilities not only enable you to manage files effectively but also feature built-in tools for customizing file associations. By leveraging these applications, you can meticulously configure VLC as the default player for specific file formats or even for all media files on your system.
File Association Fixer
File Association Fixer is a specialized application designed to resolve file association issues. Follow these steps to utilize it:
- Download and install File Association Fixer.
- Run the application and click on the “Fix File Associations” button.
- Select “VLC Media Player” from the list of available programs.
- Choose the file types you want VLC to handle and click on the “Apply” button.
Total Commander and FreeCommander
Total Commander and FreeCommander are feature-rich file managers that offer file association management capabilities. Here’s how to use them:
- Open Total Commander or FreeCommander.
- Navigate to the “Configuration” menu and select “Options”.
- Under the “File Types” tab, locate the file type you want to associate with VLC.
- Select VLC from the list of programs or browse to its location on your computer.
- Click on the “OK” button to save your changes.
Setting VLC as Default for Video Playback Only
To make VLC the default video player, follow these steps:
1. Open the Settings App
Click on the Start menu and type “Settings.” Click on the Settings icon to open the app.
2. Navigate to Apps
In the Settings window, click on “Apps.”
3. Click on Default Apps
In the left-hand menu, click on “Default apps.”
4. Click on the Video Player
Scroll down and click on the “Video player” option. A list of available video players will appear.
5. Select VLC
Click on the “VLC” option to select it as the default video player.
6. Verify the Default Setting
To verify if VLC has been set as the default video player, open a video file. If VLC opens the file, it means VLC has been successfully set as the default video player.
Alternatively, you can also set VLC as the default video player through the File Explorer:
- Open File Explorer and navigate to a video file.
- Right-click on the video file and select “Open with.”
- In the “Open with” dialog box, select VLC and check the “Always use this app to open .mp4 files” option.
- Click “OK” to save your changes.
Changing File Associations Using the Context Menu
This method allows you to quickly and easily associate specific file types with VLC. Here’s how to do it:
1. Right-click on a Media File
Locate a media file on your computer and right-click on it.
2. Select “Open With”
From the context menu, select the “Open With” option.
3. Choose “Choose Another App”
If VLC is not listed, click on the “Choose Another App” option.
4. Locate VLC in the App List
A list of available apps will appear. Scroll down and select “VLC Media Player” from the list.
5. Check “Always Use This App”
Make sure to tick the “Always Use This App” checkbox next to VLC.
6. Click “OK”
Click the “OK” button to apply the changes.
7. Repeat for Other File Types
If you want to associate VLC with other file types, simply repeat the above steps for each file type. To easily associate VLC with multiple file types, you can use the following table as a reference:
| File Extension | File Type |
|---|---|
| .mp4 | MP4 Video |
| .mkv | MKV Video |
| .mp3 | MP3 Audio |
| .wav | WAV Audio |
Using VLC’s Built-In Default Player Option
VLC offers a straightforward method to set itself as the default player for specific file types. Follow these steps to enable this option:
1. Launch VLC and click on the “Tools” menu.
2. Select “Preferences” from the drop-down menu.
3. Navigate to the “Input/Codecs” tab.
4. Scroll down to the “Associations” section.
5. Check the boxes next to the file types you want VLC to handle, such as MP4, AVI, or MKV.
6. Click the “Save” button to apply the changes.
7. Close VLC and restart it to ensure that the new settings take effect.
8. To verify that VLC is now the default player, open a file of the type you selected in step 5. If VLC plays the file automatically, it has been successfully set as the default player. Alternatively, you can right-click on the file and choose “Open With” to manually select VLC.
Choosing VLC Media Player as Default
1. Open the Windows Settings app by pressing “Windows Key + I”.
2. Navigate to “Apps > Default Apps”.
3. Scroll down and click on “Set defaults by app”.
4. In the search bar, type “VLC”.
5. Select “VLC Media Player” from the list.
6. Click on the “Set this program as default” button.
Troubleshooting Failed Default Player Settings
1. Check if VLC is installed and up to date.
2. Ensure that Windows is set to use VLC as the default player:
– Go to “Control Panel > Programs > Default Programs > Set Default Programs”.
– Select VLC Media Player and click on “Set this program as default”.
3. Delete the “DefaultMediaExtensions” key in the Windows Registry:
– Open the Registry Editor (regedit).
– Navigate to “HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.mp4”.
– Right-click on the “DefaultMediaExtensions” key and click on “Delete”.
4. Reset the Windows Media Player settings:
– Open the Windows Media Player app.
– Go to “Tools > Options”.
– In the “Privacy” tab, click on “Reset”.
5. Reinstall VLC Media Player:
– Uninstall VLC from the Control Panel.
– Download the latest version of VLC from the official website.
– Install VLC and set it as the default player again.
Additional Troubleshooting Tips:
6. Disable or remove any conflicting software:
– Check for other video player software that may be interfering with VLC.
– Disable or uninstall any suspicious programs that could be blocking VLC’s default settings.
7. Set VLC as the default player for all file types:
– Right-click on a video file and select “Open with”.
– Choose VLC Media Player and check the “Always use this app to open .mp4 files” box.
8. Repair VLC:
– Open the Control Panel.
– Select “Programs and Features”.
– Find VLC Media Player in the list and click on “Repair”.
9. Contact VLC support:
– If none of the above solutions resolve the issue, contact VLC support for further assistance.
Resetting Default Player Associations
If you have accidentally changed the default player associations on your Windows 11 computer, or if a third-party program has done so, you can reset them to their default values using these steps:
- Open the Settings app by pressing the Windows key + I.
- Click on "Apps" in the left-hand menu.
- Click on "Default apps" in the right-hand pane.
- Scroll down to the "Video player" section.
- Click on the "Choose a default" button.
- Select VLC Media Player from the list of available options.
- Close the Settings app.
Additional Notes:
If VLC Media Player is not listed in the “Choose a default” menu, you may need to install it first. You can download VLC Media Player from the official website.
Once VLC Media Player is installed, you can repeat the steps above to set it as the default video player.
If you are still having trouble setting VLC Media Player as the default video player, you can try the following:
Method 1
- Open the File Explorer and navigate to the following folder: C:\Users\[Your Username]\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Win32
- Locate the “vlc.exe” file and right-click on it.
- Select “Send to” and then “Desktop (create shortcut).”
- Right-click on the shortcut on the desktop and select “Properties.”
- In the “Target” field, add the following text to the end of the existing path: –register-extension-protocol
- Click on “OK” to save the changes.
- Double-click on the shortcut to launch VLC Media Player.
- Click on “Tools” in the menu bar and select “Preferences.”
- In the “Preferences” window, click on the “Associations” tab.
- Make sure that the “File types” section is selected and check the boxes next to the file types that you want VLC Media Player to open by default.
- Click on “Save” to save the changes.
**Method 2**
- Open the Registry Editor by pressing the Windows key + R and typing “regedit.”
- Navigate to the following key: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shell\open\command
- Double-click on the “(Default)” value and change the data value to the following: “C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\vlc.exe” “%1”
- Click on “OK” to save the changes.
- Close the Registry Editor.
After performing one of the above methods, VLC Media Player should be set as the default video player on your Windows 11 computer.
How to Make VLC the Default Player on Windows 11
VLC is a free and open-source media player that is known for its versatility and ability to play a wide range of media formats. If you prefer to use VLC as your default media player on Windows 11, you can follow these steps:
- Open the Settings app by pressing Windows + I.
- Click on the “Apps” tab.
- Select “Default apps” from the left-hand menu.
- Scroll down to the “Video player” section and click on the current default player.
- Select VLC from the list of available apps.
People Also Ask
How do I make VLC the default player for all media types?
To make VLC the default player for all media types, you need to edit the registry. Here’s how:
- Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog.
- Type “regedit” and press Enter.
- Navigate to the following key: HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsMediaPlayerSettings.
- Double-click on the “Player” value and change the data to “vlc.exe”.
- Close the registry editor and restart your computer.
How do I make VLC the default player for specific file types?
To make VLC the default player for specific file types, you need to associate the file types with VLC. Here’s how:
- Right-click on a file of the desired type and select “Open with”.
- Click on “Choose another app”.
- Select VLC from the list of apps or click on “More apps” to browse for VLC.
- Check the “Always use this app to open .[file extension]” box.
- Click on “OK”.
