VLC plays nearly every media format that exists today, right out of the box.
MP4, MKV, AVI, MOV, WMV, WebM, FLV and MPEG files play back instantly with no additional codecs to install.
MP3, AAC, FLAC, OGG, WAV and WMA audio tracks are decoded natively for accurate, gapless playback.
SRT, SSA/ASS, VobSub and WebVTT subtitles load automatically or can be added manually in seconds.
HTTP, RTSP, RTP/UDP, HLS and RTMP streams open directly from a URL with no extra setup required.
VLC's built-in library of decoders means it very rarely needs an external codec pack, even for older or unusual file types such as DivX, RealMedia or DVD VOB files copied straight from a disc. If a format ever changes, VLC's active development community typically adds support within a stable release cycle.
This same flexibility extends to disc-based media: VLC can open DVDs and VCDs directly, including ones with menus and chapters, and can also read raw ISO disc images without any additional mounting software installed on your system.
Because decoding happens entirely inside VLC rather than relying on codecs installed system-wide, playback behaves consistently across Windows, macOS and Linux, and older or unusual file types from years-old projects still open correctly today.