VLC Media Player, a beloved tool for playing various media formats, has captured the hearts of users worldwide. Its versatility, simplicity, and compatibility make it a go-to choice for watching videos, listening to music, or even streaming online content. However, even the most reliable software can encounter hiccups, and Windows 11 users might sometimes find themselves in a frustrating situation when VLC Media Player refuses to cooperate. Let us learn how to fix VLC Media Player not working in Windows 11.
Software, like VLC Media Player, relies on a complex interplay of code, libraries, and system components. When it encounters a new operating system like Windows 11, there can be compatibility issues due to differences in how the software interacts with the underlying technology. These compatibility challenges may manifest as errors, crashes, or performance issues, which can be frustrating for users who rely on VLC for their media needs. Keep reading to get to the core of these issues and ways to fix them.
How to Fix VLC Media Player Not Working in Windows 11
There are many common issues that can lead to VLC not working, such as errors in file types, corrupted VLC files, or incompatibility with the Windows operating system due to older software versions. You can easily fix them and get your VLC Media Player up and running.
Now that we have a more detailed understanding of these issues, let’s explore straightforward solutions to fix VLC Media Player not working in Windows 11:
1. Check the File Format
When you want to watch a video or listen to music using the VLC Media Player, you need to make sure that the file you have is in a type or format that VLC can understand. VLC can work with many different types of files, but there are some rare or broken file types that it might not be able to play.
To check if your file is the problem, try playing a different file that you know should work with VLC. If the new file plays without any issues, then the problem might be with the first file, and you may need to convert it to a format that VLC can handle or repair it if it’s corrupted.
VLC supports a wide range of file formats, including but not limited to:
- Video Formats: MP4, AVI, MKV, MOV, WMV, and more.
- Audio Formats: MP3, WAV, FLAC, AAC, and more.
If your file is in one of these formats, it should work well with VLC.
2. Turn Off Hardware Acceleration on VLC
Hardware acceleration is a feature that allows VLC to use your computer’s graphics hardware for smoother playback. However, it can sometimes cause conflicts. To turn it off, you can follow the following steps:
1. Open VLC Media Player.
2. Click on the Tools option and then select the Preferences option from the menu that appears.
3. In the Preferences window, click on the Input/Codecs category.
4. Then look for the Hardware-Accelerated Decoding option and set it to Disable from the drop-down menu.
5. After that Save your preferences and restart VLC.
3. Change the File Caching and Network Caching Values
Modifying the file caching and network caching values in VLC is essential for optimizing media playback by determining how much data the player preloads before playing. Adjusting these values can help prevent buffering issues and ensure smooth playback, particularly useful for slow internet connections or high-definition media files.
Adjusting caching settings can help resolve playback issues. For that, follow these steps:
1. Open VLC Media Player.
2. Then go to Tools > Preferences. Or, you can use Ctrl + P shortcut key to open VLC Preferences.
3. To view all the Advanced Preferences settings, click on the All option under Show Settings.
4. Here, click on Input/codecs and look for the Advanced section. You’ll find File caching (ms), Network caching (ms), and Disc caching (ms). Increase the values slightly to improve playback stability.
5. After that, click on the Save button to save your preferences. Then, try playing the file again.
4. Choose DirectX (DirectDraw) as the Default Video Output Mode
By default, the VLC media player uses the OpenGL video output mode for Windows. However, this mode of playback may encounter compatibility issues with certain video codecs. To resolve this problem, you can select or set the video output mode to DirectX.
To switch to DirectX (DirectDraw), you can follow the following steps:
1. Open VLC Media Player, click on the Tools option in the top menu bar, and select the Preferences option.
2. In the Preferences window, click on the Video option.
3. Under Output, select DirectX (DirectDraw video output) from the drop-down menu.
4. Then click on the Save button to save your preferences.
5. Finallly restart the VLC Media Player and check whether it is working or not.
5. Reset the VLC Preferences
The preferences file stores all the essential settings for VLC. If it becomes corrupted for any reason, VLC will exhibit unusual behavior. It may fail to play videos, and certain commands may not function as expected.
You can reset your VLC Media Player settings to their default values to fix these preference settings that might be causing VLC Media Player not to work on Windows 11.
Here are the steps you can follow to reset VLC Media Player Preferences to their default settings:
1. Open VLC Media Player on your computer.
2. Press Ctrl + P on your keyborar.
3. This will open the Prefrences Window. Here click on the Reset Prefrences option.
4. Next, you will receive a confirmation window. Here, click on the OK button. This process will reset your VLC Media Player Preferences to default.
6. Check for the Latest VLC Update
Sometimes, older versions of VLC Media Player can have conflicts with Windows 11. Keeping your VLC installation up to date is crucial for bug fixes and compatibility with new operating systems like Windows 11.
Here is how you check for and download the latest version of VLC Media Player for Windows 11:
1. Open VLC Media Player
2. Then click on the Help menu bar.
3. Here, you will find an option for Check for Update, click on it.
If there is any available update for VLC Media Player, it will download and install it on your Windows computer.
7. Reinstall VLC Media Player
After following all the steps, if you are still unable to fix VLC Media Player not working in Windows 11, then try reinstalling VLC Media Player.
To uninstall and reinstall VLC Media Player on Windows 11, follow the steps mentioned below:
1. Open the Start Menu by clicking on the Start button in the bottom-left corner.
2. Type Control Panel into the search bar and press Enter to open it.
3. In the Control Panel window, look for Uninstall a program under the Programs category and click on it.
4. Locate VLC Media Player in the list of installed programs.
5. Right-click on VLC Media Player and select Uninstall. Follow the on-screen prompts to confirm and complete the uninstallation process.
6. Download the latest version from the official website and install VLC Media Player again and see if the problem is resolved.
8. Update Graphics Drivers
Outdated or incompatible graphics drivers can lead to VLC Media Player misbehavior because VLC relies on your graphics driver to output video content in Windows 11. Therefore, an outdated graphics driver on your PC or laptop could be the root cause of the VLC Media Player not working issue.
To update the graphics driver on your Windows 11 PC or laptop, follow the steps below:
1. Open Device Manager by pressing Win + X and selecting Device Manager or searching for it in the Start menu.
2. In Device Manager, expand the Display adapters category to find your graphics card.
3. Right-click on the graphics card and choose Update driver option from the context menu.
4. Next click on Automatically for drivers and follow the on-screen instructions.
5. Restart your computer after the driver update is complete.
9. Update Windows 11
After reinstalling VLC Media Player, if it is still not working, you can ensure that your Windows operating system is up to date to resolve compatibility issues. You can check for updates and install them on your PC. Windows updates include bug fixes, and this might also help you get rid of VLC Media Player malfunctioning.
To update Windows 11 to the latest stable build, follow these steps:
1. Click on the Start button & Select the Settings icon. Or, press Win + I on open Windows Settings.
2. In the Settings app, choose Windows Update for the left pane and click on the Check for Updates button.
3. If updates are available, click Download and Install.
4. After that, Restart your computer if required.
Conclusion
That’s it! This is how you can fix VLC Media Player not working in Windows 11. VLC Media Player is an excellent tool for enjoying your multimedia content on Windows 11. However, like any software, it can encounter problems from time to time. By following the troubleshooting methods outlined in this guide, you can address common issues such as VLC not opening, crashes, audio/video sync problems, and playback hiccups.
Remember to keep your VLC installation and Windows 11 system updated for the best experience, and don’t hesitate to seek help from the VLC community when needed. With these simple solutions, you can restore VLC’s functionality and continue enjoying your favorite videos and music hassle-free.
