VLC media player 3.0.24 is a free Windows player from VideoLAN. The installer is a 44.1 MB download that links straight to download.videolan.org, the official server. It costs nothing and plays video, audio, discs, webcams and streams, and it needs Windows 7 or later.
VideoLAN and the open source project behind VLC
VLC is developed by VideoLAN, which publishes it at videolan.org. It is described as a cross-platform multimedia player and framework, and it is released under the GPL-2.0 licence. The tags on the listing include foss, cross-platform and media-player.
The version listed here is 3.0.24, released and updated on September 21, 2026.
Codecs, discs, webcams and streams without extra packs
The developer says VLC plays most codecs without codec packs. Named formats include MPEG-2, MPEG-4, H.264, MKV, WebM, WMV and MP3. Installing a separate pack is therefore not part of the setup.
Input is not limited to files on disk. VLC also handles DVDs, Audio CDs, VCDs, webcams, devices and various streaming protocols. That makes it usable as both a video player and a music player, which matches its categories on the site.
The developer also says it has no spyware, no ads and no user tracking.
Windows 7 minimum and a 44.1 MB installer
The minimum operating system is Windows 7, so older machines are covered. The package is 44.1 MB and the app is free. The package identifier is VideoLAN.VLC.
VLC media player pros and cons
Pros
- Free under the GPL-2.0 licence
- Plays MPEG-2, MPEG-4, H.264, MKV, WebM, WMV and MP3 without codec packs
- Handles discs, webcams, devices and streams as well as files
- Developer states no ads, no spyware and no user tracking
- Runs on Windows 7 and later
Cons
- Version 3.0.24 is the current release, but the app has no extra hardware requirements listed beyond Windows 7
- Version 3.0.24 comes without release notes
- The 44.1 MB download is larger than a minimal player would need
Is VLC media player safe?
The installer link leads to download.videolan.org, VideoLAN's own server, so the file never passes through our site. VideoLAN publishes VLC under the GPL-2.0 open source licence. The developer says the player has no ads, no spyware and no user tracking. We have no malware scan result to quote for this build.
How to install VLC media player
- Press the download button to get the official file.
- Run the installer you saved and confirm the Windows security prompt if the publisher matches.
- Follow the setup steps, then start VLC media player from the Start menu.
