The current VLC for Windows is version 3.0.24, a 43 MB download, according to the VideoLAN download page. VideoLAN's news page dates it 22 September 2026 and describes it as a security update with over 130 fixes, a major FFmpeg upgrade, new capture and caption features, and a fix for slow Windows startup around Daylight Saving Time changes. On the check date of 23 October 2026 it was 31 days old.
VideoLAN says VLC runs "on all versions of Windows, from Windows XP SP3 to the last version of Windows 11." The page also says Windows 95, 98 and Me need KernelEx or an older VLC version. VideoLAN is a non-profit, and the download page says VideoLAN software is available under various open-source licences, with use and distribution defined by each software licence.
Installer options
| Architecture | Formats listed on the download page |
|---|---|
| 64-bit | EXE installer, 7z, ZIP, MSI |
| 32-bit | EXE installer, 7z, ZIP, MSI |
| ARM64 | EXE installer, 7z, ZIP, MSI |
Scope: videolan.org/vlc/download-windows.html, read 23 Oct 2026. The Microsoft Store is not listed on that page. The MSI and ZIP forms suit managed installs and portable use; the page does not describe either in detail.
Release history
| Version | Date (VideoLAN news) | What the announcement says |
|---|---|---|
| 3.0.24 | 22 Sep 2026 | Security update with over 130 fixes, a major FFmpeg upgrade, new capture and caption features, fix for slow Windows startup around Daylight Saving Time changes |
| 3.0.23 | 8 Jan 2026 | Codec updates, dark mode on Windows and Linux, Windows ARM64 support, many stability and security fixes |
| 3.0.21 | 10 Jun 2024 | AMD and NVIDIA GPU video filtering, better format playback and subtitle rendering, a security fix |
Computed from the dates above: 577 days from 3.0.21 to 3.0.23 and 257 days from 3.0.23 to 3.0.24. The releases page also lists 3.0.19/3.0.20, 3.0.18 and 3.0.17 without dates and shows no 3.0.22, so version numbers skip. VLC does not ship on a fixed schedule, and the gaps in this window were long.
That pattern matters for one reason: the last two long gaps were followed by releases that fixed many security issues at once. Version 3.0.24 alone is credited with over 130 fixes, so a copy of VLC that is a year or more old has missed a large batch. If you keep an old installer, check the version in Help, then About, and compare it with the one VideoLAN lists.
Other VLC products
VideoLAN's news page also lists VLC for Android 3.7.0 (25 February 2026), VLC for iOS, iPadOS and tvOS 3.7.0 (8 January 2026) and VLC for Android 3.6.0 (13 January 2025). This directory covers the Windows desktop player only.
What VideoLAN says VLC is
VideoLAN's home page calls VLC a "free and open source cross-platform multimedia player and framework." It says VLC plays most codecs without codec packs, naming MPEG-2, MPEG-4, H.264, MKV, WebM, WMV and MP3, and that it plays files, discs, webcams, devices and streams. It is offered on Windows, Linux, macOS, Unix, iOS and Android, and the download list also includes the Windows Store, Apple TV, Chrome OS, FreeBSD and OS/2.
The page makes a privacy claim in a single line: "Completely Free - no spyware, no ads and no user tracking." It is the developer's statement, and this directory has not tested it. VLC also supports skins, a skin editor and extensions, according to the page. The "no codec packs" line is the reason a codec pack is usually unnecessary with VLC.
Before you install: a short check
- Pick the build that matches your system: 64-bit for most current PCs, ARM64 for Windows on Arm, 32-bit for old hardware.
- Use VideoLAN's page. VLC, VideoLAN and x264 are registered trademarks of the VideoLAN organisation, which means other sites can use the name without being the project.
- Run the installer once and read each screen. The download page makes no statement about offers inside the installer.
- Do not expect the Microsoft Store listing to be the same file. The download page does not list the Store at all.
Video players side by side
| Player | Windows floor stated | Licence stated | Where the build comes from |
|---|---|---|---|
| VLC | Windows XP SP3 to 11 | Open source (various) | Official installer, MSI, ZIP, 7z from VideoLAN |
| MPC-HC | Windows 7 to 11 | GPL v3 | GitHub releases |
| mpv | Not stated | Not named on the home page; libmpv builds GPLv3 or LGPLv3 | Third-party builds, plus project CI builds for testing |
| PotPlayer | Windows 7 to 11 | Not stated | Developer's page; x86, x64, arm64 installers |
Scope: each player's own pages on this site, read 23 Oct 2026. "Not stated" means the pages we read give no statement.
Alternatives in this directory
MPC-HC is a lighter Windows-only player, and mpv is a command-line-driven player with a minimal interface. PotPlayer is a Windows player with many video settings, and K-Lite Codec Pack adds codecs to other players instead of replacing them. For music libraries, foobar2000, MusicBee and AIMP are audio-first players. Large video files can also be packed or unpacked with 7-Zip.