If you’re using Ubuntu and looking for a reliable, lightweight media player that plays virtually anything—VLC Media Player is your best bet. It’s free, open-source, and supports every major audio and video format out there.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to installing VLC on Ubuntu Linux.
✅ Method 1: Install VLC Using Ubuntu Software Center (Easiest)
- Open Ubuntu Software Center
- In the search bar, type VLC
- Click on VLC Media Player from the search results
- Click Install
- Enter your admin password if prompted
- Wait for installation to complete
You’ll find VLC in your app list once it’s installed.
✅ Method 2: Install VLC via Terminal (Fastest)
If you prefer the terminal, follow these quick steps:
- Open your terminal (Ctrl + Alt + T)
- Run the following command:
sudo apt update && sudo apt install vlc -y- Wait for the installation to finish
- Launch VLC by typing:
vlcThat’s it—VLC is now installed and ready to go.
🔄 Optional: Keep VLC Updated
VLC gets frequent updates and security fixes. To ensure you’re always up to date, you can enable the official VLC PPA:
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:videolan/stable-daily
sudo apt update
sudo apt upgradeThis will keep VLC updated directly from the developers.
🚀 Why Use VLC on Ubuntu?
- Plays almost all media formats
- Supports subtitles, streaming, and screen recording
- Lightweight and fast
- Completely free and open-source
- No extra codecs or plugins needed
🧰 Troubleshooting Tips
- No sound or video issues? Try launching VLC with:
vlc --reset-config - Missing codecs? VLC usually has everything built-in. If something doesn’t play, check the file integrity first.
- VLC won’t open? Run
vlcin the terminal to see any error messages.
Final Thoughts
VLC is one of the best tools you can install on any Linux system. On Ubuntu, it’s quick and easy to get set up—whether you use the Software Center or Terminal. Once it’s installed, you’ve got a powerful media player that can handle anything you throw at it.
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