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VLC media player surpasses 7 billion downloads

Created at 31 Aug · 4:21 PM1 source↑ Market-relevant
IN SHORT

The free, open-source VLC media player has reached over 7 billion downloads across all platforms, according to lead developer Jean-Baptiste Kempf. This milestone follows the app's previous achievement of 6 billion downloads in January 2025.

Key Numbers

7 billionVLC media player downloads
January 2025VLC reached 6 billion downloads

Who's Involved

Jean-Baptiste Kempf
President and lead developer of VLC
VideoLAN
Non-profit developer of VLC media player
VLC media player surpasses 7 billion downloads

↳ Why This Matters

VLC's continued growth in downloads highlights the enduring demand for free, versatile media playback software, even amidst the prevalence of paid streaming services. The ongoing development and platform expansion demonstrate the project's commitment to accessibility and innovation.

Key facts

  • VLC media player has achieved over 7 billion downloads across all platforms.
  • The milestone was announced by lead developer Jean-Baptiste Kempf.
  • This follows the 6 billion download mark reached in January 2025.
  • VLC has been ported to Amazon's Vega OS for TVs.
  • Development for VLC 4 is in progress.

The widely used, free, and offline VLC media player, developed by the non-profit VideoLAN, has surpassed 7 billion downloads across all platforms. Jean-Baptiste Kempf, president and lead developer of VLC, announced the milestone via email. This achievement comes approximately 18 months after the application reached 6 billion downloads in January 2025.

Kempf also noted that VLC has recently been adapted for Amazon's new Vega OS for televisions. The development team is reportedly working on expanding support for additional platforms and codecs, and is preparing for the release of VLC 4, though this is a time-consuming process.

Previously, VideoLAN had hinted at the integration of AI-powered translation and subtitles utilizing local models, but it remains unclear if these features have been implemented.

Frequently asked questions

VLC media player is a free and open-source cross-platform multimedia player developed by the non-profit VideoLAN organization. It can play most multimedia files as well as DVDs, Audio CDs, VCDs, and various streaming protocols.

VLC media player has surpassed 7 billion downloads across all platforms.

VLC announced it had reached 6 billion downloads in January 2025.

VLC has been ported to Amazon's new Vega OS for TVs and is working on supporting other platforms.

What Happens Next

01VLC 4 release is in development.
02Support for additional platforms and codecs is being worked on.

How It Developed

VLC media player was developed by the non-profit VideoLAN.
VLC media player has surpassed 7 billion downloads across all platforms.
The app previously reached 6 billion downloads in January 2025.
VLC has been ported to Amazon's new Vega OS for TVs.
Development is ongoing for VLC 4 release.
AI-powered translation and subtitles using local models were previously teased.

Sources

T1
VLC crosses 7 billion downloadsTechCrunch
T2
VLC tops 6 billion downloads, previews AI-generated subtitles | TechCrunchtechcrunch.com
T2
VLC celebrates 6 billion downloads with new AI subtitles ...pcworld.com
T2
VLC download statisticsvideolan.org

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