How to Install VLC Media Player in Ubuntu 22.04


VLC is a renowned media player equipped with multi-codec support to play maximum media files. VLC offers cross-platform support which makes it a favorite media player for Ubuntu users. It offers audio, video, and synchronization effects to enhance/adjust the audio/video as per your requirement, i.e., boosted audio options, zoom-in/out video, angling the video, etc.

In this guide, we will enlist all the possible ways to get VLC on Ubuntu 22.04.

How to Install VLC on Ubuntu 22.04

VLC is available through five different CLI and one GUI method. All of which are not updated yet trusted to get the package. Here’s the list of methods to be discussed further:

Default Repositories

Ubuntu default/official repositories fetch the package from either of four repositories, i.e., main, universe, multiverse, or restricted. This is the most suitable method for Ubuntu users as the version is authentic and tested. Let’s do it:

Step 1: Update Core Libraries

To get the latest available version of VLC, update the core-libraries/packages index:

sudo apt update

Step 2: Install VLC

Now, install VLC via the command. It also installs the recommended/required dependencies:

sudo apt install vlc

Version 3.0.16 is installed using this method:

Snap

Snap Store offers an updated version of VLC and is supported on numerous Linux distributions. Let’s install VLC from snap:

Step 1: Install/Enable Snap

Install snap and its core utility to enable the snapd and build the dependencies:

sudo apt install snapd;sudo snap install core

Step 2: Install VLC

Install VLC using the command:

sudo snap install vlc

Updated than default repositories yet not the latest one.

Flatpak/Flathub

Flatpak manages the applications from the Fkathub repository. Flathub is an updated applications store for Linux-based systems. It also offers fully loaded VLC (than other methods) and here’s the process to install it on Ubuntu:

Step 1: Install Flatpak and Add Flathub Repo

First, you have to install the flatpak package:

sudo apt install flatpak

Enable/Add the flathub repo from where the flatpak packages are obtained:

sudo flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://dl.flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo

Step 2: Install VLC

Now, use the flatpak command with flathub repo and the applications ID of VLC:

flatpak install flathub org.videolan.VLC

Check the version:

flatpak list | grep VLC

So, flatpak provides the latest VLC version.

Source Code

Source code binaries are available on the official website of VLC. These would always be updated as it is distributed instantly with each minor/major update. Here’s the process to get the source binaries:

Step 1: Download and Extract the tar.xz File

Visit VLC’s Latest Source Downloads and get the updated tar.xz file available. At the moment, 3.0.20 is the latest release available:

wget https://get.videolan.org/vlc/3.0.20/vlc-3.0.20.tar.xz

Step 2: Get the Dependencies and Configure the Source Code

Before configuring, get the following dependencies:

 

sudo apt install build-essential libavcodec-dev libavformat-dev libswscale-dev liba52-0.7.4-dev libasound2-dev lua5.2 liblua5.2-dev libxcb* libvlc*

Change the current directory to the extracted folder and configure/build the source code:

cd Extracted-Directory
./configure

The configure script ensures the availability of the required dependencies (such as the compiler).

Step 3: Compile the Source Code

Once dependencies are loaded, compile the source code:

make

Step 4: Install VLC

The VLC source binaries are ready to be executed for installation:

sudo make install

And here you get the latest VLC version (3.0.20):

PPA

PPA is the package archive repository for the updated and the to-be test applications/packages. VLC’s PPA is available to get stable and development releases.

Step 1: Add the PPA

Add one of the below PPA, one refers to the stable and the other to the development release:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:videolan/stable-daily #For Stable Release
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:videolan/master-daily #For Development Release

The “add-apt” updates the packages list as well. If not, do it yourself:

sudo apt update

Step 2: Install the VLC

sudo apt install vlc

If you check the version, it is 4.0.0 which is the development release:

GUI (Snap, Default Repositories, or Flathub)

Snap, default repositories, and flathub offer GUI support to install/manage most of the packages that are available through CLI. GUI is just a mirror of the VLC installed from the snap, default repositories, or flathub. Versions are the same as CLI but in a convenient way if you are a GUI lover.

Search for VLC in the Software Centre:

Choose the installation platform, i.e., snap, universe, or flathub:

If you scroll down, you will find the details about VLC, i.e., current version, and total size:

Click on Install and follow the onscreen instructions to get it installed:

Provide the user password:

Soon, VLC version 3.0.19 will be installed.

How to Make VLC a Default Media Player on Ubuntu 22.04

By default, when you open a media file, Ubuntu opens up in the default media player. You can change the default media player to VLC if you want to open each media file (Audio/Video) in VLC. Let’s make VLC the default audio/video player:

  • Navigate to the Default Applications tab inside the Ubuntu Settings.
  • Choose the VLC media player in the Music and Video options as highlighted below:

Now, all the audio/video files will be played with VLC automatically.

How to Completely Remove/Uninstall VLC From Ubuntu 22.04

You can use any of the removal method (as per your installation) to completely remove/uninstall VLC from Ubuntu 22.04:

For Apt-Based Installations (Default and PPA)

The apt-based installations refer to the default and PPA methods. Use the below command to completely remove VLC:

sudo apt autoremove vlc --purge

If you want to remove the PPA repository as well, you can remove it using one of the following commands (depends which PPA you have added):

sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:videolan/stable-daily
sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:videolan/master-daily

For Snap-Based Installations

The snap-based VLC package can be removed using the command:

sudo snap remove vlc

For Flatpak/Flathub-Based Installations

Use the below command to remove the VLC installed via flatpak/flathub:

flatpak uninstall org.videolan.VLC

For Source-Based Installation

Navigate to the directory where you have configured the source code and use the below command to remove it:

sudo make uninstall

Important: For a version installed from GUI. You need to search for the package in the Ubuntu Software Centre and opt for the removal of the package.

How to Update VLC on Ubuntu 22.04

Want to get the updated release of already installed VLC? Don’t worry. Just dig into your respective installations section below and update the VLC:

Update an apt-based VLC

If you have installed VLC from the default repositories, then use the below commands sequentially to get the updated VLC:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install --only-upgrade vlc

However, if you have installed VLC from PPA, you need to add the updated PPA to update the VLC. Follow the same installation method to do so: PPA-based installation of VLC.

Update a Snap-Based VLC

Here’s the command to update the VLC snap only:

sudo snap refresh vlc

Update the Flatpak/Flathub-Based VLC

Use the following flatpak command with its update flag and application ID of VLC:

flatpak update org.videolan.VLC

That’s how you can install, update, or remove VLC from Ubuntu.

Bottom Line

Majorly there are two categories for installing VLC on Ubuntu 22.04, i.e., CLI and GUI. The CLI-based installation methods include the default repositories, flatpak/flathub, snap, and PPA. Whereas the GUI-based installation is the mirror of the above installations (except PPA).

The latest stable version of VLC is 3.0.20 (at the time of writing) which is available through flatpak and source binaries. Whereas the latest development is available through PPA. So, choose the method as per your priority.

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