VLC Media Player may be the best video player for a lot of Windows users. You can watch and play a lot of supported video file formats on a PC such as MKV, MP4, and MOV without the need to install additional codecs.
But, it does not mean you cannot have problems when using the multimedia app. Unfortunately, VLC has several issues that many users complained about a few times. Sometimes, the PC app simply won’t run or has stopped working and playing videos on the computer. These video playback errors are often caused by several reasons.
If you happen to experience the most common playback problems of VLC Media Player on Windows 11 PC, you can try to resolve them with the basic troubleshooting tips below.
How to Troubleshoot & Fix VLC Media Player Not Working on Windows 11 Computer
Not being able to play your videos on Windows 11 PC using VLC Media Player can be frustrating. But before you decide to call it quits and abandon the media player altogether, you can try to resolve the problem on your computer or the app with a few fixes below.
Restart your Windows 11 PC
- Press the buttons Ctrl + Alt + Del at the same time.
- Select Task Manager.
- Navigate to the Processes tab.
- Look for VLC Media Player and highlight it.
- Click the End task button.
- Go to your desktop windows.
- Tap the Power button.
- Select Restart.
- Wait for your computer to reboot.
- Relaunch VLC Media Player.
Edit the Cache Values
- On your VLC Media Player, click the Tools tab.
- Select Preferences.
- Go to Show Settings at the bottom of the window.
- Select All.
- On the left panel, choose Input/Codecs.
- Look for File Caching.
- Edit the value on the right and change it to a higher number.
- Click Save.
- Restart your Windows 11 PC.
Change your Video Output
- On your VLC Media Player, click the Tools tab.
- Go to Preferences.
- Navigate to the Video tab.
- Check the box next to Enable Video.
- Check the box next to Windows Decorations.
- Head over to the Output section and expand the menu.
- Select DirectX (DirectDraw) Video Output.
- Click the Save button.
- Exit the VLC Media Player and relaunch it.
Remove the VLC Cache File
- Exit your VLC Media Player. You can also go to the Task Manager and end task VLC.
- Launch the Run Dialog Box by pressing Ctrl + R.
- Type the following command: %AppData%\VLC .
- Delete all folders in the window.
- Relaunch your VLC Player.
Update your Display Drivers
- Open the Control Panel.
- Select Device Manager.
- Navigate to Display Adapters and expand the menu.
- Right-click your graphics driver.
- Select Update Driver.
- Check and download available updates.
- Restart your computer.
Update your Windows 11 PC
- Launch the Settings menu of your Windows 11 PC.
- Go to Update & Security.
- Select Check for Updates.
- Download and Install available updates.
- Reboot your computer.
Reset your VLC Media Player
- On your VLC Player, go to Tools.
- Select Preferences.
- Navigate to the Interface tab.
- Click Reset Preferences.
- Click OK.
Reinstall your VLC Media Player
- Uninstall the VLC Media Player by going to the Settings menu.
- Select Apps.
- Go to Apps & Features.
- Look for VLC Media Player and right-click on it.
- Select Uninstall.
- Launch the Run Dialog box by pressing the Windows key + R.
- Enter the following command: C:\Users\YourUser\Application Data\vlc\vlcrc.
- Erase all files.
- Now, navigate to the Microsoft Store.
- Look for the VLC Media Player.
- Install the app.
Do you have other ways to fix the common VLC playback errors on Windows 11 PC? You can share your solutions with us in the comment section below.
