VLC Media Player 3.7.1 for Android

VLC Media Player 3.7.1 for Android is the mobile edition of the free and open-source player from the VideoLAN project, and you can download it from Google Play or the official VideoLAN site. It plays local videos and music as well as network streams without extra codec packs. Below are short answers to the usual questions.

What is VLC for Android?

VLC is a media player, streaming client and audio and video converter that grew out of a VideoLAN student project started in 1996; its first public release came on 1 February 2001. It is cross-platform software that runs on everything from Windows and Linux to Android and iOS. The Android app, maintained by VideoLabs, brings the same idea to a phone: if a file exists, VLC can probably open it. It builds a library of the videos and music on your device, remembers where you stopped, and handles subtitles, multiple audio tracks and playback speed. It can also play streams from a network address and browse shared folders on your home network, which makes it useful for watching films stored on a PC or a network drive without copying them first. People often install it simply because the built-in player on their phone refuses an unusual file.

Which version is this?

This page lists version 3.7.1, released on July 14, 2026. The Android app has its own numbering; the desktop VLC uses a separate 3.0.x line, so the numbers do not match.

How do I install it?

1. Open Google Play and search for VLC for Android.
2. Check that the developer is VideoLabs and tap Install.
3. Open the app and allow access to media files so it can build your library.
4. Optionally set VLC as the default player for video files.

VideoLAN also links all platforms from its official VLC page, and every release is listed on the VLC releases page.

Will it run on my phone?

Google Play shows the Install button only on supported devices. The file size is about 45.76 MB according to catalogue data, so it fits even on phones with little free space.

Is VLC free?

Yes, completely. VLC is free and open-source software, released under the GNU LGPL version 2.1 or later and the GNU GPL version 2.0 or later. There are no subscriptions or paid tiers.

Is it safe?

The official app from Google Play or videolan.org is safe, and its source code is public on VideoLAN's code server. Avoid "VLC Pro" or "VLC Premium" apps from other publishers: VLC has no paid edition, so anything claiming to be one is not official.

What are the pros and cons?

• Pro: opens almost any video or audio format.
• Pro: open source with no ads.
• Con: the interface is functional rather than pretty.
• Con: library scanning can take a while on phones with many files.

What are the alternatives?

MX Player, SPlayer Fast Video Player and URL Video Player are other Android players in the same video category.