How do I set VLC media player as default video player?

Question

I can't seem to set VLC media player as the default video player. I have gone to System Settings → System Info → Default Applications, and changed "Video" to VLC media player.

However, all movies still open with Movie Player (Totem) by default. The video default application setting appears to have no effect. I have tried changing the setting and logging out/rebooting, but it doesn't appear to work.

Is there some command-line magic that can work on this?

score 96 · Answer 1 · edited Jan 17 '17 at 19:07

96

Go to System Settings → System info → Default Applications, and set it there. It works in Ubuntu 11.10 (Oneiric Ocelot).

In Ubuntu 13.04 (Raring Ringtail) and later, it's found in System Settings → Details → Default Applications.

edited Jan 17 '17 at 19:07

Peter Mortensen

854

answered Jan 24 '12 at 06:25

Pyri

961

score 59 · Answer 2 · edited Aug 13 '16 at 23:56

59

Rightclick any video file, choose properties. Choose Open With and there you can select VLC and the option set as default (bottom right).

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--

14.04 and 16.04 also has this option:

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edited Aug 13 '16 at 23:56

rancho

4,136

answered Dec 31 '11 at 07:38

Rinzwind

309,379

score 15 · Answer 3 · edited Jun 12 '20 at 14:37

15

Ubuntu 13.10, 14.04

Click on the gear icon in the top right corner then select the option About this computer. From that set Vlc media player as default application for opening videos.

enter image description here

edited Jun 12 '20 at 14:37

Community

1

answered Apr 26 '14 at 14:07

Avinash Raj

80,446

score 7 · Answer 4 · answered Mar 23 '13 at 04:25

7

In Ubuntu 12.10, go to

"System Settings" "Details" "Default Applications"

CLick on the "down arrow" for "Video"

Select "VLC Media Player"

Then close window.

answered Mar 23 '13 at 04:25

clbgssvg

71

score 6 · Answer 5 · answered Apr 11 '15 at 08:54

If you want to assocoate all video mimetypes with vlc for current user, you can do this:

Check totem is currently default for all video mimetypes:
```
cat /usr/share/applications/defaults.list | grep video
```
You will see lines like this:
```
video/x-avi=totem.desktop
```

Append all the lines containing video types to the local file:

cat /usr/share/applications/defaults.list | grep video >> ~/.local/share/applications/mimeapps.list

Replace all occurences of "=totem.desktop" with "=vlc.desktop" in vim, nano, geany or gedit. E.g. Search->Replace in gedit:
```
gedit ~/.local/share/applications/mimeapps.list
```

P.S.: If you want to open audio by default in vlc too, then just replace "grep video" with "grep audio" and "=totem.desktop" with "=rhythmbox.desktop" in above 1,2,3.

Source: http://www.libre-software.net/change-the-default-application-ubuntu-linux

score 3 · Answer 6 · answered Apr 27 '13 at 00:30

3

Remove the totem video player via ubuntu software center. It appears with name "Video". This will make every video format use VLC automatically.

answered Apr 27 '13 at 00:30

Bhavin Doshi

2,496

score 2 · Answer 7 · edited Jun 12 '20 at 14:37

2

For 12.04

In Ubuntu Tweak under File Type Manager you can change and set the default for all media types and their specific formats.

edited Jun 12 '20 at 14:37

Community

1

answered Jan 16 '12 at 17:07

Jah Fou

31

score 1 · Answer 8 · answered Jan 16 '12 at 16:37

1

I managed to fix this by right click on the video file > Open With Other Applications > Right click on Banshee and click Forget association

I say Banshee, because I already uninstalled Totem in order to fix the issue.

answered Jan 16 '12 at 16:37

Ivan Dokov

812

score 0 · Answer 9 · answered Oct 15 '24 at 14:59

The older answers are no longer how to do it For Ver 24.04.1 Go to the video Right click to get the "open with" Select the "open with" option Qt the bottom of that window is a sliding button to have VLC open that type of file going forward it says "Always use this for this file type."
Slide the button to the right and click OPEN.

You will need to do this for the different video format types MKV etc...

How do I set VLC media player as default video player?

9 Answers9

Ubuntu 13.10, 14.04

For 12.04

Linked

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