How to Install VLC Media Player on Fedora 40 or 39 Linux

VLC Media Player is a versatile multimedia solution that accommodates various audio and video formats. Its reputation is built on reliability, extensive format support, and user-friendly features, making it a preferred choice for users seeking a comprehensive media experience.

Below are some key highlights of VLC Media Player:

• Extensive Format Support: VLC is renowned for its ability to play nearly any multimedia file format, DVDs, CDs, VCDs, and various streaming protocols.
• Cross-Platform Compatibility: VLC ensures a consistent user experience across different devices and is available for multiple operating systems.
• Advanced Playback Controls: With features like speed adjustments, subtitles, and audio synchronization, users gain precise control over media playback.
• Streaming Capabilities: VLC can stream media over networks and convert media files to different formats.
• Customization Options: The player offers a range of skins and extensions, allowing for personalization and enhanced functionality.
• Interactive Interface: Despite its vast capabilities, VLC maintains an intuitive and accessible user interface catering to novice and advanced users.
• No Spyware or Ads: VLC is committed to user privacy with no spyware, ads, or user tracking.
• Community Support: Being open-source, VLC benefits from a vibrant community that contributes to its development and ensures swift updates and feature enhancements.

These features underscore VLC’s status as a powerful and adaptable media player, ready to meet the diverse needs of its user base. Let’s move on to the technical how-to, starting with the installation steps demonstrating two different methods with the command-line terminal.

Update Fedora Before VLC Media Player Installation

Ensuring your system is up-to-date before installation is crucial to avoid potential conflicts. For best practices, use the following terminal command:

sudo dnf upgrade --refresh

Method 1: Install VLC Media Player via RPM Fusion

Import RPM Fusion For VLC Media Player on Fedora

First, import the RPM Fusion repository to install the VLC media player on Fedora. This third-party source operates with the dnf package manager, which Fedora users favor. RPM Fusion offers both “free” and “non-free” repositories.

Execute the command below in the terminal to import the RPM Fusion repository:

sudo dnf install https://download1.rpmfusion.org/free/fedora/rpmfusion-free-release-$(rpm -E %fedora).noarch.rpm

You can add the non-free repository, though it’s not required for installing VLC media player. Consider importing it if you’re open to using proprietary software later on.

sudo dnf install https://download1.rpmfusion.org/nonfree/fedora/rpmfusion-nonfree-release-$(rpm -E %fedora).noarch.rpm

Install VLC Media Player via DNF Command

To install the VLC media player, use the following dnf install command.

sudo dnf install vlc

Method 2: Install VLC Media Player via Flatpak and Flathub

Fedora’s pre-installed Flatpak package manager offers a great way to install the latest VLC media player version. Flatpak runs applications in secure, isolated containers, letting users get the newest VLC version easily without dependency issues. Using Flathub, a well-known third-party repository, provides direct access to the latest VLC and other Flatpak apps. This approach offers more regular updates than Fedora’s standard repositories, ensuring users quickly enjoy VLC’s latest features and enhancements.

Ensure Flathub Is Enabled For VLC Media Player Installation

For VLC Media Player installation via Flatpak, enable Flathub first. Execute the following command in your terminal:

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

Install VLC Media Player via Flatpak Command

To install the VLC media player using Flatpak, run the following command in your terminal:

flatpak install flathub org.videolan.VLC

Note: If the previous command fails, yielding an error message like “error: Unable to load summary from remote flathub: Can’t fetch summary from disabled remote ‘flathub’,” use the following command. You might need to do this if your system hasn’t enabled the Flathub repository or if it becomes disabled.

flatpak remote-modify --enable flathub

Launch VLC Media Player UI

With the installation of the VLC media player complete, you can launch the application using one of two methods.

CLI Commands to Launch VLC Media Player

The first method is to launch it directly from your current terminal session by typing the following command:

vlc

Flatpak users can launch VLC media player by running a specific command in the terminal, enabling them to start the program directly from the command line.

flatpak run org.videolan.VLC

GUI Path to Launch VLC Media Player

For most users of the desktop GUI application, you can launch the VLC media player by navigating to the following path in your system’s application menu:

Activities > Show Applications > Media Player

Additional VLC Media Player Management Commands

Remove VLC Media Player

To uninstall VLC media player, use the command below if you installed it with the DNF package manager.

sudo dnf remove vlc

If you installed VLC using Flatpak, use the following command instead:

flatpak remove  --delete-data org.videolan.VLC

The “–delete-data” option deletes all user data related to the VLC media player, including configuration files and preferences. Think carefully before using this command.

Conclusion

In this guide, we covered how to install VLC Media Player on Fedora. VLC is a flexible, user-friendly media player that can be tailored to fit your needs. As you use it, experiment with its settings and features to find what works best for you. For optimal performance on Fedora, keep your system and VLC updated and explore VLC’s extensive plugin options for enhanced functionality. Enjoy your media experience with VLC on Fedora.