Top 8 Ways to Fix VLC Media Player Not Working on Mac

You might be sick of seeing the "Oops VLC Media Player just crashed" message on your Mac Even if you send a bug report, you need to get to the bottom of the problem yourself. If VLC keeps crashing on Mac, chances are you're ready to either look at alternatives or find a quick fix. 

In this guide, we look at VLC crashing and what causes it. There are some common issues that you might be able to fix, or it might be time to switch to ElMedia Player for reliable playback. VLC has some common problems that users come across. This can happen while playing or opening video files.

Common problems users report include:

VLC exits during a video playback on Mac. While you are viewing your media content, it can leave at any time.

VLC media player stops playing videos at a certain time. It may reach a time in the video and crash suddenly every time.

Video freezing problem. It may happen that the player just freezes like buffering and does not resume playback.

Your device screen goes black. This can be scary because you might think there's a bigger problem with your Mac

After many attempts to open VLC, the media player does not open at all.

These are some of the problems you may see VLC crashing errors may vary depending on the software you are using and which version of OS you are running.

The default Quicktime player is average at best on Mac. Most users prefer a third-party app like VLC to enjoy a smooth video playback experience. But what if VLC also stops working on Mac? Here are the best ways to fix VLC media player not opening on Mac

VLC closing unexpectedly on Mac can ruin your media experience. You can always go back to the default QuickTime Player on Mac. But if you don't want to settle for below-average video playback, use the tricks below to fix VLC media player not working on Mac.

1. Restart the MAC

Rebooting your Mac often solves problems with installed applications. Here's a simple trick to fix common Mac problems on the go.

Step 1: Click on the Apple icon in the top-left corner of the menu bar.

Step 2: Select Restart to reboot your Mac and try playing the video in VLC again.

2. Reset VLC preferences

A wrong setting change in VLC can cause video playback problems. You have the option to reset VLC preferences on Mac. Here's what you need to do.

Step 1: Open VLC Media Player app on Mac.

Step 2: Click on VLC Media Player in the top-left corner and select Settings.

Step 3: Select Reset All and confirm your decision.

Launch Finder, right-click on a video and start playing it in VLC media player. You can even take snapshots in VLC on Mac.

3. Force quit VLC media player

Unlike Windows, macOS doesn't completely close the app when you hit the x icon in the menu bar. The app continues to run in the background. Sometimes, when the app is not responding, you need to close the app using Activity Monitor and try again. Follow the steps below.

Step 1: Press the Command + Space keyboard shortcut and search for Activity Monitor.

Step 2: Select VLC from the list and press the x symbol at the top to close the app.

4. Disable hardware acceleration on MAC

Although hardware acceleration is quite effective in smooth video playback, it can cause problems at times. Time to disable hardware acceleration in VLC.

Step 1: Open VLC media player and go to app settings (see steps above).

Step 2: Select Input / Codec from above.

Step 3: Disable the 'Hardware Decoding' checkmark and select Save.

VLC will start working as expected.

5. Delete VLC preferences

If you weren't able to access VLC Player in the first place, you can't reset the preferences from the app settings. In that case, you need to delete VLC preferences using Terminal. Here's how.

Step 1: Open Terminal from the Applications menu.

Step 2: Enter the following command:

Deletes the default org.videolan.vlc

Step 3: Open Finder and press Command + Shift + G keyboard shortcut.

Step 4: Type ~/Library/Preferences and press Return.

Step 5: Delete the 'org.videolan.vlc' folder.

Force quit VLC player on Mac and start from scratch. It should work as expected.

6. Update VLC media player

VLC is open source software, and the company regularly releases updates to fix bugs and add new features. If you can open VLC media player on Mac, use the steps below to update it

Step 1: Open VLC media player on Mac. Click on the app name in the upper left corner.

Step 2: Select Check for Updates from the context menu. Download and install the latest app build on your Mac.

7. Reinstall VLC media player

Can't you access VLC player on your Mac? The above strategy will not work for you. You need to uninstall the current app and download it again.

Step 1: Force quit VLC on Mac (see steps above).

Step 2: Open Finder and go to Applications menu.

Step 3: Right-click VLC and move it to the bin.

Visit the official VLC website and download the latest app build. Check if VLC is working as expected.

8. Download the video again

VLC media player not working on Mac may be due to a corrupted video. If you've downloaded a malicious video on Mac, you won't be able to play it in VLC or any other player. You have to download the same video again from the web. If you receive a broken video, ask the recipient to resend it.