How to Install VLC Media Player on Linux Mint 20

The VLC media player is an open-source, free portable, cross-platform media player software and streaming media server developed by the VideoLAN project. VLC can play nearly all known multimedia files and DVDs, Audio CDs, VCDs, and various streaming protocols and can be extended and customized with multiple plugins.

In the following tutorial, you will learn how to install VLC Media Player on Linux Mint 20 LTS release series with multiple installation methods available with APT or Flatpak package manager using the command line terminal.

Update Linux Mint

The first step is ensuring your system is up-to-date to avoid issues during the installation and for good practice. This is done by opening your terminal and using the following command.

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Install VLC Media Player – APT Default Method

VLC is available on Linux Mint’s default repository, which is the advised version for users who are happy with the stable version for minor use.

In your terminal, use the following command to begin the installation.

sudo apt install vlc -y

Install VLC Media Player – APT LaunchPAD PPA Method

The second option is to install VLC using the PPA from the launchpad. This is probably the most desired for Linux Mint users to keep the installation using the APT package manager while having the latest up-to-date version.

First, import the VLC Media Player PPA by Rob Savoury.

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:savoury1/vlc3 -y

Given this is an upstream release, specific dependencies are required, so you will need a newer version of multimedia packages which you will need to import the following PPAs.

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:savoury1/ffmpeg4 -y \
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:savoury1/ffmpeg5 -y \
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:savoury1/graphics -y \
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:savoury1/multimedia -y

Note that this will give you many new multimedia upgrades, so besides support for GIMP, you will also receive benefits for your entire system.

Once you have imported the option you prefer, run a quick APT update to reflect the newly imported PPAs.

sudo apt-get update

Before installing VLC, run a quick upgrade as multiple dependencies will need to be upgraded before you continue.

sudo apt upgrade

Now, install VLC Media Player.

sudo apt install vlc -y

Verify the installation by running the version check command.

vlc --version

Install VLC Media Player – Flatpak Method

The third option is to use the Flatpak package manager. This comes installed on Linux Mint unless you removed it. This is another popular option similar to Snap but is featured amongst many distributions as an alternative third-party installation package manager for the latest packages.

First, re-install Flatpak if you have removed the package manager previously.

sudo apt install flatpak -y

For users installing Flatpak for the first time, it is often recommended to reboot your system. Failure to do this can occur with odd issues, such as paths not being generated for icons.

reboot

SKIP THE REBOOT IF FLATPAK IS INSTALLED.

Next, you need to enable Flatpack using the following command in your terminal:

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

Now install the media player software using the following flatpak command.

flatpak install flathub org.videolan.VLC

How to Launch VLC Media Player

Now that you have the application installed, launching can be done in a few ways.

First, to launch from your terminal, use the following command.

vlc

Alternatively, Flatpak users will need to launch using the command below from a terminal instance:

flatpak run org.videolan.VLC

For most desktop users, you would use the following path on your desktop to open.

Taskbar > Sound & Video > VLC media player.

Example:

The first time you open VLC, you will see a privacy statement regarding metadata. By default, this option is ticked for privacy-conscious users; untick the option on the bottom left-hander corner of the screen.

Example:

Next, you will arrive at the VLC Media Play.

Example:

How to Update VLC Media Player

Depending on the method of installation used, the following commands can be used to update.

APT Update Method

sudo apt upgrade && sudo apt upgrade

Flatpak Update Method

flatpak update

How to Remove (Uninstall) VLC Media Player

Use one of the following commands to suit the original installation method for users who no longer require the application.

APT Remove Method

sudo apt autoremove vlc -y

Users that installed VLC Media Player using the LaunchPad PPAs use the following command that matches your installation version.

Remove VLC Media Player Stable:

sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:videolan/stable-daily -y

Remove VLC Media Player Development:

sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:videolan/master-daily -y

Flatpak Remove Method

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

Next, run the following command for any leftover clean-up.

flatpak remove --unused

Comments and Conclusion

Overall, VLC Media Player is an excellent program with many features that can be used for free if you are willing to miss out on a few things. However, if you are looking for something basic that gets the job done, VLC Media Player should be your go-to choice.

You can further investigate VLC Media Player by visiting the documentation page for more information.