---
id: python-vlc
version: "3.0.21203"
license: LGPL-2.1+
license_treatment: copyleft
maintenance: aging
---

# python-vlc — VLC bindings for python.

License: copyleft · Maintenance: aging · Downloads: 211.7K/mo

## What it is and what it does

python-vlc is a ctypes-based wrapper around libvlc, the core media engine of VLC. It exposes VLC's media playback and control functionality to Python through two interfaces: high-level wrapper classes (MediaPlayer, Instance, Media) that provide a more Pythonic API, and raw ctypes access to the underlying libvlc functions for advanced use. The module is generated from libvlc's public API headers and is designed to work with libvlc 3.* versions.

You use it to programmatically play, pause, and control audio and video files from Python, or to build media applications that need VLC's codec support and playback capabilities. It requires libvlc to be installed on your system; the Python package itself is just the binding layer.

Use it for:

- Build a Python desktop or web application that plays video or audio files without reimplementing codec support.
- Automate media playback in tests or batch processing workflows that need to verify video/audio output.
- Create a custom media player UI in Python that delegates playback to VLC's proven engine.
- Control VLC playback programmatically from a Python script (play, pause, seek, volume, etc.).
- Access VLC's media information API to read metadata or properties from audio/video files.

## Worth the install?

AI-flagged interpretation of the facts above — verify before relying.

Python ctypes-based bindings to libvlc that let you control VLC media playback and access its API from Python code.

Yes, if you need to control VLC playback from Python and libvlc 3.* is available on your target platform. The package is stable and has no known vulnerabilities, but maintenance is aging (676 days since last release). Verify that libvlc 3.* installation is straightforward for your deployment environment before committing.

## Install

pip install python-vlc
uv add python-vlc
poetry add python-vlc

## Installing python-vlc

Before you install: Low install friction; distributed as a pure Python wheel. Maintenance is aging—676 days since last release—but the repository remains active and the package is marked Production/Stable.

License in practice: Licensed under LGPL-2.1+, a copyleft license. You may use and modify the package freely, but any derivative work must also be licensed under LGPL-2.1+ or compatible, and source code must be made available.

Quickstart:

pip install python-vlc

import vlc
player = vlc.MediaPlayer('file:///tmp/foo.avi')
player.play()

Requires libvlc 3.* to be installed on the system; the Python module is only a ctypes wrapper around the native library.

Verify before relying:

- Whether libvlc 3.* is available on all target platforms or if installation is straightforward.
- Compatibility with Python versions beyond 2 and 3 (requires_python is unspecified in metadata).

## Package facts

- License: LGPL-2.1+ (copyleft)
- Python support: unspecified
- Install friction: low
- Maintenance: aging
- Downloads: 211.7K/month (top 15,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

vlc bindings python, media player control python, libvlc python wrapper, video playback python, audio playback python, vlc api python, media-playback, ctypes-binding, vlc-wrapper

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