VLC for Unity
This repository contains the native Unity plugin that bridges LibVLCSharp with LibVLC for performance oriented video rendering in Unity3D applications and games. Available on the Videolabs Store.
LibVLC Features
Given that this plugin is using LibVLCSharp (which uses LibVLC), it exposes more or less the same feature set and same codecs support than VLC, such as:
- Play every media file formats, every codec and every streaming protocols
- Run on every platform, from desktop (Windows, Linux, Mac) to mobile (Android, iOS) and TVs
- Hardware and efficient decoding on every platform, up to 8K
- Network browsing for distant filesystems (SMB, FTP, SFTP, NFS…) and servers (UPnP, DLNA)
- Playback of Audio CD, DVD and Bluray with menu navigation
- Support for HDR, including tonemapping for SDR streams
- Audio passthrough with SPDIF and HDMI, including for Audio HD codecs, like DD+, TrueHD or DTS-HD
- Support for video and audio filters
- Support for 360 video and 3D audio playback, including Ambisonics
- Able to cast and stream to distant renderers, like Chromecast and UPnP renderers.
And more.
- Windows Classic
- Minimum OS version: Windows 7.
- ABI supported: x64.
- Graphics API: Direct3D 11, Direct3D 12
- Windows Modern (UWP)
- Minimum OS version: Windows 10.
- ABI supported: x64, ARM64.
- Graphics API: Direct3D 11, Direct3D 12
- Android:
- Minimum OS version: Android 5.0 Lollipop (API 21) for OpenGL ES.
- For Vulkan support: Android 8.0 Oreo (API 26) or higher, ARM64 only.
- ABIs supported: armeabi-v7a, arm64-v8a, x86, x86_64.
- Graphics API: OpenGL ES 2/3, Vulkan
- iOS:
- Minimum OS version: iOS 9.
- ABI supported: ARM64. Simulator support will come later.
- Graphics API: Metal
- macOS:
- Minimum OS version: macOS 10.11.
- ABI supported: Intel x64, Apple Silicon ARM64.
- Graphics API: Metal
- Linux:
- Minimum OS version: Ubuntu 22.04 LTS (or equivalent).
- ABI supported: x86_64.
- Graphics API: OpenGL (GLX on X11 and XWayland; experimental EGL on native Wayland)
- Note: Requires LibVLC 4 libraries bundled with the plugin (distro packages typically have VLC 3).
Installation
The recommended way to install the VLC for Unity plugin is through the Videolabs Store. This also ensures you get commercial support with your build.
| Platform |
Videolabs Store Asset |
| Windows |
 |
| UWP |
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| Android |
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| iOS |
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| macOS |
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| Linux |
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Getting started
There is a quick documentation.txt file included in the package. It gives some context and high level overview of how things work and how to get started.
Since this Unity plugin largely shares the same API than LibVLCSharp, most LibVLCSharp samples and documentation apply, do check those out!
Documentation
See the LibVLCSharp documentation.
It includes best practices, Q&A guide, libvlc specific information and tutorials.
Linux Notes
- Graphics: OpenGLCore is the default. Vulkan is available as an opt-in backend for Linux Standalone, Embedded Linux, and the Linux Editor (see Linux notes). Restart the Editor after importing or updating the preloaded plugin before testing Vulkan. OpenGL uses GLX on X11 and XWayland so Unity and VLC can share textures directly. Experimental native Wayland uses EGL.
- Dependencies: The plugin bundles LibVLC 4. System-installed VLC (typically v3 on most distros) is not used.
- Tested on: Ubuntu 22.04 LTS, Ubuntu 24.04 LTS.
- Wayland: XWayland is supported through GLX. Native Wayland through EGL is experimental and intended for validation rather than production use.
- DRI3 for DMA-BUF fallback: Direct GLX context sharing does not need the plugin’s DMA-BUF path. If the sharing probe fails, the DMA-BUF fallback needs the DRI3 X11 extension. Verify with
xdpyinfo -queryExtensions | grep DRI. If missing, update XWayland or switch to a native Xorg session.
- Hardware GPU required:
glxinfo | grep renderer must show your real GPU, not llvmpipe. Software rendering does not support GL_EXT_memory_object_fd.
- Hybrid GPU selection: The GLX backend first verifies direct context sharing. If it must use DMA-BUF instead, it probes every
/dev/dri/renderD* node and selects the first one whose buffers can be imported by the active OpenGL device.
- Device override: Set
VLC_UNITY_DRM_DEVICE=/dev/dri/renderD129 (or a stable /dev/dri/by-path/*-render symlink) to test a specific GPU. An override is exclusive and fails rather than silently selecting another device.
- Backend selection: Automatic selection follows Unity’s actual render-thread GLX/EGL context, not
DISPLAY/WAYLAND_DISPLAY or the GLES API name. Set VLC_UNITY_LINUX_OPENGL_BACKEND=glx or egl to force an interop backend for diagnostics.
- DMA-BUF diagnostic: Set
VLC_UNITY_GLX_FORCE_DMABUF=1 to bypass a working GLX shared context and exercise render-node probing. This is intended for testing rather than normal playback.
Support
If you encounter a problem with VLC for Unity, please open an issue using the issue template. The template provides a structure that you can fill in to give us all the necessary information for us to troubleshoot your issue.
Support is done on a volunteer base, professional support is only available for paying customers.
StackOverflow
We regularly monitor the 
and 
tags on StackOverflow.
Sample scenes
Several Unity sample scenes are available to help you get started quickly!
- A minimal playback example with buttons,
- 360 playback with keyboard navigation built-in,
- A video with subtitles showcasing support,
- The VLCPlayerExample provides a great base with more controls,
- 3D scene you can move around in with a movie screen and chairs in a cinema room.
More LibVLCSharp samples can be found here.
Roadmap
Future graphics APIs
- Vulkan on remaining targets (Android, Linux Standalone, Embedded Linux, and the Linux Editor are supported today)
- WebGL
Other improvements
- Provide in-Editor MediaPlayer customization, so you can customize LibVLC and playback parameters directly from the Unity Editor.
Release Notes
Check out the NEWS file for details about each release.
Logging
VLC Unity logging has separate source and output controls:
- Enable Log Player Activity on a
VLCMediaPlayer, or the corresponding activity options on a VLCPlaylistController, to produce concise high-level records from those components. The Unity Console output is enabled by default, so these records are visible immediately.
- Click Configure Global Logging in the player Inspector to independently include verbose LibVLC Engine Logs or VLC Unity Rendering Logs, and to route all enabled sources to the Unity Console, a file, or a Unity event. VLC Unity creates and manages the required settings asset automatically, displays the resolved log file path, and can reveal or open the current log from the settings window.
- Subscribe to
VLCUnityLogger.LogReceived to receive enabled records directly on the thread that produced them.
The sources are independent: player activity does not enable low-level engine records, and low-level engine sources do not enable player activity. Enable both when collecting a complete troubleshooting log.
Testing
See TESTING.md for the required Unity and LibVLCSharp setup and instructions for running tests in the Editor or from the command line.
Debugging
Editor crash location: C:\Users\YourUserName\AppData\Local\Temp\Unity\Editor\Crashes
Code of Conduct
Please read and follow the VideoLAN CoC.
Commercial services
The VLC for Unity integration makes use of several software components to provide a full featured and easy to use VLC player in your Unity apps and games. It goes without saying that this represents significant work. This work is handled by both the OSS community and opensource consulting partners. The frontiers and rules of commercial and open-source cohabitation can sometimes be blurry and confusing. The following information aims to clarify that.
Distribution
Distribution can be defined as the way in which you acquire a piece of software, in this case, a VLC for Unity asset.
| Distribution |
$$$ Cost |
| Build from source |
Free |
| Download from the Videolabs Store |
700$ per year (all platforms included) |
The whole of the VLC for Unity asset is open-source. Which means that you can definitely build it yourself and use it, for free.
Depending on your experience building native and managed code, it can be a challenging (yet rewarding) endeavor.
For convenience, Videolabs provides the already built binaries through the Videolabs Store. Building, maintaining and publishing these assets properly takes time and skill, this is the reason for the financial cost.
Support
VLC for Unity combines wide and powerful bricks of software. Bugs happen and feature requests, too. That is an expected part of software development. If you encounter an issue on VLC for Unity, depending on which component is at play, you have a few options to choose from at your disposal:
| Support |
$$$ Cost |
| Debug and fix the code by yourself |
Free |
| Limited support |
Free |
| Bug in the Unity integration |
Free (+ paid if urgent) |
| Feature request for the Unity integration |
Paid |
| Bug in VLC |
Paid |
| Feature request for VLC |
Paid |
| Performance optimization for VLC or Unity |
Paid |
If you encounter a problem with VLC for Unity, please open an issue using the issue template. The template provides a structure that you can fill in to give us all the necessary information for us to troubleshoot your issue.
Important note
VLC is a large ecosystem run by the VideoLAN non-profit and a community of volunteers.
Videolabs is an independent company providing development services around VLC open source technologies.
While Videolabs does ship and sell the Unity integration, Videolabs declines all responsibility for issues specific to VLC.
However, Videolabs being the main contributors to VLC improvements, feel free to reach out in case of related commercial projects.
More services
If you would like VLC developers to provide you with:
- custom development on LibVLC, VLC for Unity and/or LibVLCSharp,
- training and workshops,
- support services,
- consulting services,
- other multimedia services.
Feel free to contact us.
License
Licensed under the LGPL 2.1 and proprietary license via Videolabs.
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