VLC refresh now at 4.0

VLC, the default video player in many laptops, mobile phones, tablets and Android TV, is getting a brand-new interface in an upcoming 4.0 release later this year.

As of 12 February, there’s already a version 4.0.0-dev which means it’s still a work in progress with the “developmental” suffix. The latest full variant that shipped with the Ubuntu Focal is a 3.0.9.2.

The new version of VLC opens a separate playback window while the older version opens and plays videos directly in the main window.

Interface-wise, the browse tab should make it easy to access media servers on local network-Plex servers and Playstations, among other devices.

Version 4.0-dev has turned VLC into a “file opener” to a “media browser” showing thumbnails of all videos in the user’s various video folders.

Searching for a video outside of the directory necessitates the use of the so-called “hamburger menu” to bring back what looks like to be the old VLC interface.

“As long as your videos are all in your local Videos folder, you probably won’t have any difficulty with the new interface — but in its current state, it’s not much fun for browsing large numbers of files in multiple directories,” said tech guru Jim Salter.

“If you want to get out of your Videos directory, you’ll need to click the hamburger menu on the upper left of the playlist and select Media > Open Directory,” he added.

Version 4.0 has been in development for two years now, its completion probably delayed by the pandemic. But it may yet get a final release before

2021 ends.