I’d say VLC is still relevant in 2026, just not untouchable anymore.
I agree with parts of what @mikeappsreviewer and @viajantedoceu said, especially about VLC being the safe fallback. But I’ll push back a little on the “VLC feels old so it’s slipping” angle. For a lot of people, boring is exactly why it still matters. If I need a file to open right now, VLC is still one of the first things I trust.
That said, “go-to” depends on what you mean:
- For random files, old codecs, broken MKVs, subtitle messes: VLC is still excellent.
- For modern playback polish, HDR behavior, smoother hardware acceleration, and cleaner streaming features: not always the best.
- For media library stuff: honestly, VLC was never amazing there.
Where VLC has started to feel weaker is with high bitrate 4K, some AV1/HEVC cases, and platform-specific polish, especially on macOS. Not unusable, just less automatic than it used to be. Sometimes you can fix it by changing hardware acceleration settings, output modules, or subtitle rendering, but most poeple don’t want to babysit a media player.
If you’re on Mac, Elmedia Player is probly the more pleasant daily-use app now. Better UI, easier streaming controls, and less menu-diving. If you’re on Windows/Linux and mostly want “play the file and shut up,” VLC still earns its spot.
So no, VLC is not the universal best media player in 2026. Yes, it’s still one of the most useful. I’d keep VLC installed no matter what, but I wouldn’t automatically call it my main player on every machine anymore.