Video

How to Completely Uninstall VLC on Mac

To uninstall VLC, drag it from the Applications folder to the Trash. This process removes the application but leaves behind configuration and cached data ranging from 50 MB – 500 MB.

Last updated: November 1, 20262 min read

Remove VLC and everything it leaves behind

VLC data usually takes 50 MB – 500 MB on a Mac. The free scan shows the exact size on your Mac before you change anything.

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Free scan · No account · Nothing is deleted without your OK · Moves to the Trash first · macOS 14+

Application: VLC
Typical data size: 50 MB – 500 MB
Category: Video
File Location: ~/Library/Preferences/org.videolan.vlc

Manual cleanup steps

Quit the app completely (⌘+Q in the menu bar).
Move VLC from the Applications folder to the Trash.
Remove the folders VLC left behind, listed in the table below.
Empty the Trash to free up the space.

Everything VLC keeps on your Mac

4 locations. Tick each one as you remove it; back up anything marked as your data first.

~/Library/Preferences/org.videolan.vlc Settings · VLC configuration file (vlcrc) Yes, settings reset~/Library/Preferences/org.videolan.vlc.plist Settings · app settings and recently played files Yes, settings reset~/Library/Caches/org.videolan.vlc Cache · app cache Yes, rebuilt automatically~/Library/Saved Application State/org.videolan.vlc.savedState Window state · window positions from the last session Yes, rebuilt automatically

Locations are the standard macOS folders VLC uses; some appear only after you use the matching feature.

What VLC leaves behind

Specific to VLC

Dragging the app to the Trash does not remove its support folders. Settings, recently played files, and window positions remain in the Library to persist across installations. Caches are also left behind, though they are rebuilt automatically if the app returns.

Preparing to remove VLC

Before deletion, ensure all personal configurations are documented since they reside in separate folders. These directories, including one named after the bundle ID in Preferences, hold your settings rather than your media. Access them via Finder > Go > Go to Folder because the Library is hidden.

Save any created playlists to a fileNote custom subtitle and audio preferencesQuit the app before deleting it

0 of 3 done

By hand or with OptiClear

	By hand	With OptiClear
Places to check	4 folders, one by one	One scan
File sizes	You look them up yourself	Shown for every item
Removing the wrong thing	Easy to delete the wrong folder	Goes to the Trash first, so it can be restored
Cost	Free	Scan is free; cleaning needs Pro (yearly plan has a 7-day free trial)

See it working

OptiClear — Scan overview — every category on one screen — Scan overview — every category on one screen

OptiClear — Privacy audit: what each app has been allowed to reach — Privacy audit: what each app has been allowed to reach

OptiClear — Large and aging files, ranked by what they cost you — Large and aging files, ranked by what they cost you

Try it without risk

Download and scan for freeSee every VLC file and its size. No account needed.
Clean free for 7 daysStart the 7-day free trial of the yearly plan inside the app.
Keep it or cancelCancel in your App Store settings at least 24 hours before the trial ends and you won't be charged.

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After the free trial, Pro costs $39.99 per year in your country's App Store; cancel any time.

Frequently asked questions

Yes. Folders marked “Yes, rebuilt automatically” are rebuilt automatically; removing them only makes the next start slower. Folders marked “Yes, settings reset” hold settings, which return to their defaults.

Where is the main configuration file kept?

It is located at ~/Library/Preferences/org.videolan.vlc.

Will emptying the Trash remove my video library?

No, because the app does not store your own documents within its system folders.