How to Set the Default Audio Track in VLC Media Player
VLC Media Player is a versatile and widely used media player known for its ability to handle various audio and video formats. One of its useful features is the ability to customize audio track preferences. If you frequently find yourself manually selecting your preferred audio track, setting a default audio track can significantly streamline your viewing experience. This guide provides a detailed, step-by-step walkthrough on how to set the default audio track in VLC Media Player, along with helpful tips and troubleshooting advice.
Why Set a Default Audio Track?
Before diving into the instructions, let’s discuss why setting a default audio track can be beneficial:
* **Multilingual Content:** Many videos, especially movies and TV shows, come with multiple audio tracks in different languages. Setting your preferred language as the default eliminates the need to manually switch every time you play a video.
* **Director’s Commentary:** Some videos include director’s commentary tracks. If you regularly listen to these commentaries, setting it as the default saves you time and effort.
* **Descriptive Audio:** For visually impaired viewers, descriptive audio tracks provide narration that describes the visual elements of the video. Setting this as the default makes content more accessible.
* **Personal Preference:** You might simply prefer a specific audio track for quality or other reasons. Setting it as the default ensures that you always hear your preferred audio.
Methods to Set the Default Audio Track in VLC
There are several methods to configure VLC to automatically select your preferred audio track:
* **Using VLC’s Preferences (Simple Method)**
* **Using Advanced Preferences (For Specific Track IDs)**
* **Modifying the VLC Configuration File (Advanced Users)**
We’ll cover each method in detail below.
Method 1: Using VLC’s Preferences (Simple Method)
This is the easiest and most common method for setting a default audio track. It involves using VLC’s preferences menu to specify your preferred language.
**Step 1: Open VLC Media Player**
Launch VLC Media Player on your computer. If you don’t have it installed, download it from the official VLC website ([https://www.videolan.org/vlc/](https://www.videolan.org/vlc/)) and follow the installation instructions.
**Step 2: Access Preferences**
* **Windows:** Click on “Tools” in the menu bar and select “Preferences.”
* **macOS:** Click on “VLC” in the menu bar and select “Preferences.”
Alternatively, you can use the keyboard shortcut:
* **Windows:** `Ctrl + P`
* **macOS:** `Cmd + ,` (Command + Comma)
**Step 3: Select the Audio Tab**
In the Preferences window, click on the “Audio” tab. This tab contains various settings related to audio playback.
**Step 4: Set the Preferred Audio Language**
In the “Preferred audio language” field, enter the language code for your preferred language. Language codes are two-letter ISO 639-1 codes (e.g., “en” for English, “fr” for French, “de” for German, “es” for Spanish, “ja” for Japanese, etc.). You can find a comprehensive list of language codes online.
If you want to specify multiple preferred languages, separate them with commas. VLC will try to use the first language in the list and fall back to the subsequent languages if the first one is not available.
Example:
* To prioritize English, followed by French and then German, enter: `en,fr,de`
**Step 5: Save the Changes**
Click the “Save” button at the bottom of the Preferences window to apply the changes.
**Step 6: Restart VLC Media Player**
Close and reopen VLC Media Player for the changes to take effect. Now, when you play a video with multiple audio tracks, VLC should automatically select the audio track that matches your preferred language.
**Verification**
To verify that the setting is working correctly, play a video with multiple audio tracks in different languages. Check if VLC automatically selects the audio track in your preferred language. If not, double-check the language code you entered in the preferences and ensure that the video contains an audio track with that language code.
Method 2: Using Advanced Preferences (For Specific Track IDs)
This method is more advanced and allows you to specify the exact audio track ID that you want VLC to use by default. This is useful when dealing with videos that don’t have proper language tags or when you want to select a specific commentary track.
**Step 1: Open VLC Media Player**
Launch VLC Media Player.
**Step 2: Access Advanced Preferences**
* **Windows:** Click on “Tools” in the menu bar, select “Preferences,” and then click on “Show settings” at the bottom of the window. Select “All” to show advanced settings.
* **macOS:** Click on “VLC” in the menu bar, select “Preferences,” and then click on “Show All” at the bottom left of the window to show advanced settings.
**Step 3: Navigate to Input / Codecs Settings**
In the Advanced Preferences window, navigate to “Input / Codecs” in the left pane. Expand the “Input / Codecs” section if necessary.
**Step 4: Find the Audio Track ID Preference**
Scroll down the list of settings until you find the “Audio track ID” option.
**Step 5: Set the Audio Track ID**
In the “Audio track ID” field, enter the ID of the audio track you want to use as the default. To find the audio track ID, play the video in VLC, go to “Audio” > “Audio Track,” and note the number associated with the track you want to use.
For example, if the English audio track is listed as “Track 1,” enter `1` in the “Audio track ID” field. If it is listed as “Track 2,” enter `2`, and so on.
**Step 6: Save the Changes**
Click the “Save” button at the bottom of the Advanced Preferences window to apply the changes.
**Step 7: Restart VLC Media Player**
Close and reopen VLC Media Player for the changes to take effect. VLC should now automatically select the specified audio track ID when you play a video.
**Verification**
Play a video with multiple audio tracks and verify that VLC selects the audio track with the ID you specified. If it doesn’t work, double-check the audio track ID and ensure that the video actually contains an audio track with that ID.
Method 3: Modifying the VLC Configuration File (Advanced Users)
This method involves directly editing the VLC configuration file. It’s more technical and should only be attempted by advanced users who are comfortable with editing configuration files. Incorrectly modifying the configuration file can cause VLC to malfunction.
**Step 1: Locate the VLC Configuration File**
The location of the VLC configuration file varies depending on your operating system:
* **Windows:** `%appdata%\vlc\vlcrc` (You can type this into the File Explorer address bar to navigate to the file.)
* **macOS:** `~/.config/vlc/vlcrc` (This is typically hidden. You can access it via the Terminal using `open ~/.config/vlc`.)
* **Linux:** `~/.config/vlc/vlcrc`
**Step 2: Open the Configuration File in a Text Editor**
Use a text editor (e.g., Notepad on Windows, TextEdit on macOS, or gedit on Linux) to open the `vlcrc` file. Make sure to open the file as an administrator if you are on windows to save changes.
**Step 3: Find or Add the `audio-language` Setting**
Search for the `audio-language` setting in the file. If it doesn’t exist, you can add it to the `` section. If the `` section doesn’t exist, create it.
Example:
audio-language=en,fr
Replace `en,fr` with your preferred language codes, separated by commas.
**Alternatively, to set the audio track id, locate or add the `audio-track-id` setting:**
audio-track-id=1
Replace `1` with your preferred audio track ID.
**Step 4: Save the Changes**
Save the modified `vlcrc` file. Ensure that you have the necessary permissions to save the file.
**Step 5: Restart VLC Media Player**
Close and reopen VLC Media Player for the changes to take effect. VLC should now automatically select the specified audio track or language when you play a video.
**Caution:** Be extremely careful when editing the `vlcrc` file. Make a backup of the file before making any changes, so you can restore it if something goes wrong. Incorrect syntax or values in the `vlcrc` file can cause VLC to malfunction.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
* **VLC Doesn’t Select the Correct Audio Track:**
* **Check the Language Code or Track ID:** Ensure that you have entered the correct language code or audio track ID in the preferences or configuration file.
* **Verify Audio Track Availability:** Make sure that the video you are playing actually contains an audio track with the language code or ID you specified. Use VLC’s Audio Track menu to check available tracks.
* **Restart VLC:** Sometimes, VLC needs to be restarted for the changes to take effect. Close and reopen VLC Media Player.
* **Clear Cache:** Clearing VLC’s cache can sometimes resolve issues. Go to Tools > Preferences > Input / Codecs and click “Reset all” then save and restart VLC.
* **Configuration File Issues:**
* **Syntax Errors:** Double-check the syntax of the `vlcrc` file. Ensure that the settings are in the correct format and that there are no typos.
* **Permissions:** Make sure you have the necessary permissions to edit and save the `vlcrc` file. Run your text editor as an administrator if necessary.
* **Backup:** If you encounter issues after modifying the `vlcrc` file, restore the backup you created before making any changes.
* **Conflicting Settings:**
* If you have configured both the preferred audio language and the audio track ID, make sure that they are not conflicting. It’s generally best to use one method or the other.
Additional Tips and Tricks
* **Using Command-Line Options:** You can also set the default audio track using command-line options when launching VLC. For example:
* `vlc –audio-language=en,fr video.mp4`
* `vlc –audio-track-id=1 video.mp4`
* **Creating a Custom VLC Profile:** For more advanced customization, you can create a custom VLC profile with your preferred audio settings. This allows you to easily switch between different configurations.
* **Exploring Other Audio Settings:** VLC offers a variety of other audio settings, such as volume normalization, audio effects, and output device selection. Explore these settings to further customize your audio experience.
Conclusion
Setting a default audio track in VLC Media Player is a simple yet powerful way to enhance your viewing experience. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can configure VLC to automatically select your preferred audio track, saving you time and effort. Whether you prefer a specific language, director’s commentary, or descriptive audio, VLC’s customization options allow you to tailor the player to your individual needs. Remember to troubleshoot any issues by checking your settings, restarting VLC, and verifying audio track availability. With a little configuration, you can enjoy a seamless and personalized audio experience with VLC Media Player.