How do I install VLC MCP Server?

Follow the setup instructions on the VLC GitHub repository, then add the server configuration to your AI client.

What category is VLC MCP Server?

VLC is categorized under Developer Tools. Browse more servers in these categories on MCPgee.

VLC

Name: Vlc MCP Server
Author: piebro

v1.0.0•Developer Tools•stable

An MCP (Model Context Protocol) Server to play and control movies using VLC.

mcpmcp-servervlc-media-player

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What is VLC?

VLC is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that allows AI assistants like Claude, Cursor, and VS Code to mcp (model context protocol) server to play and control movies using vlc.

An MCP (Model Context Protocol) Server to play and control movies using VLC.

This server falls under the Developer Tools category on MCPgee, the world's largest MCP server directory with 33,000+ servers.

Features

An MCP (Model Context Protocol) Server to play and control m

Use Cases

Play and control media

VLC media player control

piebro

Maintainer

LicenseMIT

Languagepython

Versionv1.0.0

UpdatedApr 12, 2026

Statushealthy

Maintenanceactive

Works with

ClaudeOpenAIwindowsmacoslinux

View Source Browse All Servers

Installation

Manual Installation

npx vlc

Configuration

Configuration Details

Config File

claude_desktop_config.json

Performance

Response Metrics

Response Time< 200ms

ThroughputMedium

Resource Usage

Memory UsageLow

CPU UsageLow

How to Set Up and Use VLC

VLC MCP Server is a Python server that connects AI assistants to a locally running VLC media player via its HTTP interface, enabling natural-language control of video playback. It exposes a show_video tool that accepts a video title and subtitle language code, locates the matching file in a configured folder, and instructs VLC to play it. Home theater enthusiasts and developers can use it to ask their AI assistant to play a specific movie without touching a remote or file browser.

Prerequisites

VLC media player installed with the HTTP interface enabled
mediainfo utility installed (used to read video file metadata)
uv Python package manager installed (recommended) or pip
The VLC HTTP interface started with a known host, port, and password
An MCP client such as Claude Desktop

Install system dependencies

On Debian/Ubuntu-based systems install VLC and mediainfo. On other systems use the equivalent package manager.

sudo apt install vlc mediainfo

Start VLC with the HTTP interface enabled

Launch VLC with the HTTP interface so the MCP server can send it commands. Replace 'yourpassword' with a password of your choice.

vlc --intf http --http-host localhost --http-port 8081 --http-password yourpassword

Clone the repository

Clone the vlc-mcp-server repository from GitHub.

git clone https://github.com/piebro/vlc-mcp-server.git
cd vlc-mcp-server

Configure environment variables

Set the required environment variables pointing to your video folder and VLC HTTP interface credentials.

export ROOT_VIDEO_FOLDER=/home/user/Videos
export VLC_HTTP_HOST=localhost
export VLC_HTTP_PORT=8081
export VLC_HTTP_PASSWORD=yourpassword

Add the server to your MCP client configuration

VLC Examples

Client configuration

Add VLC MCP Server to Claude Desktop using uvx, pointing to your video folder and VLC HTTP credentials.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "vlc": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["vlc-mcp-server"],
      "env": {
        "ROOT_VIDEO_FOLDER": "/home/user/Videos",
        "VLC_HTTP_HOST": "localhost",
        "VLC_HTTP_PORT": "8081",
        "VLC_HTTP_PASSWORD": "yourpassword"
      }
    }
  }
}

Prompts to try

Example prompts to control VLC media playback through your MCP client.

- "Play Inception with English subtitles."
- "Show me The Matrix with French subtitles."
- "Play the movie 'Interstellar' and use English subtitles."
- "What movies do I have available in my video folder?"

Troubleshooting VLC

VLC MCP Server cannot connect to VLC's HTTP interface

Verify VLC is running with the HTTP interface enabled and that VLC_HTTP_HOST, VLC_HTTP_PORT, and VLC_HTTP_PASSWORD match the values used when starting VLC. Test the connection with 'curl http://localhost:8081/requests/status.json -u :yourpassword'.

show_video tool cannot find the requested video file

Ensure ROOT_VIDEO_FOLDER points to the directory containing your video files and that the title you use in the prompt matches part of the filename. mediainfo must also be installed for file metadata detection.

VLC HTTP interface is not accessible after starting VLC

Some VLC builds require explicitly enabling the HTTP interface in Preferences > Interface > Main Interface. After enabling it, set the password and port in the Lua HTTP section, then restart VLC.

Frequently Asked Questions about VLC

What is VLC?

VLC is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that mcp (model context protocol) server to play and control movies using vlc. It connects AI assistants to external tools and data sources through a standardized interface.

How do I install VLC?

Follow the installation instructions on the VLC GitHub repository. Clone the repo, install dependencies, and add the server config to your AI client.

Which AI clients work with VLC?

VLC works with all major MCP-compatible AI clients including Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code (GitHub Copilot), Windsurf, and Cline.

Is VLC free to use?

Yes, VLC is open source and available under the MIT license. You can use it freely in both personal and commercial projects.

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Set Up VLC in Your Editor

Choose your AI client for step-by-step setup instructions.

🖥️

Claude Desktop

macOS & Windows app

⌨️

Claude Code

CLI & terminal

📝

Cursor

AI-first code editor

💻

VS Code

GitHub Copilot MCP

🏄

Windsurf

Codeium AI editor

🔌

Cline

VS Code extension

Quick Config Preview

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "vlc": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "vlc"]
    }
  }
}

Add this to your claude_desktop_config.json or .cursor/mcp.json

Read the full setup guide →

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