Why does VLC stop playing audio?

VLC media player is a free, open-source, portable cross-platform media player developed by the VideoLAN project. First released in 2001, VLC has grown to become one of the most popular media players with over 3 billion downloads worldwide. Known for its ability to play a wide variety of audio and video formats without the need for additional codecs, VLC has established itself as a go-to audio player for many users.

According to Quora, VLC commands a significant share of the media player market, especially among open source options. Its clean interface, robust feature set, and seamless playback make it a favorite for listening to music. However, like any software, VLC is not without its occasional technical hiccups. One common issue users report is the player suddenly stopping or cutting out during audio playback.

Common Causes of Audio Cutouts

One of the most common reasons VLC may stop playing audio is encoding issues with the media files themselves. VLC supports a wide variety of audio codecs and formats including MP3, AAC, AC3, WMA, FLAC, OGG, and more. However, not all files will playback properly in VLC depending on the specific encoder used to create them.

For example, some AAC files encoded with older or less common versions of the FAAC encoder may not play correctly or cut out. VLC relies on libfaad and libavcodec libraries for AAC decoding support. If a media file uses an incompatible version of AAC encoding, VLC can struggle to decode it properly leading to intermittent audio cutouts.

The best solution is to re-encode problematic files using recent and standard compliant encoders. For common formats like AAC, MP3, FLAC, etc. this will usually resolve any decoding issues in VLC. One can also try installing additional codec packs, but encoding with well-supported settings is preferable.

Hardware Limitations

One common cause of audio cutouts in VLC is hardware limitations, especially with older or unsupported sound cards and drivers. VLC relies heavily on hardware acceleration and GPU decoding to process media files and output audio. If your sound card drivers are outdated or incompatible with VLC, it can lead to intermittent audio glitches or total sound failure.

For example, some users report issues with Realtek audio drivers causing no sound in VLC, especially on Windows 7 and 10 (http://forum.videolan.org/viewtopic.php?t=156428). Trying to update sound card drivers or rolling back to older drivers that have better VLC support may help resolve these hardware-related audio problems.

Additionally, attempting to play older media formats like WMV files that require specific codecs can reveal sound card incompatibilities in VLC. If your hardware doesn’t support the codec, audio may cut out entirely when trying to play those files (https://forum.videolan.org/viewtopic.php?f=14&p=542047).

Overall, hardware limitations around outdated or incompatible sound cards and drivers are a prime suspect when diagnosing choppy, disappearing, or totally absent audio in VLC media player across different operating systems.

Software Conflicts

VLC can sometimes experience audio playback issues due to conflicts with other software using audio resources. This frequently occurs if multiple programs attempt to use audio simultaneously. For example, VLC may cut out or stop audio entirely if another media player or streaming software like Spotify or YouTube is running audio at the same time.

According to the VLC forums, users have reported intermittent audio cutouts when programs like Discord, Skype, Zoom, OBS, or other communication software is open [1]. This appears to stem from the programs conflicting over control of audio resources. Other users note audio conflicts specifically with web browsers as well, especially when multiple browser tabs contain audio or video.

To mitigate this, try closing any other unnecessary programs that may be using audio when you want to listen to audio in VLC. Allowing only one audio source at a time prevents multiple programs from fighting over resources and should allow VLC to play audio smoothly without interruption. You can also try adjusting audio device settings in both VLC and the conflicting program to specify separate audio outputs.

Corrupted Settings

One common cause of VLC suddenly stopping or skipping audio is corrupted configuration files. VLC stores its settings in configuration files that can become damaged over time, especially if VLC hasn’t been closed properly or crashes frequently.

When these configuration files get corrupted, it can cause all sorts of audio and video playback issues in VLC. The settings that control audio playback may become reset or scrambled, leading to no audio or stuttering audio during playback.

Resetting VLC will clear out these corrupted configuration files and restore the default, clean settings. This often resolves the audio stopping or skipping in VLC. You can reset VLC’s settings from the preferences menu or by deleting the config files manually. For details, refer to the VLC reset guides here: https://www.wikihow.com/Reset-VLC-Media-Player and https://www.winxdvd.com/resource/vlc-reset-config-solve-vlc-errors.htm.

Resetting VLC to default settings is an easy first troubleshooting step for audio cutout issues to rule out corrupted configuration files as the culprit.

Buggy Updates

One common cause of VLC stopping or cutting out during audio playback is bugs introduced in the latest version of the VLC media player. As an actively developed open source software, VLC frequently pushes out new updates to fix issues and add features. However, occasionally these updates can introduce new bugs that lead to problems like audio cutouts.

For example, VLC version 3.0.8 released in January 2020 was reported to cause significant audio sync issues and cutouts for many users. The VLC developers addressed these bugs in follow-up releases like version 3.0.10. But this demonstrates how even minor VLC version updates can inadvertently break things.

Before troubleshooting other causes, it’s a good idea to check the VLC changelog and forums to see if any known bugs with the current version match the symptoms you are experiencing. Downgrading to a previous stable release may resolve the problems in the short term until fixes are published.

Connectivity Problems

One common cause of audio cutouts in VLC is network connectivity issues that interrupt streaming media playback. Streaming audio or video over a network relies on having a stable, high-bandwidth connection. Any network problems like low bandwidth, high latency, packet loss or jitter can disrupt the stream and cause playback failures in VLC.

Common connectivity problems that affect VLC streaming include:

Unstable wireless connections causing packet loss. This is especially common on crowded WiFi networks or when using the 2.4GHz band which is prone to interference.
Network congestion or bottlenecks that reduce available bandwidth. Streaming HD video requires at least 3-5 Mbps of bandwidth.
VPN connections adding latency or throttling bandwidth.

Problems with the streaming server, particularly if using unofficial streams.
Temporary network outages disrupting buffering.
Using mobile data with poor signal strength.

There are a few ways to troubleshoot and address streaming problems in VLC:

Try streaming over a wired Ethernet connection which is more reliable than WiFi.
Restart networking devices like routers, modems and WiFi access points.

Disable or disconnect from VPNs to rule them out as a factor.
Use a tool like Speedtest to check your real-world network speeds and performance.
Switch to a lower quality stream that requires less bandwidth.

If network connectivity is consistently poor, upgrading your internet service plan may be required for smooth VLC streaming.

High CPU/Memory Usage

VLC media player is intensive software that utilizes a lot of system resources. If your CPU usage or memory usage is high from other running programs, VLC may not have enough free resources to properly play audio.

For example, one user on the Arch Linux forums reported high CPU usage in VLC after upgrading their kernel and Nvidia drivers, which slowed video playback. Another user on the Doom9 forums had VLC exhibit high CPU usage that impacted audio fluidity when playing files in Media Player Classic.

When system resources are constrained, VLC has to fight for leftover CPU cycles and memory, which can cause playback failures like audio cutouts. Closing other programs can help free up resources for VLC.

Mitigation Strategies

If you experience audio cutouts or stopping with VLC media player, there are some troubleshooting strategies you can try to resolve the issue:

Update Audio Drivers

Outdated audio drivers can sometimes cause playback problems with VLC. Go to your audio manufacturer’s website and download the latest driver for your sound card or onboard audio. Install the updated driver and restart your computer.

Change VLC Audio Settings

Try adjusting the audio settings in VLC to rule out a configuration issue. Open VLC > Tools > Preferences > Audio and experiment with changing the audio device, output mode, and audio filters. Applying these changes may improve playback.

Disable Audio Enhancements

Some sound “enhancement” features in Windows can conflict with VLC. Open your Sound control panel, go to the Enhancements tab, and disable any audio effects. This prevents interference with VLC’s audio output.

Close Background Applications

Too many apps running in the background can strain resources needed by VLC. Close unused programs to free up CPU, memory, and disk bandwidth. This helps ensure smooth, uninterrupted audio playback.

Check Default Formats

VLC may struggle with decoding certain audio formats. Go to Tools > Preferences > Audio and check the default decoder formats. Try changing to a different audio output module if you experience cutouts.

Conclusion

In summary, there are a few common culprits behind VLC player suddenly stopping or cutting out during audio playback. Hardware limitations like an underpowered CPU or insufficient RAM can cause playback issues. Software conflicts, corrupted settings files, and buggy application updates can also interrupt smooth playback in VLC. Connectivity problems, high system resource usage, codec compatability issues, and some types of audio filters may lead to temporary freezes or stoppages.

To resolve intermittent audio cutouts in VLC, first check your system meets the minimum requirements for processor power and memory. Update VLC and audio drivers to eliminate any bugs. Reset VLC settings to defaults to clear any corrupted data. Disable or remove any additional audio filters and enhancements. Close other demanding programs to free up CPU and RAM. Switch codecs or try converting files to a simplified audio format. As a last resort, uninstall and reinstall VLC to do a clean slate install. With some diligent troubleshooting and optimizing your system, you can enjoy uninterrupted audio playback.