How to Play 5.1 Audio in VLC [Change Audio Output]

Playing 5.1 audio in VLC to enhance audio quality

How to

Reading time icon 2 min. read

Calendar icon Updated on

by Srishti Sisodia 

updated on

Share this article

Readers help support Windows Report. We may get a commission if you buy through our links. Tooltip Icon

Read our disclosure page to find out how can you help Windows Report sustain the editorial team. Read more

Key notes

  • With 5.1 audio, you can enjoy a realistic and immersive audio experience with sound coming from different directions adding depth and clarity.
  • This guide will discuss the steps to play the audio in VLC.
how to play 5.1 audio in vlc

VLC media player is an open-source media player which can support different video and audio formats. It is popular, easy to use, and comes with the ability to play 5.1 surround sound audio.

However, if you don’t know how to play 5.1 audio in a VLC player, this guide can help! We will discuss the steps to change the audio output settings in VLC. Let’s get started! 

What can I do to play 5.1 audio in VLC?

1. For DirectX

  1. Launch VLC media player.
  2. Press Ctrl + P to open Preferences. 
  3. Go to the bottom right-hand side navigation pane, and select the All radio button under the Show settings area. All settings how to play 5.1 audio in vlc
  4. Select and expand the Audio tree, choose Output modules, and select DirectX. 
  5. Choose your Output device as Dolby and Speaker configuration as Windows Default from the drop-down menus. Audio DirectX how to play 5.1 audio in vlc
  6. Click Save to confirm your choice, then restart your VLC media player. 

2. For the MMDevice

  1. Press Ctrl + P to open Preferences. 
  2. Go to Audio, then select Output Modules. 
  3. Click MMDevice.MMDEVICE how to play 5.1 audio in vlc
  4. In the Output back-end drop-down list, choose DirectX audio output. 
  5. Reboot VLC for it to let the changes take effect.

So, these are steps to play 5.1 audio in the VLC media player. Please let us know in the comments section below if you have questions or concerns. 

Srishti Sisodia

Srishti Sisodia Shield

Windows Software Expert

Srishti Sisodia is an electronics engineer and writer with a passion for technology. She has extensive experience exploring the latest technological advancements and sharing her insights through informative blogs. Her diverse interests bring a unique perspective to her work, and she approaches everything with commitment, enthusiasm, and a willingness to learn. That's why she's part of Windows Report's Reviewers team, always willing to share the real-life experience with any software or hardware product. She's also specialized in Azure, cloud computing, and AI.

User forum

0 messages