A new version of the versatile VLC media player has been released — and would you believe it: the update is already available on Ubuntu!
VLC 3.0.5 isn’t dramatic; a minor update in the 3.x series, this is the first release of the player since the summer.
But the version uplift brings a bunch of bug fixes and security updates to the fore, particularly for third-party libraries. There are also performance tweaks and (though not relevant here) improved compatibility with macOS 10.14 and its newfangled “dark mode”.
A quick glimpse at the key changes in VLC 3.0.5:
- New AV1 decoder based on dav1d library
- Improved Blu-ray playback, menu access and seeking
- Uses libaom decoder by default
- Improvements for MP4, MKV, CAF and AV1 media
- Better HDR support & tone-mapping
- Improved Chromecast support
- Updated Youtube support
- Fix for subtile rendering issue
The VLC website offers a full change-log between VLC 3.0.4 and 3.0.5 if you fancy digging a bit deeper into the latest offering.
Install VLC 3.0.5 on Ubuntu 16.04 LTS and above
It’s easy to install VLC 3.0.5 on Ubuntu provided you’re running Ubuntu 16.04 LTS, 18.04 LTS or later — and it’s all thanks to the Snap store.
You can install the latest version of VLC, which is packaged and maintained by VLC developers, from the Snap store via the Ubuntu Software:
Or via the command line:
sudo snap install vlc
If you don’t use the VLC Snap but regular repo version, don’t panic: you will get the VLC 3.0.5 update at some point in the next few weeks as a regular software update through the Software Updater app (unless you have disabled the ‘updates’ repo).
Don’t have VLC installed from the repo, but want it? Just hit this button to install from the Ubuntu Software app:
Or run this command:
sudo apt install vlc