How can I make VLC the default player for music and video?

MikeHunt79 · 22 Oct 2009 at 14:49

I've installed VLC, now what?

Whenever I download or open an mp3, it plays in itunes, and whenever I open a video, quicktime comes up and normally says "cannot play this file!"

I can right click the file and go to "open with" or even drag the file to the vlc cone on the dock, but I was VLC to be the default player...

If I were to remove quicktime and itunes, would this be OK? I never really use them anyway...

MikeHunt79 · 22 Oct 2009 at 16:48

mr.sly said:
Right click a file. Choose 'Get Info" then change the default application and click 'Change All...'

You'll have to do that a few times for mp3, avi, mkv and any other files you want to use with VLC.

Well, what do you know, that worked perfectly, now it opens MP3's with VLC after using the 'get info' thing. Thanks!

EVH said:
Isn't there an option in VLC to associate filetypes

Screenshot (I know it's Windows!)

How did you get that screen? VLC has 11tybillion options, and I could not see it anywhere... I guess it may only be in the Windows version however.

MikeHunt79 · 23 Oct 2009 at 16:25

Cheers, I've set all my extensions now, I guess the Mac version of VLC will be a little different to Windows with things like this.

I'm not tempted to remove itunes and quicktime to see what happens, but it's probably going to cause some sort of problem so I won't.

MikeHunt79 · 23 Oct 2009 at 17:10

mr.sly said:
I'm not sure if it will cause you any problems removing them, but at the same time it's not going to cause any problems keeping them in the Applications folder. And if you need to view Quicktime files on a website, you'll have everything you need.

I'm not short of HD space, so I've just removed them from the dock, and removed the ituneshelper thing from the system startup programs launch list.