How-To

How to Play a VOB File on Windows 10

By Brian Burgess

Published January 18, 2023

When you rip DVDs, you might end up with several VOB files you need to play. Here’s how to play a VOB file on Windows 10.

You’ll run across DVD Video Object files or VOB files when you rip and burn DVD movies. VOB files are also a result if you convert a DVD to an ISO image.

However, what if you need to play the VOB file directly without converting it? The good news is you can play a VOB file on Windows 10 using native or third-party apps.

So, if you have any leftover VOB files from ripping DVDs over the years, you can play them without much hassle.

Why Might You Want to Play a VOB File on Windows 10?

If you ripped a lot of DVDs back in the day, you might have a lot of VOB files in storage. You can convert and combine VOB files when you convert a DVD to an ISO or burn to a disc.

The VOB files are generally large, and you should store them in an external drive for long-term storage. Still, when you run across a VOB file, you might want to play it.

If you’re running Windows 10, playing a VOB is a straightforward process. But you might need to enable Windows Media Player or install a third-party app like VLC first.

Using VLC to Play VOB Files on Windows 10

The best app to use for playing VOB files (along with virtually all other media files) is VLC. For years, VLC has been the go-to app for playing media file types on almost every platform.

VLC is a free, open-source media player that you can use on Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, and Android.

To play VOB files on Windows 10 with VLC:

1. Download and install VLC Media Player on your Windows 10 system following the onscreen wizard.
   Note: You can also get the UWP version of VLC in the Microsoft Store.
2. Launch VLC and select Media > Open file.
3. Navigate to the location of the VOB file you need to play, select it, and click the Open button.
4. Provided the VOB file isn’t corrupt, it will open in VLC Media Player so you can watch it. Note the playback controls on the bottom toolbar to manage your viewing experience.
5. Of course, as with other apps, you can play a VOB file on Windows 10 directly from File Explorer. Navigate to the location of the VOB file you want to view, right-click it, and select Open with > VLC media player.
6. Alternatively, right-click the VOB file and click Play with VLC media player from the context menu. Or if VLC is set to the default media player, double-click the VOB file to view it.

Play a VOB file with Windows Media Player

Windows Media Player (WMP) is an often forgotten app due to the excellence of apps like VLC. However, if you don’t want to install a third-party app, you can use it to play VOB files. Unfortunately, VOB playback in Windows Media Player isn’t as reliable as other options.

To play a VOB file on Windows 10 with Windows Media Player:

1. Press the Windows key to bring up the Start menu and type features.
2. Click the Turn Windows features on or off option under the Best match section.
3. Expand the Media Features section, and check the Windows Media Player box.
4. Click OK and restart your PC to complete the installation process.
5. Right-click the VOB you want to play and select Open with > Windows Media Player.
6. Select the Choose another app option if you don’t see Windows Media Player in the context menu.
7. Select More apps and click on Windows Media Player. If you want it to always open VOB files, check the box always to open VOB files, and click OK.
8. If this is the first time you’re running Windows Media Player on your system, select Recommended or Custom settings and click Finish.
9. Once set up, Windows Media Player will start playing your VOB file.

Note: There is a caveat using Windows Media Player for VOB files. While it can play VOB files, you might be notified that it doesn’t recognize them. So, for example, if the VOB file wasn’t ripped from the DVD correctly and the file is corrupt, Windows Media Player won’t play it.

Click Yes to the message and see if it plays.

If your VOB file doesn’t play in Windows Media Player, go with VLC since it will play virtually any media file type you throw at it.

Playing Media Files on Windows

Having the ability to play obscure media files on Windows can be challenging at times. However, it’s worth noting that WMP supports MKV and FLAC files on Windows 10.

If you can’t play a particular media file with WMP, try using VLC before giving up. If you don’t want to install another app, no worries. You can get VLC as a portable app and run it from a flash drive.

VLC isn’t just for playing music and video files; it’s chock full of interesting features. For example, you can use it to trim videos for clips and move videos frame-by-frame. You can also use VLC to convert video files to MP3 and even record your webcam with VLC.

VLC is not just for desktop and mobile devices. You can also use VLC on Apple TV. For more on using VLC, check out these five VLC tips and tricks.