Player VLC for Android is one of the most functional applications for playing video and audio, but many users still do not know how to effectively manage playlists. Unlike standard players, VLC lets you create custom playlistssort files, add media from different sources (including network folders and clouds) and even automatically update content. However, the application interface is not always intuitive, especially if you are used to VLC allows you to create custom playlists. In this article we will look at all the ways to create playlists in YouTube Music or Spotify.

In this article we will look at all the ways to create playlists in VLC for Android —from simply adding files to advanced features like data-i="40">or autoplay settings. You'll learn how to avoid common mistakes (like why the Suddenly playlist disappears after restarting the app) and how to optimize your experience with large collections of media files. And if you use import/export M3U or autoplay settings. You'll learn how to avoid common mistakes (like why the Suddenly playlist disappears after restarting the app) and how to optimize your experience with large collections of media files. And if you use VLC for streaming over a local network, we will show you how to add files from NAS or DLNAservers to the playlist.

1. Preparation: what you need to know before creating a playlist

Before you start creating a playlist, make sure that your application VLC is updated to the latest version. Old versions (especially before 3.5.0) had bugs with saving playlists after closing the app. You can update the player via Google Play or the official website Videolan.

Also check the application permissions:

  • 📁 File access: without this VLC will not be able to scan the media library. Go to Android Settings → Applications → VLC → Permissions and enable storage access.
  • 🔄 Auto-update media library: by default VLC scans files at startup, but this can be changed in VLC Settings → Media library → Update.
  • 🌐 Network access: if you plan to add files by SMB or FTP, enable permission to access the local network.

⚠️ Attention: If you use Android 13+, the system may block access VLC to some folders (for example, Download or DCIM). In this case, when you first launch the player, a permission request will appear - do not ignore it!

VLC supports two types of playlists:

  • 📋 Local: are saved only in the application memory and may disappear after reinstallation.
  • 📄 M3U/M3U8 files: Text playlists that can be exported, edited manually, or imported to other devices.

📊 How do you usually listen to music on Android?
Through streaming services
Local files in the player
Cloud storage
Other

2. Method 1: creating a playlist from the VLC library

The easiest way is to create a playlist from already scanned files. To do this:

  1. Open VLC and go to the tab Media library (book icon in the bottom menu).
  2. Select a category (Audio, Video or All files).
  3. Press and hold your finger on the first file, then mark the rest (or tap on ⋮ → Select all).
  4. Click on the icon ➕ Playlist in the upper right corner and select Create a new playlist.
  5. Enter a name (for example, "My music 2026") and click Save.

The finished playlist will appear in the tab Playlists (note icon with three lines). To change the order of the tracks, click ⋮ → Edit and drag and drop files manually.

Added all the necessary files|Correct playback order|Indicated clear title|Checked track labels (if important)

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⚠️ Attention: If the playlist is not displayed after creation, try restarting VLC or updating the media library manually via Settings → Media library → Update. Sometimes the application does not have time to index new files.

3. Method 2: manually adding files to the playlist

If the necessary files are not displayed in the media library (for example, they are in the cloud or on a removable drive), you can add them to the playlist manually:

  1. Go to the tab Playlists and click ➕ (plus icon).
  2. Select Add media files and specify the path to a folder or specific file.
  3. For network sources (for example, NAS), select Add network stream and enter the URL in the format: 
    smb://192.168.1.100/music/playlist.m3u

    or for FTP:

    ftp://user:password@server.com/music/track.mp3
  4. After adding files click Save and specify the name of the playlist.

For convenience, you can create smart playlist, which will be automatically updated according to specified criteria (for example, all tracks with a 5-star rating or files from a specific folder). data-i="132">smart playlist

  1. In the section Playlists click ➕ → Create a smart playlist.
  2. Set rules (for example Genre = Rock or Duration > 180 seconds).
  3. Save and wait until VLC applies filters.
💡

If you add files from NAS or FTP, first check the connection through the file manager (for example, Solid ExplorerThis will help avoid errors like "File not found" in VLC.

Method 3: importing and exporting playlists. (M3U/M3U8)

Format M3U allows you to transfer playlists between devices or edit them in a text editor To export a playlist from VLC:

  1. Open the desired playlist in the tab Playlists.
  2. Click ⋮ → Export playlist.
  3. Select format (M3U or M3U8) and folder for saving.

To import:

  1. Download the file .m3u to the device (for example, to the folder Download).
  2. B VLC go to Playlists → ➕ → Import playlist.
  3. Specify the path to the file and confirm the import.

Example of file contents playlist.m3u: 

#EXTM3U

#EXTINF:256,Artist - Track 1


/music/track1.mp3


#EXTINF:192,Artist - Track 2


/music/track2.mp3

You can edit paths or labels (#EXTINF) in any text editor.

Format Unicode support Stream support Editing
M3U ❌ (Latin only) ✅ Any editor
M3U8 ✅ (UTF-8) ✅ (including HLS) Requires saving in UTF-8
PLS ✅ ❌ Limited support
How to create M3U manually?

To create a playlist without VLC, open notepad and enter the paths to the files in the format:

#EXTM3U (title) #EXTINF: duration, Track name /path/to/file.mp3

Save the file with the extension .m3u and import into VLC.

5. Managing playlists: editing, deleting, sorting

After creating a playlist, you can modify:

  • 🔄 Change order: open the playlist, click ⋮ → Edit and drag the tracks.
  • ❌ Delete track: in editing mode, click on the cross next to the file.
  • 📝 Edit tags: long press on the track → Information (you can change the name, artist, album).
  • 🗑️ Delete playlist: swipe left on the name in the playlist list.

In VLC for Android there is no “favorite playlists” function, but you can pin frequently used lists on the main screen: long press on the playlist → Pin.

To sort tracks by default (by name, date added, duration) use the menu ⋮ → Sort by inside the playlist. If you need more flexible control, export the playlist to M3U and edit manually.

💡

Editing a playlist in VLC does not affect the original files - changes apply only to the playback order and tags inside applications.

6. Advanced features: autoplay, loops, shuffle

VLC supports playback settings that can be applied to the entire playlist:

  • 🔁 Looping: ⋮ → Play → Loop (will repeat the entire playlist or one track).
  • 🎲 Random: ⋮ → Play → Random.
  • ⏭️ Auto skip: in the player settings (Settings → Playback → Autoplay) you can enable automatic transition to the next track.
  • ⏱️ Sleep timer: ⋮ → Sleep timer (useful for podcasts or music before bed).

To create a continuous stream (for example, for background music) enable:

  1. Loop (the entire playlist).
  2. Random (so that the tracks are not repeated in the same order).
  3. In the settings (Settings → Play → Repeat) select Repeat all.

⚠️ Attention: When using random playback in large playlists (1000+ tracks) VLC may freeze on weak devices. In this case, it is better to divide the collection into several playlists of 200-300 tracks.

7. Solving problems with playlists

If the playlist does not work or the files do not play, check:

  • 🔍 File paths: if you moved or renamed files after creating the playlist, VLC will not be able to find them. Update the paths manually or recreate the playlist.
  • 📵 Network connection: for streaming playlists (M3U8 or HTTPlinks), check the Internet or local network access.
  • 🔄 Media library cache: sometimes VLC "forgets" files. Try Settings → Media library → Clear cache.
  • 📱 Permissions: if after the update Android playlists have disappeared, check storage access permissions (see section 1).

If the playlist M3U is not imported:

  • Check the file encoding (should be UTF-8 for Cyrillic).
  • Make sure the paths are in file specified relative (for example, music/track.mp3) or absolute (for example, /storage/emulated/0/music/track.mp3).
  • For network paths, use the correct protocols (http://, smb:// etc.).

💡

If VLC does not see files on the SD card, try moving them to internal memory or format the card to FAT32/exFAT (some devices do not support NTFS).

8. Alternative methods: synchronization with clouds and DLNA

If your media library is stored in the cloud (Google Drive, Dropbox, Yandex Disk), it can be connected to VLC without downloading files:

  1. In VLC open Network → Cloud storage.
  2. Select a service and log in.
  3. Find the files you need and add them to the playlist (see section 2).

To play from a DLNAserver (for example, c Plex or Kodi):

  1. Make sure that the server and phone are on the same network.
  2. B VLC go to Local network → DLNA/UPnP.
  3. Select a device and add files to the playlist.
⚠️ Attention: When streaming from the clouds or DLNA the playback quality depends on the Internet speed. For video in 1080p a speed of at least 10 Mbit/s is recommended.

FAQ: answers to frequently asked questions

Is it possible to create a playlist from video and audio at the same time?

Yes, VLC supports mixed playlists, however, when playing a video, the player will show a black screen. time of audio tracks (and vice versa - only audio for video files). To avoid this, you can divide the content into two separate playlists.

Why does the playlist disappear after updating VLC?

This is a known problem with older versions. Update the application to 4.0+ and check the synchronization settings in Settings → Media library → Playlist synchronization. export important playlists to M3U for backup.

How to add files to a playlist from a computer via Wi-Fi?

Enable on your phone FTP server through a file manager (for example, Solid Explorer), then on VLC on your PC, open Network → Add FTP and specify the address of the view ftp://phone_IP_addresses:portAfter this, the files can be added to the playlist.

Can I configure hotkeys to manage a playlist?

On Android hotkeys work to a limited extent, but you can use gestures:

  • Swipe left/right - next/previous track.
  • Double tap - pause/play.
  • Press the screen - the control panel will appear.

The full list of gestures is configured in Settings → Controls → Gestures.

How to transfer playlists to another phone?

Export playlists to M3U (see section 4), then transfer the files to the new device and import them. Alternatively, you can synchronize the folder with playlists via Google Drive or Syncthing.