VLC is Unable To Open The MRL [Quick Fixes]

There is one problem with the VLC media player that doesn’t seem to get resolved regardless of the build version.

Basically, ‘VLC is unable to open the MRL’ mainly appears when you are trying to play a movie or song which is not located on the local computer.

The error occurs due to inaccessible sources, overprotective firewalls. Sometimes, the problem is in the VLC media player itself.

Here are a series of methods in order to resolve the problem on your own. Check them properly.

VLC is Unable to Open the MRL DVD: Try These Fixes

Below you have a collection of troubleshooting methods to get rid of this situation. Let’s try them one by one.

Fix 1: Make Sure that the Source is Working Properly

Make Sure that the Source is Working Properly

Before applying any other fixes, first, you need to ensure that the source that you are trying to access is working properly.

Most of the time, the problem appears with streams and URL based files. Therefore, you need to move to File> Open Network Stream.

Thereafter, copy the URL that you want to access and paste it into the web browser or any other video player to ensure that the source is working properly.

If the source is working correctly in other media players or the browser, the problem is with the VLC player itself. In such cases, move to the next fix.

Fix 2: Tweak the Firewall Settings

Tweak the Firewall Settings

VLC is unable to open the MRL message is mainly caused by a firewall setting especially third-party firewalls. Hence, you need to uninstall the firewall in order to resolve the problem.

  1. First of all, press the Start button and then move to the Control Panel section. Now, move to the Programs and Features section.
  2. Next, locate the Antivirus software from the list, and then, right-click on it and choose the Uninstall option from the drop-down menu.
  3. After uninstalling the firewall from the system, try to play the file and check whether the problem gets resolved or not.

Fix 3: Claiming Ownership of Files

Claiming Ownership of Files

Some of the users reported that they were able to resolve the problem simply by claiming the ownership of the files that they are trying to open in the VLCmedia player.

Here is the quick guide on how to do this.

  • First of all, right-click on the file which shows the error and select the Properties option from the drop-down menu.
  • After that, move to the Security section and then choose the Advanced button associated with Permissions.
  • Thereafter, click on the Change button at the top of the system screen.
  • Afterward, Select User or Group tab will pop up. In it, type ‘Administrator’ in the box and hit the Enter button and then click on the OK button.
  • Finally, check the box corresponding to the ‘Replace all child object permission entries with inheritable permission entries from this object’. Now, click on the Apply button.

At last, try to open the file and check if the problem gets fixed or not.

Fix 4: Uninstall the VLC Media Player and Reinstall it

Uninstall the VLC Media Player and Reinstall it

If the above processes are not able to resolve the problem then you need to uninstall the VLC media player and install it again with a fresh version.

To do so, take these steps.

  1. At first, press the Start button and then move to the Control Panel section. Now, navigate to the Programs and Features section.
  2. Now, locate the VLC media player from the list and right-click on it. A drop-down menu will appear on the system screen. Choose the Uninstall option from the drop-down menu.
  3. Wait until the uninstallation process gets completed. Thereafter, restart the system. Now, turn on the computer and launch a web browser.
  4. Afterward, type ‘Download VLC media player’ in the address bar.
  5. Thereafter, click on the Download option and then install it on your device.

After successfully installing a fresh version of the VLC media player, restart the system. 

Maria Colombo
Maria Colombo
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