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How to Install New Audio Visualizations in VLC

If you are looking to add new audio visualizations (projectM) to VLC Media Player, then first you need to download the files. Next, you need to copy them to a folder in VLC’s program directory. Finally, point to the projectM directory from the visualization options of VLC’s Advanced settings. It does sound a bit complicated, but all that we’re doing is downloading, copying and pointing to the visualizations.

Here are the detailed steps to install visualizations by projectM in VLC Media Player:

  • Download the projectM visualizations hosted in SourceForge. The latest one is: projectM-complete-2.1.0-Source.tar.gz (31.1 MB).
  • Extract the compressed .tar.gz file and everything will be extracted to the directory projectM-complete-2.1.0-Source. Open it.The visualizations or .milk files are present inside the following sub-directories:
    • presets
    • presets_milkdrop
    • presets_milkdrop_104
    • presets_milkdrop_200
    • presets_projectM
    • presets_yin
  • Copy presets_milkdrop file to C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\Visualizations\presets_milkdrop or C:\Program Files\VideoLAN (x86)\VLC\Visualizations\presets_milkdrop.
  • In VLC, go to Tools > Preferences.
  • In the bottom left, from Show settings click on All to switch to Advanced preferences.
  • In Advanced settings under Audio > Visualizations > projectM > projectM preset path browse and point to C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC\Visualizations/presets_milkdrop.

    This is the folder containing the .milk files that you just downloaded.
  • After this, if you choose Audio > Visualizations > projectM , it will play a random projectM visualization that follows the waveform.

    It’s pretty cool.

Notes:

  • If the visualizations folder does not exist, then you will have to create the new folder.
  • You’ll have to give admin privileges to create a new folder and to copy files.
  • You can also copy and point to the other five presets directory besides presets_milkdrop.

About Audio Visualizations

If you do not know, visualizations are used to fill up your screen when playing audio files. They respond to the audio track that is currently playing. They are accessible through Audio > Visualizations menu. By default, in Windows, you you will find six visualizations:

  1. Spectrometer
  2. Scope
  3. Spectrum
  4. Vu meter
  5. Goom
  6. projectM

In this tutorial we just covered how to install visualizations from projectM. Before installation, it just shows projectM in a flashy manner.

View Comments (72)

  • bul sit vlc bul sit... for many years im using vlc for videos and musics but vlc still can not rise winamp for visualizations winamp was allowing change visualization instantly.it was can double click full screen.clumsy vlc developers still can not develope vlc since sooo many years.

  • I tried to follow the instructions on my Mac, but I cannot find a "visualizations" folder in Mac's VLC. Any chance I can install them in VLC 3.ß.17.3 on Mac?

    • If the visualizations folder does not exist, then you will have to create the new folder.
      You’ll have to give admin privileges to create a new folder and to copy files.
      You can also copy and point to the other five presets directory besides presets_milkdrop.

    • Create “visualizations” folder and then copy all the folders begining with preset* in to that folder.
      Once you have done that carry on with adding the presets in VLC Player. You'll only be able to point to one of the folder at a time.

  • Two questions on this both equally important....

    Is there any way to make milkdrop go fullscreen with the current version of VLC (3.0.16) for Win10 x64? Fn+F11 isn't working, it simply adds a second control pane but won't go anywhere near full screen.

    Also is there a way to select an individual visualization instead of it hopping around skipping through every single one?

    I recall on older versions about a decade ago I could select from a pull down menu & go through them so that particular "vibe" wouldn't get ruined when the setting changed.

    Any help would be GREATLY appreciated as it's driving me nuts!

    • If you know the individual one you want you could move it to its own folder but i don't know how to find the individuals

  • Hello. I have succesfully installed projectM vizualisations in VLC and it works but I seem to have no control on the presets. How do I navigate the various visualisations ? like changing from one to another, setting one of them to be permanent, etc. What are the shortcuts ? They work just like a slideshow randomly transitioning fromn one top another. Not even right-licking on the visualiation brings up anything. Thanks in advance

    • Use the Next or Forward controls to change the presets. Seems like you can only go forward though. Better then nothing I guess.

  • I simply extracted the .milk files to any folder of my choice, then pointed VLC to that folder for the visualizations to be available to VLC ;)

    • Simple. You use can a screen recorder software like bandicam or obs. If you cannot, you can also use the "Convert/save" feature and enable visualization. It'll output in a lower resolution if you use convert save

  • Hi. It does not work on Ubuntu 19.10. I have put the folders "preset~" in the path /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/vlc/plugins/visualization (the only path that has vlc/plugins/visualization) and it doesn't show the new options in the preferences. SAD.

  • Thank you for the great Visualizations.
    One possible bug is that the Fullscreen toggle is now greyed out and does not work. I hope you can fix that.

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