I finally found a VLC replacement that doesn’t look like it’s from 2002

For many years, VLC has been the go-to program for anyone seeking a free and open-source (FOSS) Windows media player with broad file format and codec compatibility. The application is full-featured, reliable, and free of clutter and bloat. With this in mind, it has certainly earned its reputation as the “get it done” media player that’ll successfully play back any and all video file types, no matter how obscure.

That being said, VLC isn’t perfect. The VideoLAN-developed PC app might be flexible and performant, but its user interface leaves something to be desired. The app’s main UI follows legacy Win32 design sensibilities, making for a visual experience that looks like it’s plucked straight out of the early 2000s era of computing.

In my quest to identify a VLC replacement that fits in with the modern Windows 11 design language, I stumbled upon Screenbox: a VLC-esque app that boasts both beauty and brawn in a single package. The app makes full use of Fluent Design principles, with a hearty helping of the context-aware Mica material, a sensibly laid out Settings page, support for dark mode, and an intuitive navigational paradigm that relies on the tried-and-true hamburger menu.

Screenbox, which is available to download for free from the Microsoft Store, is a Universal Windows Platform (UWP) app. By opting for this particular app framework, the developer can leverage expanded UI flexibility, making for a scalable experience that can be resized into a very small window, or blown up onto a TV screen for use on the Xbox.

Notable features within Screenbox include picture-in-picture mode, support for Chromecast, window resize hotkeys, volume and seeking gesture controls, and the ability to save any video frame as an image. Importantly, these features are all implemented in a user-friendly manner, which is something that can’t be said about VLC with its clunky menu bar system and applet panels.

Out of the box, Microsoft ships Windows 11 with its own in-house Media Player. While this application is modern in design, it isn’t as powerful as many third-party alternatives in terms of video playback compatibility, and it isn’t open-source.

Most importantly of all, Screenbox is lightweight and powerful. The app is compact, stutter-free, and filled with support for various lesser-used media file types and codecs. There’s even a VLC command-line argument feature on deck, allowing power users to leverage more advanced playback capabilities.

My only real gripes with Screenbox are that it doesn’t include an on-board audio equalizer, and that its UI isn’t nearly as modular or customizable as that of VLC’s. I’d also love to see the developer add in some additional audio visuals to the program out of the box (a retro-inspired Windows Media Player visualization would be nostalgic bliss). Thankfully, it’s easy enough to import additional visuals from alternative sources.

Screenbox is like VLC, only prettier

I wish VLC followed Microsoft’s Fluent Design UI principles

VLC is an absolute staple of the PC ecosystem, and I’m glad to see it’s continued relevance in the Windows 11 era. I’m a fan of the app’s no-nonsense approach to interface design, but I can’t help but feel that an aesthetic overhaul is long overdue for the venerable media player.

Some will scoff at my criticism of VLC’s UI design, pushing back with the argument that a media player ought to prioritize function over form, and leanness over ostentatiousness. While I certainly respect this viewpoint, I can’t help but feel partial to well-crafted and visually pleasing app designs, of which VLC is deficient.

Screenbox is visually striking, but its beauty is far from skin-deep.

Screenbox, then, is the modern antidote to my VLC vitreal. The app is open-source, free to download and install, and devoid of advertisements. On the whole, it manages to strike an excellent balance between aesthetics and functionality, with a modernized design that is warm and inviting, and with impressive file compatibility. Screenbox is visually striking, but its beauty is far from skin-deep.