How to Stream Video From Link Online or Locally

Published by Nyau Wai Hoe - Updated on

Watching videos straight from a URL link can save you from the hassle of needing to download the videos and occupying your precious storage space. In this guide, we’ll show you two ways to stream videos directly from link: using a web browser (online) and VLC Media Player (locally).

Also see: How to Add Subtitles to Video in Windows 11

How to Stream Video From URL Link

Stream videos from link online

It’s pretty easy and straightforward to stream a video online from a URL without the need for any extra software other than your browser, provided both the video link and the browser support it. Modern web browsers like Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Safari can do the job nicely. The following steps will show you how to do it:

  1. First off, open up your favorite web browser. This could be Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, Microsoft Edge, or any other browser you like using.
  2. Next, go to the video’s URL. If the URL takes you directly to a video (you can tell if the URL ends in something like .mp4 or .avi), just paste the URL into your browser’s address bar or click on it if it’s on a web page. Hit the Enter key to load the page.
  3. Usually, the video will start playing on its own once the page opens. If it doesn’t, just hit the “Play” button (it looks like a right-pointing triangle).Stream videos from link online
  4. If you need to, you can tweak the video’s settings to your liking. This could mean changing the video quality, adjusting the volume, downloading the video for later, messing with the playback speed, turning on picture in picture, or turning captions on or off if they’re available.Change volume playback speed online video player

Also, make sure your internet connection is stable so that you don’t experience too many annoying pauses or buffering (you should still expect some buffering though, no matter how fast your internet speed is). The speed you need depends on the video quality – for standard definition (SD) aim for at least 5 Mbps, for high definition (HD) around 10 Mbps, and for ultra-high definition (UHD) or 4K, you’ll want at least 25 Mbps.

It’s also best to stick with the latest versions of popular browsers like Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge for the least issues.

Related resource: Convert SRT to 3D Subtitles and Add them to 3D Movies

Stream videos from URL using VLC

VLC Media Player is a free, open-source media player that supports a ton of different audio and video formats. One amazing feature it has is the ability to stream videos directly from a URL (an option called “open network stream”). The following steps will show you on how to use VLC to stream videos from URL:

  1. First things first, if you don’t have VLC Media Player on your device, you need to download and install it. You can download it from the official VideoLan website at https://www.videolan.org. Follow the installation prompts to get it set up.Install VLC Media Player Windows 11
  2. Open VLC Media Player and click on the “Media” option at the top. From the dropdown, choose “Open Network Stream.”VLC Open Network Stream
  3. A box will pop up asking for a network URL. This is where you paste the URL of the video you want to stream.Stream video from URL
  4. After you’ve entered the URL, click the “Play” button at the bottom. VLC will start streaming the video.Stream video from link in VLC
  5. To save the video for watching offline, click the arrow next to the “Play” button and select “Convert” before you hit play.Download the streamed video in VLC
  6. In the next window, pick your preferred format and where you want to save the file, then click “Start.” VLC will download the video to your chosen location, so you can watch it anytime, internet or no internet.Convert and save video in VLC

Please note: It’s very important to follow copyright laws and respect other legal rights when downloading and streaming content online.

Linked issue: VLC Resume Playback Not Working? Try These Fixes

Some common video streaming issues

Even when you follow every step perfectly, sometimes you might still encounter random problems when streaming videos from URL. The following are some common issues and how to fix them:

  • If your video keeps buffering, check your internet speed to make sure it’s fast enough for the video quality you’re trying to watch.
  • If it’s a browser’s problem, try refreshing the page or clearing your browser’s cache to see if that helps.
  • If you’ve downloaded a video and it won’t play, check if your video player is up to date and supports the video format. If not, you might need to download a different player or convert the video into a format that works.
  • Still no luck? The issue might be with the video format itself. You can use tools like HandBrake or VLC Media Player to convert the video into a more common format.

Useful tip: How to Compress a Video in Windows 11

What have we learned?

Streaming a video straight from a URL is usually quicker and more convenient than downloading it, especially if you have a pretty good internet connection. It means you can start watching the video right away without the need to wait for the whole thing to be downloaded.

For streaming videos from URLs, VLC Media Player is a common choice. It’s extremely popular, free-to-use, supports loads of video and audio formats, and can stream from URLs that don’t even end in a video format. Next time you want to watch something with only a URL, give VLC a try.

Categories: ChromeVideoWindows 11

Nyau Wai Hoe
Nyau Wai Hoe is the Founder and Chief Editor of WindowsDigitals.com. With a degree in software engineering and over 12 years of experience in the tech support industry, Nyau has established himself as an expert in the field, with a primary focus on the Microsoft Windows operating system. As a tech enthusiast, he loves exploring new technologies and leveraging them to solve real-life problems.

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