Watching videos straight from a URL link can save you from the hassle of needing to download the videos and occupying your 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
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Stream videos from link online
It’s pretty easy and straightforward to stream a video online from a URL without needing any special software, 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. Here’s how you can do it:
- 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.
- 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
.mp4or.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. - 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).
- 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.
Make sure your internet connection is stable to avoid any annoying pauses or buffering. 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.
Choosing the right web browser can also make a huge difference in how smoothly your video streams. It’s best to stick with the latest versions of popular browsers like Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, or Microsoft 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 cool feature it has is the ability to stream videos directly from a URL (an option called “open network stream”). Here’s a quick guide on how to do it:
- First things first, if you don’t have VLC Media Player on your device, you need to download and install it. You can grab it from the official Videolan website at
https://www.videolan.org. Follow the installation prompts to get it set up.
- Open VLC Media Player and click on the “Media” option at the top. From the dropdown, choose “Open Network Stream.”
- A box will pop up asking for a network URL. This is where you paste the URL of the video you want to stream.
- After you’ve entered the URL, click the “Play” button at the bottom. VLC will start streaming the video.
- To save the video for watching offline, click the arrow next to the “Play” button and select “Convert” before you hit play.
- 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.
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
Troubleshooting video streaming issues
Even when you do everything right, sometimes you can still face a lot of problems when streaming videos. Here are some tips for dealing with some of the most common issues:
- 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.
- Browser problems? 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
So, what have we learned?
Streaming a video straight from a URL is usually quicker than downloading it, especially if you have a good internet connection. You can start watching almost right away, no waiting needed.
For streaming videos from URLs, VLC Media Player is a top-notch choice. It’s free, supports loads of video and audio formats, and can stream from URLs that don’t even end in a video format, making it super flexible. So next time you want to watch something, give VLC a try.
