18 Best VOB Players for Mac, Windows 11/10/8/7, Android, and iOS

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Updated on: November 3, 2023
Time to read: 19 minutes
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DVDs may be a thing of the past, but VOB files stored on them aren’t. If you have old DVDs lying around you or videos stored on your computer or an external hard drive, you may wonder if it’s possible to watch them.

Luckily, plenty of third-party applications will help you achieve that goal. In this article, we’ve rounded up the best 18 VOB players for Mac, Windows, Android, and iOS.

Table of Contents

Best VOB Players Comparison Chart

If you’re short on time, we’ve created a table that lists the top 18 VOB apps, categorizing them by price and compatible operating systems.

Media Player OS Free/Paid
Elmedia Player Mac Free, Pro version starting from $19.95
IINA Mac Free
Windows Media Player Windows Free
KMPlayer Windows Free
RealPlayer Windows Free, Paid plan starting from $24.99
BS Player Windows Free, Pro plan starting from 29.90 EUR
VLC Windows, Mac, iOS, Android Free
GOM Player Windows, Mac Free, Paid plan available for $9.99
MPlayer Windows, Mac, Linux Free
ALLPlayer Windows, Mac Free
Wondershare Windows, Mac Trial version, Paid plan starting from $29.99/quarter
5KPlayer Windows, Mac Free
DivX Windows, Mac Free, Pro version available for $19.99
VOB Video Player Android Free, includes in-app purchases
BS Player for Android Android Free, BS Player Pro (Android) available for $5.99
Infuse 7 iOS Free, Pro version starting from $0.99 per month
8Player Pro iOS Free, Pro version available for $4.99
Movie Player 3 iOS Free, Full version available for $5.99

What is a VOB file?

VOB or Video Object is a file format stored on a DVD and holds components like video, audio, subtitles, soundtracks, navigation menu, and encryption data. On any particular DVD, you can find these files in the “VIDEO_TS” folder.

Most media players aren’t capable of playing VOB files because they don’t have the right codecs. For example, these files use MPEG-2 compression, which most players can’t decode.

The easiest way to play these files is to use a third-party software, which we’ve listed below.

2 VOB Video Players for Mac

Mac’s QuickTime Player doesn’t support VOB videos. The two options we’ve listed below will play these videos without requiring you to download any codec.

1. Elmedia Player

Elmedia Player is a versatile VOB player for Mac that comes with built-in decoders for numerous video and audio codecs. It fully supports the format and the codecs it requires, including MPEG-2.

Elmedia App

The software offers a multitude of features that will enhance your playback experience. Its user-friendly UI ensures that you don’t run into any problems while playing your videos.

You can configure the audio and download new subtitles using Elmedia Player’s built-in search feature.

Features:

  • Lets you stream videos to Chromecast and other DLNA devices.
  • Has tons of playback enhancement options.
  • Picture-in-Picture mode.
  • Supports multiple audio tracks.

 

Download: Mac

Supported formats: VOB, MP4, AVI, MOV, SWF, WMV, M4V, MPG, MKV, and more

Supported OS: macOS 10.12 or above

Developer: Electronic Team, Inc.

Price: Free | Pro version starting from $19.95 (one-time payment)

How to play VOB files on Mac via Elmedia?

Opening VOB files on macOS with Elmedia is a straightforward process. Here are some easy steps to help you navigate through it:

1. Head over to the App Store and download Elmedia Player. Alternatively, download it from the player’s official website.

2. To play a VOB file on Mac with Elmedia, use one of the following methods:

  • Drag and drop the video on the player.
  • Right-click or secondary click on the video and click on Open With. Select Elmedia Player.
  • Go to File > Open in the menu bar. Double-click on the video you want to play.
Menu Bar in the Elmedia player

3. Grab some popcorn and enjoy your video!

Still not sure how to open and play VOB files? Check out this helpful tutorial on how you can play any video using Elmedia on your Mac:

Playing any video or audio file formats on Mac with Elmedia Player

2. IINA

IINA is another great application for playing VOB. It’s open-source and designed to take full advantage of the technologies available on macOS. For example, you can seamlessly interact with your videos using Force Touch and Touch Bar, giving you more control over your playback experience.

IINA player

You can also use the Picture-in-Picture feature to watch VOB files while doing other things, like browsing the Internet. 

IINA’s interface is user-friendly, and it’s equipped with loads of features. It does seem to consume a considerable amount of battery, though, and may not be the best option for watching videos on the go.

Features:

  • Picture-in-Picture mode
  • UI can be customized
  • Playback controls can be accessed with Mac’s Touch Bar

 

Download: Mac

Supported formats: VOB, M4V, MOV, FLV, MP4, MPEG, WAV, and more

Supported OS: macOS 10.11 or above

Developer: IINA.io

Price: Free

Conclusion

With a third-party media player, you’ll easily be able to play a DVD VOB file on your Mac. Elmedia and IINA are the two best software you can use. They’re both great, so we recommend trying them out and seeing which fits your needs.

We personally suggest using Elmedia as it’s better optimized for macOS and has tons of additional features which you won’t find in other apps. It’s also worth noting that applications with paid versions generally receive better support than ones with just a free plan.

4 VOB Media Players for Windows 11/10/8/7

We’ve also narrowed down a list of the best VOB players for PC users. These apps will allow you to play a wide range of video formats, though you may have to download codecs in some cases.

1. Windows Media Player

“Can Windows Media Player play VOB files?” is probably the first question that popped into your head after seeing the software on this list. 

The older versions weren’t fully capable of playing them because they couldn’t decode MPEG-2. After getting new updates, though, you can easily play any video without downloading any codec.

Windows Media Player

Of course, the problem with WMP is that it’s nowhere near as rich in features as third-party players like VLC or RealPlayer.

It may sometimes throw an error at you saying it can’t recognize the file, but you’ll be given the option to bypass this warning, and the video will play without any problem.

Features:

  • Stream videos to DLNA-enabled devices.
  • Convert VOB files to another format with a built-in converter.

 

Download: Windows 

Supported formats: VOB, FLV, MPG, WAV, MP4, 3GP, MOV, and more

Supported OS: Included in all Windows versions

Developer: Microsoft

Price: Free

2. KMPlayer

KMPlayer is a great third-party alternative to Windows’ built-in media software if you want to watch VOB videos in high resolution. The application supports a large variety of video, audio, and subtitle formats including MPEG2, OGG, AAC, and RTS.

KMPlayer for Windows

It also has a 3D video playback function and can stream online videos from sites like YouTube or DailyMotion. You can even make adjustments to your video using features like noise reduction and high-speed mode.

KMPlayer is powerful enough to play 3D, 4K, and UHD videos without any stuttering. The only downside to using it is that its UI may seem a bit intimidating to new users and it displays ads when you launch it.

Features:

  • Built-in codecs for VOB files.
  • Capture video and audio in any format.

 

Download: Windows

Supported formats: VOB, VCD, AVI, MKV, OGG, 3GP, AAC, WMV, and more

Supported OS: Windows Vista or above

Developer: Pandora TV

Price: Free

3. RealPlayer

RealPlayer was once as popular as the VOB file format itself. The player’s site says it supports the format, but you may have to purchase RealPlayer Plus/Premium depending on what codecs the video demands. For example, files containing the MPEG-2 format won’t work on the free version.

RealPlayer

If you’re not in the mood to spend any money, you could just download a codec pack like K-Lite Codec Pack which contains a plethora of codecs for various audio and video files. 

You can also use RealPlayer Converter to convert a VOB format video to a format that’s fully supported by RealPlayer.

Features:

  • Download or stream videos from online platforms.
  • Built-in format converter.
  • Lets you sync libraries across multiple devices.

 

Download: Windows | iOS | Android

Supported formats: VOB, FLV, 3GP, MPEG-4, EVRC, MVB, WAV, and more

Supported OS: Windows 7/8/8 Pro/10/11, iOS/iPadOS 13.0 or above, Android 4.4 or above

Developer: RealNetworks

Price: Free | Paid plan starting from $24.99 (one-time payment)

4. BS Player

BS Player is an excellent VOB player for Windows. It has Picture-in-Picture capabilities, allowing you to watch your favorite videos while engaging in other tasks.

BSPlayer

Many people use this application because it provides more control over subtitles than most other ones, but it’s important to mention here that the free version shows ads. 

If you’re not too fond of your data being sold to advertisers, then we’d recommend avoiding BS Player unless you get the pro version to play VOB files on Windows. Even their website is filled with ads.

Features:

  • Lets you download YouTube videos.
  • Has advanced subtitle options.
  • Also works as a media library.

 

Download: Windows

Supported formats: VOB, WebM, MPEG-2, OGM, MKV, WMV, MP4, OGG, AAC, and more

Supported OS: Windows 2000 and above

Developer: BS.Player

Price: Free | Pro plan starting from 29.90 EUR (one-time payment)

Beware of Unsupported VOB Players

Avoid using players that haven’t received any updates in a long time. One such software is Media Player Classic or MPC-HC, which hasn’t been updated since 2017.

These players are more susceptible to threats like spyware and malware since they don’t receive any support from their developers. We recommend sticking to the players we’ve recommended above.

Conclusion

Finding a .vob player for your PC isn’t too hard. You can use Windows’ built-in player since it now supports the format. If you want more features, though, we recommend using KMPlayer, RealPlayer, or BS Player.

All of these applications can play the DVD format along with many other file formats.

7 Cross-Platform VOB Players

Do you frequently switch between macOS and Windows? Here are the 7 best cross-platform VOB players:

1. VLC

VLC is an open-source VOB video file application that’s been around for decades. Over the years, it’s built a reputation for simplicity and trust. It can play other formats, too, like MP4, WMV, FLV, MOV, etc.

Videolan VLC player

It may not have the most user-friendly UI, but it does come with plenty of advanced features that you can use to improve your viewing experience. The problem is that finding them can be hard sometimes. 

Using VLC, you’ll get access to the entire DVD menu, subtitles, chapter navigation, and other components stored in a DVD video format.

VLC has an app for almost every platform, including macOS, Windows, Android, and iOS.

Features:

  • Hardware-accelerated decoding on all operating systems.
  • Has several advanced subtitle options.

 

Download: Mac | Windows | Android | iOS/iPadOS

Supported formats: VOB, FLV, MPEG, ASF, WMV, WMA, MP4, MOV, 3GP, and more

Supported OS: Windows 10/8/7/Vista/XP, macOS 10.7.5 or above, Android 4.2 or above, iOS 9.0 or above

Developer: VideoLAN

Price: Free

2. GOM

GOM has an app for both macOS and Windows, though the latter seems to have more features. It’s fairly easy to use. What we like about this application is that it automatically searches for and downloads missing codecs.

GOM app

One of the features which the developers are proud of is its 360-degree VR video playback functionality (not available for Windows XP and macOS), which will of course become more common with time.

Features:

  • Supports 360 VR video playback on Windows.
  • Built-in codec search and download functionality.

 

Download: Windows and Mac

Supported formats: FLV, OGM, MKV, MP4, M4V, AVI, MOV, MPG, M2V, and more

Supported OS: Windows 10/8/7/Vista/XP, Mac with macOS 10.13 or above

Developer: GOMLab

Price: Free | Paid plan available for $9.99 (one-time payment)

3. MPlayer

MPlayer or mpv player is another free, open-source media application for macOS and Windows. The name may make it seem like it only plays .mpv files, but it’s perfectly capable of playing other formats as well including VOB, FLV, and AVI.

MPlayer software

Note that user-friendliness isn’t MPlayer’s top priority and becoming familiar with it can be a bit complicated. It doesn’t have a graphical user interface (GUI), which means you have to rely on a command-line interface. The benefit? You get to customize it however you want.

If you can get past the confusing interface, then there’s no limit to what you can do with MPlayer.

Features:

  • Command-line interface gives users more control and customization options.
  • Hardware decoding on all platforms.

 

Download: Windows, Mac, and Linux | Android

Supported formats: VOB, AVI, OGM, VIVO, ASF, WMV, MOV, FLI, and more

Supported OS: Windows 7 or above, macOS 10.8 or above, Linux

Developer: MPV.io

Price: Free

4. ALLPlayer

As evident by the name, ALLPlayer is a cross-platform application that supports almost all major file formats. You can download and use it on macOS, Windows, iOS, and Android.

AllPlayer application

The software gets regular updates and has many different features, including the ability to download missing subtitles, a built-in equalizer, a speech synthesizer, and more. On your Android, you can use it as a remote to control the application on your computer.

On paper, it sounds like the perfect software. But after using it for several days, we noticed that it would get sluggish sometimes and often struggled with playing high-resolution videos.

Features:

  • Speech synthesizer
  • Automatically downloads subtitles
  • Parental controls

 

Download: Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android

Supported formats: VOB, MPG, OGG, WAV, MOV, FLV, and more

Supported OS: Windows 7 or above, macOS 10.10 or above

Developer: ALLPlayer Group Ltd.

Price: Free

5. Wondershare

Wondershare is much more than a DVD VOB player. It’s also an editing and converting tool, allowing you to easily make adjustments to your videos. With Wondershare, you can play, edit, and export your videos to online platforms.

Wondershare UniConverter Player

You also have the option to burn your videos to an actual DVD, though we’re not sure if that’s something people still do. 

Wondershare’s VOB file player is part of its UniConverter software which, apart from playing the videos, also allows you to convert them and download them from tons of different sites. 

Unfortunately, Wondershare isn’t free. It has a trial version, but most of the program’s features can only be accessed in the paid version.

Features:

  • Converts VOB videos into various other formats.
  • Has a multitude of AI-powered tools.
  • Converts videos to VR.

 

Download: Windows | Mac 

Supported formats: VOB, WMV, FLV, MP4, M2TS, AVI, MOV, and more

Supported OS: Windows 11/10/8/7/Vista/XP, macOS 10.11 or above

Developer: Wondershare 

Price: Trial version | Paid plan starting from $29.99/quarter

6. 5KPlayer

5KPlayer is a free VOB format program for macOS and Windows. Not only does it let you play different file formats, but it also functions like an AirPlay and DLNA media server.

5KPlayer’s window

If you have an iPhone and an Apple TV, you can easily stream videos on your TV with AirPlay. When it comes to user-friendliness, 5KPlayer is one of the easiest players to use. Installation takes only a few minutes and despite being completely free, it doesn’t show any ads.

Features:

  • Supports 360 video playback.
  • Lets you stream video and audio over AirPlay and DLNA devices.

 

Download: Windows | Mac 

Supported formats: VOB, MP4, AVI, MKV, MPEG, FLV, SWF, WEBM, XVID, and more 

Supported OS: Windows 11/10/8/7/Vista/XP, macOS 10.14 or above

Developer: DearMob, Inc. 

Price: Free

7. DivX

DivX is capable of functioning as a media server and a converter. This program comes with many features, including the ability to quickly navigate to other chapters or scenes and importing videos directly from your Google Drive (requires a Pro subscription). You may have to download additional codecs to play VOB files.

DivX player software

The Pro version has some other features as well. For example, you can turn on HEVC 10-bit playback, customize encoding settings, and more. 

Note that you may see ads in the DivX installer and the application itself if you’re on the free plan.

Features:

  • Cloud storage.
  • Custom encode settings.
  • Target Quantizer (helps with retaining quality when converting videos).

 

Download: Windows and Mac

Supported formats: VOB, AVI, DIVX, WMV, FLV, MP4, and more

Supported OS: Windows 11/10/8/7/Vista/XP, macOS 10.7 or above

Developer: DivX, LLC

Price: Free | Pro version available for $19.99 (one-time payment)

Conclusion

The cross-platform players we’ve listed above will work on both macOS and Windows and some have apps for Android and iOS as well. They all fully support VOBs and come with many additional features.

2 Best VOB players for Android

Android phones can’t play VOB files without a third-party application. Luckily, there’s an abundance of them on the Google Play store.

1. VOB Video Player

As you can probably tell by the name, VOB Video Player for Android is specifically made for playing a VOB video. It automatically detects videos stored in your phone and creates a library so you can easily access them.

VOB video player application

The application doesn’t require you to download any plugins. Just download the app through the Google Play store and start watching your favorite videos.

Despite what the app’s name may suggest, it also lets you play other file formats.

Features:

  • Plays VOB videos on Android in HD.
  • Doesn’t require any plugins.

 

Download: Android

Supported formats: VOB, 3GP, FLV, M2TS, MP4, WebM, and more

Supported OS: Android 4.4 or above

Developer: The AppGuru

Price: Free | Includes in-app purchases

2. BS Player for Android

Just like its PC counterpart, BS Player for Android also has many features that make it a great media application. It’s perfect for Android users who want an all-in-one solution as it supports multiple file formats.

BSPlayer for Android

It uses hardware-accelerated video playback, which helps take some burden off the phone’s battery. One feature that we really like is that it lets you import media files from LAN-shared folders over Wi-Fi.  

As with its desktop version, BS Player for Android also displays ads which may deter some people from using it.

Features:

  • Hardware-accelerated decoding.
  • Supports multiple audio streams.

 

Download: Android

Supported formats: VOB, WebM, MPEG-2, OGM, MKV, WMV, MP4, OGG, AAC, and more

Supported OS: Android 4.1 or above

Developer: BS.Player

Price: Free | BS Player Pro available for $5.99 (one-time payment)

Top 3 VOB players for iOS

Just like Android, iOS doesn’t support VOB files on its own, either. You need a third-party application for it.

1. Infuse 7

Infuse 7 is hands down one of the best VOB players for the iPhone. It’s optimized for iOS 16 and getting familiar with it is a breeze thanks to its user-friendly UI.

Infuse video player

You can download its macOS app as well, which will allow you to access videos stored on your Apple computer. Alternatively, you can just import videos stored on the cloud from platforms like Google Drive, OneDrive, and Dropbox.

With the help of AirPlay, Infuse 7 will let you stream videos on your TV with surround sound and subtitles. Speaking of which, it also lets you download subtitles from within the app.

Features:

  • Lets you stream videos stored on your Mac.
  • Automatically downloads metadata.

 

Download: iOS | macOS

Supported formats: VOB, AVI, BDMV, DivX, Video_TS, VP9, OGV, MOV, MP4, and more

Supported OS: iOS 14 or above, macOS 11.0 or above

Developer: Firecore, LLC

Price: Free | Pro version starting from $0.99 per month

2. 8Player Pro

8Player Pro is a multimedia application that can play various video formats on your iPhone. It lets you stream videos on your TV and you can play content from different sources including Google Drive, OneDrive, and Dropbox.

8Player Pro app

It has a free version, but it won’t have as many features as the paid one. The interface, though easy to navigate, doesn’t look very aesthetically pleasing.

Features:

  • Streams videos over DLNA-enabled devices.
  • Can create and edit playlists.

 

Download: iOS

Supported formats: VOB, AVI, MKV, MPG, WMV, ASF, FLV, OGG, 3GP, and more

Supported OS: iOS 13 or above

Developer: 8soft

Price: Free | Pro version available for $4.99

3. Movie Player 3

Movie Player 3 is the simplest and most convenient media application for iOS. When you first launch the player, you’re greeted with an empty screen where you can add your videos using one of the following methods:

  • Import them from the Files app
  • Copy them to your iPhone via your computer
  • Import them over Wi-Fi
  • Import them from Dropbox
Movie Player 3 app

It also lets you stream videos from local network devices and via FTP, though both of these methods require you to purchase an add-on.

There are many other add-ons you can purchase, such as “Subtitle Add-On” for enabling subtitle support, “Audio Add-On” for getting access to the app’s equalizer, and “Password Add-On” for putting passwords on your folders.

Features:

  • Lets you import videos from Dropbox and even emails.
  • Has multiple add-ons that give additional features.

 

Download: iOS

Supported formats: VOB, AVI, MPG, MPEG, M4V, MP4, OGV, OGM, MKV, and more

Supported OS: iOS 12 or above

Developer: Dominic Rodemer

Price: Free | Full version available for $5.99

Are There VOB Players Online?

While there’s no site that will be able to play VOB files online, you can find a large number of online converters that will convert videos with the .vob extension into some other, more accessible format.

CloudConvert is one such online converter that you can use to turn your VOB file into MP4, AVI, FLV, MKV, MOV, WebM, and WMV. The site gives you a wide range of customizable settings, allowing you to change things like the audio bitrate, video codec, and aspect ratio.

FAQ

You can use third-party media players to play VOB files, like the ones we’ve recommended in this article. If you’re looking for a healthy balance between simplicity and functionality, we suggest using Elmedia on Mac.

Your VOB video may not be playing because the media player you’re using doesn’t have the right codecs for it or it doesn’t support the format at all. You can either download the missing codecs or use Elmedia Player which comes pre-installed with everything you need to play your VOB videos.