FLV is a file format commonly used to play videos on sites like YouTube, MetaCafe, Vevo, and others. FLV is not a standard format for Windows and Mac OS X, but files in this format can be played with third-party media players that support FLV playback.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: VideoLAN VLC Media Player
Step 1. Go to the official VideoLAN website by going to this address
www.videolan.org/.
Step 2. Select the option to download VideoLAN VLC to your Windows or Mac computer
Step 3. Double click on the installation file to start the VideoLAN installation wizard
Follow the instructions on the screen to install the media player on your computer. When the installation is complete, the program will automatically start.
Step 4. Click on the "Media" menu in the upper left corner of the window and select the "Open file" option
The Open File dialog box appears.
Step 5. Click on the "Browse" button and then locate the FLV file you want to open
Step 6. Select the FLV file and then click on the "Open" button
The VideoLAN media player will open the FLV file and play it.
Method 2 of 3: Wimpy Desktop FLV Player
Step 1. Go to the official Wimpy website by going to this address
www.wimpyplayer.net/products/wimpy_standalone_flv_player.html.
Step 2. Choose to download Wimpy Desktop FLV Player to your Windows or Mac computer
Step 3. Double click on the setup file to launch the Wimpy setup wizard
Follow the instructions on the screen to install the media player on your computer. Upon completion of the installation, the program will automatically start.
Step 4. Click and drag the FLV file into the Wimpy player window
The program will immediately open and play the FLV file.
Method 3 of 3: FLV Player by Applian
Step 1. Go to the official website of Applian Technologies
Step 2. Select the option to download VideoLAN VLC to your Windows or Mac computer
Step 3. Right-click on the installation file and select "Run as administrator"
This will launch the Applian installation wizard.
Step 4. Follow the instructions on the screen to install the media player on your computer
Upon completion of the installation, the program will start automatically.
Step 5. Open File Explorer and locate the FLV file you want to open
Step 6. Click and drag the FLV file into the player window
The program will immediately open and play it.
Advice
- If you don't want to download a third-party player to play FLV files, try converting them to MP4 format. Search online for instructions on how to convert FLV files to MP4 on a Windows or Mac computer.
- If you want to play the FLV file with some other player than those indicated in this article, try downloading and installing Riva FLV Player or Final Media Player. Both of these media players are free and support FLV file playback.