last 10 lines: journalctl -r _COMM=vlc -lines 10 -no-pager However, the better more modern way would be to use journalctl filtered to the vlc command, e.g.

Many answers above are useful and informative, had an answer that works for VLC installed via snap ( sudo snap install vlc): TL DR: Try journalctl -r _COMM=vlc for the default modern systemd based Linux distros (Ubuntu 15.04+), which includes jounrald as a common logging sink for processes logging via stdout, including VLC. When you next start VLC, it will be logging all activity to the file specified. The Default option is equivalent to 0 on older versions. Set verbosity to Debug (option 2 on older versions) - other options are Info, Warning (both option 1 on older versions) and Error. You must browse to where you want the log file to be, then click Save ( Select on a Mac). Specify log file name under where it says 'Log filename' and click the browse button to set a location for the log file. On a Mac preferences is under the VLC menu, the rest is the same as for PC.

On a PC go to Tools -> Preferences -> Press 'Show All' button (bottom left of pop-up window) -> Advanced -> Advanced settings -> Logger. For those of you looking to enable logging in VLC the following steps are confirmed to work on Mac, Linux and Windows. Thanks to Pananoid Panda and Kluegerama for supplying the detail, but I think this answer needs to be more concise.

Videolan mac