What is the MPLS file format?
.mpls is a Blu-ray playlist file. Each .mpls file uses a five-digit numeric name by convention - for example, 00000.mpls, 00001.mpls - and is stored in the BDMV/PLAYLIST/ folder on a Blu-ray disc or ripped disc image. .mpls playlist files are also commonly found on ripped Blu-ray video discs saved as ISO images or loose BDMV folder trees.
An .mpls file contains no audio or video data of its own. It is a small binary navigation file - typically just a few hundred bytes - that sequences one or more .m2ts clip streams into a titled playback path and records chapter marks. A Blu-ray disc usually contains several playlists; the one with the most clips and longest runtime is normally the main feature, while shorter playlists cover trailers, bonus content, or playlist-obfuscation decoys used by copy protection.
In some cases the video streams cannot be opened directly, for example because AACS or BD+ content protection is applied to the disc. In that case, the only way to navigate the disc's contents is through its .mpls files. Copying a single .mpls file alone is not enough to play the video - it must be accompanied by the full BDMV folder structure, including .clpi clip-information companions and the .m2ts streams themselves.
The same playlist format is also used by AVCHD camcorder discs and memory cards.
Security & safety
RISK: LOWA .mpls playlist is small binary navigation metadata - not executable, not video - so opening it is harmless (and shows nothing visible). The real cautions are legal and source-related: ripping retail Blu-rays bypasses AACS copy protection, which is restricted in some jurisdictions, and "free Blu-ray player / BDMV codec" download sites are a common vector for bundled adware/PUP. Get VLC, MakeMKV, HandBrake and BDInfo only from their official sites. A BDMV folder copied from an untrusted source is just data, but treat unexpected disc images with normal caution.
Format details
in a nutshellPrograms that open MPLS files
Windows4 apps
VLC media player
Open-source Media > Open Disc and point at the Blu-ray, or open the folder ABOVE BDMV; VLC follows the playlists to the video. You can also drag a single .mpls in - VLC plays the clips it references. Don't expect the .mpls itself to be 'the file'. 
Cyberlink PowerDVD
Paid Mainstream commercial Blu-ray player; opens the disc/BDMV folder, follows the playlists and handles menus and AACS-protected retail discs. 
BDInfo
Free Analysis tool, not a player: scans the BDMV and lists every playlist with its runtime, streams and bitrate so you can spot the real main title. Useful before ripping.
MakeMKV
Freemium Not a player but a ripper: open the disc/BDMV folder and it identifies the main-title playlist (ignoring decoys) and rips it losslessly to MKV. The practical way to 'use' a Blu-ray's playlists. 
macOS2 apps
VLC media player
Open-source Open the folder containing BDMV (or the disc); VLC reads the playlists and plays the title.
MakeMKV
Freemium Open the disc/BDMV folder; MakeMKV picks the main-title playlist and rips it to MKV for playback in any Mac player. 
Linux2 apps
VLC media player
Open-source Open the disc or the BDMV parent folder; install libaacs/libbdplus for protected discs. VLC plays via the playlists.
MakeMKV
Freemium Available for Linux; open the BDMV folder/disc and rip the main-title playlist to MKV. Technical details
deep spec| File type | Binary playlist and navigation file - contains no audio or video; sequences .m2ts clips into playback titles |
| Byte order | Big-endian (all multi-byte integer fields) |
| File header (magic bytes) | 8-byte ASCII string at offset 0: 4-byte type tag "MPLS" followed by 4-byte version (e.g., "0200") |
| Internal version field | ASCII version string in header: "0100", "0200" (standard BD), "0300" (some UHD / 4K Blu-ray discs) |
| Typical file size | ~170 bytes to ~4 KB; average around 590 bytes |
| Folder location on disc | `BDMV/PLAYLIST/`; automatic backup copy at `BDMV/BACKUP/PLAYLIST/` |
| File naming convention | Five-digit zero-padded number followed by `.mpls` - e.g., `00000.mpls`, `00100.mpls` |
| Key data structures | PlayList table (ordered PlayItems referencing .m2ts clips), PlayListMark table (chapter timestamps), optional ExtensionData block |
| Companion file type | Each PlayItem corresponds to a `.m2ts` stream; paired `.clpi` files hold clip index and timing data |
| Encryption | Playlist itself is unencrypted; video streams on the disc may be protected by AACS or BD+ |
| Compression | None - fixed-field binary tables with no compression |
| MIME type | `application/octet-stream` |
| Developer | Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) |
| Also used by | AVCHD camcorder discs and SD/CF memory cards use the identical playlist format |
| Released | 2006 (Blu-ray Disc / BD-ROM specification); AVCHD uses the same playlist format the same year |
| Latest version | MPLS version "0200" (BD); "0300" on some UHD/4K Blu-ray discs |
| Specification | blu-raydisc.com |
MPLS conversions
Community Q&A
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