What is the VPL file format?
.vpl files are associated with vanBasco's Karaoke Player, a freeware application for Windows. Files with the .vpl extension store music playlists used by the player. VPL files do not store actual audio tracks - only references to such resources in the form of .kar (karaoke), .mid or .midi (MIDI), and similar files. VPL files can be modified by changing playback order, removing or adding entries.
It is generally recommended that .vpl files be managed using vanBasco's Karaoke Player directly. However, because VPL is a plain-text format, opening a .vpl file with any text editor is also practical - useful for printing the stored playlist, updating file paths if the referenced .kar or .mid files have been moved, or exporting the list to another format.
vanBasco's Karaoke Player reached version 2.53 as its final release and is no longer actively developed. The original vanbasco.com website is permanently offline, though the installer is preserved at vanbasco.org. The player continues to work on Windows 10 and 11. For cross-player compatibility, playlists can be recreated as .m3u files pointing to the same .kar or .mid sources.
Security & safety
RISK: LOWVPL is a plain text file with no executable code. Risk is essentially zero. Ensure the referenced MIDI/KAR files come from trusted sources, as MIDI files themselves could theoretically exploit vulnerabilities in specific players, but this is not a known active threat.
Format details
in a nutshell- VPL (Video Playlist) - various media players - Some media players use .vpl for generic video playlists; unrelated to vanBasco.
- VisualBoyAdvance-M playlist - GBA emulator VisualBoyAdvance uses .vpl for ROM playlists; unrelated format.
Programs that open VPL files
Windows2 apps
vanBasco's Karaoke Player
Free File → Open Playlist and select the .vpl file. Songs appear in the playlist pane; double-click to play.
Notepad (for editing paths)
Built-in Open the .vpl in Notepad to view and edit file paths if MIDI files have moved. Technical details
deep spec| Format type | Plain-text playlist |
| Encoding | Windows-1252 (ANSI) text |
| Content | File paths to .mid, .midi, .rmi, and .kar files; no audio data stored |
| Platform | Windows only |
| Typical file size | 1 KB - 50 KB (grows with playlist length) |
| Associated player | vanBasco's Karaoke Player v2.53 (final release; no longer in development) |
| Player status | vanbasco.com offline; installer preserved at vanbasco.org; player still runs on Windows 10/11 |
| Playlist operations | Entries can be added, removed, or reordered within vanBasco's interface or by editing the text file directly |
| Text editor compatibility | Editable with any text editor - update file paths manually if referenced files are moved |
| Cross-player alternative | .m3u playlists referencing the same .kar/.mid sources |
| Audio data | Not stored - VPL references external files only |
| Released | circa 2000 (vanBasco's Karaoke Player v2) |
| Latest version | vanBasco Karaoke Player v2.53 (last release; software no longer updated) |
VPL conversions
Community Q&A
asked by usersNo questions yet - be the first to ask about VPL files.
