The VideoLAN Forums

After either the 3.0.13 update or a few dot updates earlier, VLC has begun to show strange combination of characters instead of the actual file name while playing the video at the top overlay. If played from MiXplorer it shows combination of characters ending with the actual .mp4 extension while played from the default Sony Album app it shows a multi-digit number.

I am on Sony Xperia XZ1 9.0 Android Pie stock ROM.

Are you sure MiXplorer is passing the title to VLC?

How do I determine that?

There is difference between how the titles appear if launched from MiXplorer vs. Sony Album. And both of them end up showing wrong title.

This started happening after 3.x releases I think.

When initially the file is played, correct title is shown. Once VLC goes into background and I bring it back using app switch, it starts showing the gibberish title.