Any ideas on why this is the case with recent VLC ?

[Seeker47]

I have two versions of the program installed. v. 301 loads almost instantly. v. 3021 takes at least 10 seconds to load, possibly more -- haven't timed it yet but I could.

[Subtitles]

I have two versions of the program installed. v. 301 loads almost instantly. v. 3021 takes at least 10 seconds to load, possibly more -- haven't timed it yet but I could.

I have version 3.0.20 and updated just now to 3.0.21
It loads quite fast just like 3.0.20
Try uninstalling and reinstall without any other applications open.
If this doesn't help then it could be something else.
Have you noticed any other application that don't load fast enough?

[Seeker47]

I have two versions of the program installed. v. 301 loads almost instantly. v. 3021 takes at least 10 seconds to load, possibly more -- haven't timed it yet but I could.

I have version 3.0.20 and updated just now to 3.0.21
It loads quite fast just like 3.0.20
Try uninstalling and reinstall without any other applications open.
If this doesn't help then it could be something else.
Have you noticed any other application that don't load fast enough?

No, but it does happen to be a portable edition. (No installation required, does not touch the Registry.) If I can find it, I'll post a DL link.

[Seeker47]

It is looking like the slow behavior I noted was a byproduct of the portable format in this instance, Though it's still not quite as fast as that prior v. 301, I've now installed the "regular" Win-64 edition of VLC ver. 3021 as a test, and it appears to be loading much faster than the portable 3021 edition, for whatever reasons. (This is not normally the case however for portable versions. I get the vast majority of mine from PortableApps.com. Win portable versions can be taken with you on a flashdrive, and then run from any host Win computer, without any required installation. Portable apps do not dump anything into the Win Registry, and remain semi-invisible guests to the OS. I tend to prefer them, when available -- provided there is no downside.) So, I think I will be replacing the portable v. 3021 with the "regular" installed one. That pronounced delay was getting kind of annoying.

[davexnet]

On my system VLC 3.0.21 (Installed version) open in 8 seconds.

I set an exclusion in Windows Defender not to scan the c:\program files\videolan\VLC\
this sped it up a little

[ricardouk]

... I get the vast majority of mine from PortableApps.com. Win portable versions can be taken with you on a flashdrive, and then run from any host Win computer, without any required installation.

Have you tried the "normal portable version" of VLC without the PortableApps "stuff"?
https://www.videohelp.com/software/VLC-media-player

you can unpack it to a folder on a usb pen drive and run it from there.

[Seeker47]

... I get the vast majority of mine from PortableApps.com. Win portable versions can be taken with you on a flashdrive, and then run from any host Win computer, without any required installation.

Have you tried the "normal portable version" of VLC without the PortableApps "stuff"?
https://www.videohelp.com/software/VLC-media-player

you can unpack it to a folder on a usb pen drive and run it from there.

That was just my assumption: I don't recall specifically where I obtained that portable edition.
I'll have to see how to set that exclusion davexnet mentioned.

[davexnet]

You can also train Windows so that the Superfetch component will preload VLC at boot time,
then it opens in about 2 seconds. But that only applies if you're using spinning rust HDD