The object of this study is to develop a self-tuning fractional order proportional-integral-derivative (SFOPID) controller for controlling the mover position of a direct drive linear voice coil motor (VCM) accurately under different operational conditions. The fractional order proportional-integral-derivative (FOPID) controller can improve the control performances of the conventional integer order PID controller with respect to the additional fractional differential and integral orders; however, choosing five interdependent control parameters including proportional, integral, and derivative gains, as well as fractional differential and integral orders appropriately is arduous in practical applications. In this regard, the SFOPID controller is proposed in which the five control parameters are optimized dynamically and concurrently according to an adaptive differential evolution algorithm with a high efficiency adaptive selection mechanism. Experimental results reveal that the SFOPID controller outperforms PID and FOPID controllers with regard to the nonlinear VCM control system under both nominal and payload conditions.