‘Why doesn’t my DVD work on my brand‑new Windows 10/11 PC?’ It’s a frustrating question that you may also encountered, and the answer lies in Microsoft’s decision to remove the native Windows Media Center and built-in DVD decoder from modern versions of Windows, leaving discs unsupported by default. Don’t worry. There are multiple DVD player software for you to watch your beloved physical media on the latest Windows computers. Today, this article will walk you through the best free and paid solutions to play DVDs on Windows 10/11. With these powerful tools, you can enjoy a more comfortable DVD playback experience.
Table of Contents
Part 1. Preparation to Play DVD Movies
Way 1. Play DVDs on Windows 10/11 – Free and Easy Way
Way 2. Play DVDs on Windows 10/11 – Region-free Playback
Way 3. Play DVDs on Windows 10/11 – High-quality Playback
Part 1. Preparation to Play DVD Movies
Before playing DVDs, you need to make some preparations to ensure a fluent and seamless DVD playback process:
- Verify hardware: Open Device Manager and make sure your optical drive shows up without any warning icons. If Windows flags it, that’s often the root cause of playback problems. Confirming the drive is recognized by the system first saves time troubleshooting software later.
- Use an external DVD drive if needed: Many modern laptops skip an internal optical drive, so a USB external DVD drive is a simple fix-plug it in and Windows will usually recognize it right away. They’re inexpensive and portable, so they’re a practical option if you only need occasional disc access.
- Choose a proper DVD player software: For a good DVD playback solution, VLC Media Player is a free DVD player for Windows 11/10 that can play most DVDs, including menus and subtitles, without extra codecs. If you want a more polished interface or extra features, consider paid or alternative apps like 5K Player or AnyMP4 Blu-ray Player. Note that always download installers from the official site.
Way 1. Play DVDs on Windows 10/11 – Free and Easy Way
VLC Media Player is a free and open-source DVD player software for Windows 10/11. It is one of the most popular media player tools because it can easily play DVDs, Blu-rays, and multiple video and audio files. It is an excellent DVD playback choice, which you can use it play DVDs of different regions. Moreover, it is empowered by built-in codecs that support DVD menus without requiring extra plugins or payments. It has basic playback settings that you can flexibly adjust for playback, like volume adjustment, playlist, and audio track selection. Besides, it also includes advanced settings, such as synchronization, equalizer, etc., which can greatly improve your viewing experience.
Here are the steps on how to use VLC to play DVDs on Windows 10/11.
Step 1. Download the Software
Download the latest VLC from its official website. Install it on your Windows computer and launch it.
Step 2. Insert DVD
Place the DVD disc into the computer’s DVD drive. Then, choose Media in the top menu of the VL and select the Open Disc option.
Note: In the Media drop-down options, you can see the keyboard shortcuts for quick playback in VLC.
Step 3. Play DVD
In the pop-up dialog box, select the inserted DVD and click Play at the bottom. Wait a few seconds for the software to recognize and open the disc.
Step 4. DVD Playback Performance
Then, VLC will start playing the DVD, including menus, chapters, and subtitles. You can play, pause, and skip the DVD.
Note: During the playback, you can click the red round icon and the camera icon to record and take screenshots.
With these clear steps, we think it is easy to use VLC to play DVDs by yourself. It has a clear interface, which is friendly for even beginners. On the downside, some people would think the interface is a little dated, and it is not very good at handling DVD copy protections.
Way 2. Play DVDs on Windows 10/11 – Region-free Playback
Next, we want to introduce AnyMP4 Blu-ray Player, which is a versatile DVD player software for Windows 10/11. Designed with a modern, intuitive interface, it is easy to navigate different playback features and master how to use it. It would show the DVD menus, chapters, and multiple audio tracks, delivering smooth and seamless playback without the need for extra codecs. Beyond standard DVDs, it is also capable of playing DVD ISO images and folders. With the cutting-edge decryption technologies, it can easily handle DVDs of different regions and with copy protections, making it an ideal choice for playing commercial DVD movies. Moreover, it provides both basic play/pause controls and advanced features, like screenshot, subtitle addition, etc.
Step 1. Download the Tool and Insert DVD
Download and install the AnyMP4 Blu-ray Player on your Windows computer. Insert a DVD disc into the optical drive.
Step 2. Load DVD to the Software
Open the software, click the central Open disc option, and select the imported DVD disc in the pop-up window. Then, click OK to proceed.
Note: You can also click Open Folder in the pop-up window to play the DVD folder.
Step 3. Play DVD and Adjust Settings
Wait a moment, and the tool will play your DVDs. It will show a simple menu on the bottom left corner, like Chapter, Audio, Subtitle, etc., which you can choose as you need.
Note: You can select audio tracks, switch the stereo modes, and do many other things using the provided features.
This powerful tool offers a high-quality DVD playback experience. With the advanced GPU acceleration, the loading speed is fast, and the playback process is stable. However, it is a paid software, and some features are locked in the free trial. You can try it first to decide whether to subscribe to it or not.
Way 3. Play DVDs on Windows 10/11 – High-quality Playback
5KPlayer is a solid, all-around choice for anyone who’s frustrated that Windows 10 and 11 no longer play DVDs out of the box – it fills the gap where the default players stumble. It is able to handle regular DVD discs, ISO images, and VIDEO_TS folders with ease. In many cases, it can sidestep region restrictions and play copy-protected discs without extra codec installs. On top of that, it’s built for modern viewing, supporting high-resolution formats like 4K and 8K so your older DVD collection still looks and sounds good on today’s hardware.
Step 1. Download and Install the Tool
Get the Windows installer from the official 5KPlayer download page and run the setup as usual. Insert the DVD disc you want to watch into the optical drive.
Step 2. Launch the Tool and Load DVD
Double-click the software icon to open it on your computer. Click the DVD button or choose Open DVD in the interface; then pick your DVD drive from the list.
Step 3. Start DVD Playback
Click the Play option to play DVD on it. Use the on-screen controls to navigate menus, change chapters, enable subtitles, or switch audio tracks.
The steps are easy, right? Generally, these DVD players’ configurations are similar and intuitive, aiming to provide easy-to-access performance to every one. So do 5KPlayer. However, 5KPlayer advertises broad region support and can handle many encrypted discs, but some commercial DVDs with advanced protections may still fail.
Conclusion
Now, you have learned the 3 best ways to play DVDs on Windows 10/11. Though Windows lacks native DVD playback support, with these clear steps, you can just follow them to play DVDs. These three tools have different strengths, and you can choose according to your needs. Download these tools and give them a try!
Sandra Larson is a writer with the personal blog at ElizabethanAuthor and an academic coach for students. Her main sphere of professional interest is the connection between AI and modern study techniques. Sandra believes that digital tools are a way to a better future in the education system.
