3 Methods to Use a DVD Player on Chromebooks and Laptops

Accessing physical DVD media may not have the mainstream appeal it once had; however, it is still one of the best options you can use to watch high-quality home releases of movies and TV shows, much better than streaming apps. In this article, we will provide a detailed guide on how to use DVD players on Chromebooks using three methods you can use. We will also discuss each method’s best uses, strengths, and limitations.

• Part 1. Can I Play DVDs on a Chromebook
• Method 1: Using an External DVD Drive (The Direct Way)
• Method 2: Convert DVD to Digital (The Best Long-term Solution)
• Method 3: Playing via Linux (Beta) for Advanced Users
• Part 5. FAQs About Chromebook DVD Player

Part 1. Can I Play DVDs on a Chromebook

Yes, you can play DVDs on a Chromebook, laptop, or desktop computer! However, you need an external DVD player for your Chromebook that must be connected to it. Then, download a multimedia tool that can support playing DVD media. Alternatively, you can also use free DVD ripper tools to convert it into a digital video. This will make playing DVD videos way more convenient and accessible on your Chromebook laptop.

Method 1: Using an External DVD Drive (The Direct Way)

Best For: Watching physical DVD media via an external DVD player.

The first option you can use to play DVD media on a Chromebook is through using an external DVD player. Before choosing one, make sure to use an option with a plug-and-play system to make connecting to modern laptops easier.

When using an external DVD drive, you will use your computer as the screen by playing it in a DVD player app for your Chromebook or laptop that supports DVD files. To learn how to use this method, make sure to read our three-step guide below:

Step 1. Find a plug-and-play external DVD driver with support for laptop connection. For modern laptop devices, standard USB-A or USB-C ports are usually the most supported.

Step 2. Next, connect the external DVD player to your laptop device. If you are using a plug-and-play option, you can directly access the loaded DVD in it. Otherwise, follow the installation guide on your external player.

Step 3. With the external player now connected, open the DVD player software you want to use. VLC for ChromeOS and the VOCC app are two good options. You will now be able to watch the DVD media from your external drive.

Method 2: Convert DVD to Digital (The Best Long-term Solution)

Best For: Converting DVD media into digital video for maximum accessibility.

Although using an external DVD drive offers a direct solution, you may bypass the need for such hardware and a Chromebook DVD player software if you convert your DVD media into a digital format. To use this solution, you can use Blu-ray Master Free Blu-ray Ripper to rip DVD media and convert them to digital videos.

As its name suggests, this program can directly rip the physical media on your DVD and Blu-ray discs and convert them to 500+ media formats based on your preference. This will eliminate the need to use an external driver or DVD player tool. By converting DVD videos digitally, their accessibility will also be enhanced tenfold. You can now easily share the file, watch it on any device, and play it without relying on bulky drivers.

To learn the best features that make Blu-ray Master Free Blu-ray Ripper stand out, please read its main features below, and make sure to also read our guide on how to use it.

Key Features:

• • Rip and convert any type of DVD to more than 500 formats.
• • Support outputting video quality up to 8K resolution.
• • An ultrafast ripping process with a 70 times faster conversion process.
• • A lot of editing options to use before and after the ripping and conversion process.

Step 1. Insert your DVD into your computer, then download and install the amazing DVD ripper. Launch it and click the Load Disc icon to import the disc.

Step 2. After loading, click the Output Format option to select the format you want to save your ripped DVD video in. You can choose your preferred video format, encoder, or quality.

Step 3. Afterward, you can select the video conversion Settings button once the DVD movie has been loaded.

In the video settings, you can change how the ripped video will be saved digitally by editing its Video Quality, Encoder, Frame Rate, Resolution, Bitrate, and other audio parameters.

Step 4. Finally, hit the Rip All button to begin the DVD ripping process. Then, check the newly ripped movies in your designated folder.

Step 5. Connect the USB to the Chromebook laptop and open the folder to watch DVD videos on it. You can play DVDs on a Chromebook successfully.

Method 3: Playing via Linux (Beta) for Advanced Users

Best For: Advanced users who want to use Linux-based applications and software.

As we have mentioned earlier in the external driver guide, VLC Media Player is one of the best media player software for playing DVD media. With that in mind, you can use the Chromebook's built-in Linux Development Environment to access a more reliable VLC version.

When set up properly, the Linux Development Environment will access a portion of your Chromebook’s storage, which will allow you to access Linux-based software on your ChromeOS device, one example of which is VLC Media Player.

If you want to take the next step in exploring your Chromebook laptop, we have provided a setup guide on how to activate the Linux Development Environment below:

Step 1. Open your Chromebook’s Settings.

Step 2. In the Settings tab, expand Advanced and then click on Developers. Then, select Turn On in the Linux Development Environment.

Step 3. In the Linux setup menu, set the Username and the Disk Size you want to allot to the Linux virtual machine. Click on Install to continue.

Part 5. FAQs About Chromebook DVD Player

• Can I plug a regular DVD player into a Chromebook?

  No, you cannot. Chromebook will only be able to process DVD players with a plug-and-play portable DVD player. These are usually connected via a modern USB-A and USB-C system.

• Does VLC for Android work for DVDs on Chromebooks?

  No, it does not. VLC for Android is not available for Chromebooks since these devices do not run on an Android OS. Chromebooks use the modern ChromeOS, exclusively designed for them.

• Why is my external DVD drive not showing up?

  This may indicate that your DVD driver is not plug-and-play. This issue usually can be resolved by installing the right driver for the external hardware you are using. To avoid such issues, make sure to search for plug-and-play drivers before buying them.

• What are Chromebooks?

  Chromebooks are laptop and tablet devices running on Google’s ChromeOS. They are designed to be affordable, secure, and fast for simple computer-related work. These devices are fully integrated with the Google ecosystem, and a great example of how it works is that these computers use Google Drive as their main storage.

• Can I convert DVD media digitally on Chromebooks?

  No, you cannot. Chromebooks do not have any built-in format converter tools equipped in them. You need to do the DVD ripping and format conversion process on a separate computer, preferably a Windows desktop.

Conclusion

Now that we have discussed three of the best options to access DVD players on Chromebooks, we hope that this article has provided you with enough information to help you choose which among them best suits your needs. To avoid the setup requirements of playing DVDs via media players, you can use a DVD ripper tool to directly convert physical media into digital files. Blu-ray Master Free Blu-ray Ripper is one of your best choices, and you can download it using the link below.