4 Ways to Watch DVD Playback on Windows 11 in 2026

When watching movies and TV shows for entertainment, DVDs offer both nostalgia and superb video quality and playback. Unfortunately, accessing these types of media has a great barrier, especially with modern hardware, since DVD players and external drives are not as common as they were. With that in mind, this article will serve as a detailed guide to setting up DVD players for Windows 11 computers. We will explore three of the best multimedia software programs you can use to watch loaded DVD media on your device. Moreover, we will also provide a detailed guide on how to set up external DVD drivers on Windows 11 hardware.

• Solution 1: The Microsoft Way to Play DVDs on Windows 11
• Solution 2: The Open-Source Route to Play DVDs on Windows 11
• Solution 3: The High-Performance Choice to Play DVDs on Windows 11
• Solution 4: Play DVD on Windows 11 with an External DVD Player
• Part 5: Technical Troubleshooting
• Part 6. FAQs About Playing DVD on Windows 11

Solution 1: The "Microsoft Way" to Play DVDs on Windows 11

In Windows Media Player, you can play various disc types, such as audio CDs, data CDs, and data DVDs. You can watch video CDs (VCDs), which are similar to DVDs but have lower video quality. If you have a DVD drive and the right DVD decoder on your computer, you can watch DVD movies on Windows 11 with Windows Media Player.

Main Features:

• • Built-in and highly optimized for modern Windows 11 desktops.
• • Supports standard DVD playback from an external driver, folder, and ISO.
• • Lightweight and only consumes minimal resources.

To learn how to watch DVDs on the built-in Windows Media Player, make sure to read our tutorial below.

Step 1. Insert the DVD disc into the drive and open Windows Media Player. Typically, the disc will play automatically. If you intend to play a disc that is already inserted, you just need to open Windows Media Player, locate the Player Library, and select your desired DVD to open.

Step 2. After selecting, it will automatically play. Then, you can watch your DVDs on this built-in media player.

Notably, Windows Media Player doesn’t support the playback of Blu-ray discs. To play a Blu-ray Disc, you need a professional Blu-ray player that can read them.

Solution 2: The Open-Source Route to Play DVDs on Windows 11

If you are using a Windows 11 computer, chances are you are already using VLC Media and DVD Player as your primary multimedia options. If so, you are in luck since this program is already equipped with the right features to handle playing DVD media. All you need to do is learn how to use it as such.

To learn more about the features that make the tool good for DVDs, make sure to read its features below, together with our detailed tutorial on how to use it.

Main Features:

• • Supports all standard DVD playbacks from external drives, DVD folders, and ripped ISO files.
• • Advanced playback controls include subtitle sync, audio sync adjustment, playback speed, and more.
• • Cross-platform availability on Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS.

For an easier time learning how to play DVD media on VLC, make sure to follow our step-by-step guide tutorial below.

Step 1. Open VLC Media Player, select Media, and then click on Open Disc. In the Open Media menu, click on Browse on the Disc Device option.

Step 2. After selecting "Browse", navigate through your File Manager to find the loaded DVD on your computer. Click on Select Folder. With the loaded DVD now selected, click on Playback in VLC’s Open Media menu.

Step 3. After selecting Play, you will now be able to enjoy your DVD content on VLC Media Player.

Solution 3: The High-Performance Choice to Play DVDs on Windows 11

If you want a high-performance third-party option to play DVDs on Windows 11, the Blu-ray Master Free Blu-ray Player should be your top choice due to its powerful and professional features. It can play both Blu-ray and DVDs and supports a 4K Blu-ray disc. You can enjoy the latest DVD movies and 4K/1080p video on Windows 11 without any limitations.

With this smooth and versatile player, you can select any title/chapter to watch and choose your favorite audio tracks and subtitles in the menu window. You are also allowed to capture your favorite image when watching the video. You can follow the detailed steps to watch your DVDs with an amazing audiovisual experience.

Main Features:

• • Supports both DVD and Blu-ray playback.
• • It can handle 4K to 8K UHD videos without any playback issues.
• • Offers full DVD navigation from the main menu, chapters, titles, subtitles, and others.
• • Customizable playback control from playlist creation, volume, playback speed, and others.
• • Equipped with a hardware acceleration system for reduced CPU usage.

Do not forget to read our provided tutorial below to enjoy a much smoother viewing experience on your Windows 11 desktop.

Step 1. Free download and install the Free Blu-ray Player. Insert the DVD into your computer.

Step 2. Load your desired disc by clicking the Open Disc button.

Step 3. After loading your disc, the program will automatically identify your DVD. You can choose your desired title or chapters to watch. You can also make settings such as autoplaying DVDs on Windows 11.

Step 4. Click the Play button to start watching.

Solution 4: Play DVD on Windows 11 with an External DVD Player

When using external or portable DVD players, you need to consider the power supply they need to run properly, since these devices will use your computer’s port as their source. As such, you need to learn that USB 3.0 and USB-C ports offer different power.

With that in mind, it is more advisable to use an external DVD player that uses a USB-C connection since USB-C ports can output up to 15W of power as opposed to the generic USB 3.0 port with only 4.5W.

You also need to consider the firmware updates that some optical drives require. These updates are essential since they are required in the latest Windows 11 versions. Once you have selected an external drive with a USB-C connection and its firmware requirements have been set, you can now proceed to playing DVDs on a Windows 11 computer.

To learn how, please read our guide below.

Step 1. Connect the external DVD player to your computer using a USB-C port. It is important to use USB-C since it offers more power to your hardware.

Step 2. Insert the DVD into the DVD drive. Then, your computer will automatically read your disc, and you can watch it on your computer. Make sure that you still need DVD player software to make the loaded DVD content watchable.

Part 5: Technical Troubleshooting

Checking Device Manager for Driver Conflicts

Step 1. Open your search bar and look for Device Manager.

Step 2. In the Device Manager menu, scroll down to find Universal Serial Bus controllers. Click on it and check if your External DVD appears under it.

Fixing Error Code 0xc00d36b4

Error code 0xc00d36b4 indicates that your media player is not equipped with the right codec to support the file you were trying to play. Fortunately, Windows Media Player not playing DVDs can be fixed by installing the right codec. All you have to do is search for the right codec needed to fix DVD playback on Windows 11, based on the video you are trying to play.

Ensuring USB Power Delivery for External Drives

If you are having issues with your DVD driver not being detected in Windows 11, it is probably because you are using the USB 3.0 port. To ensure that enough power is delivered, connect your external DVD drive to the USB-C port of your computer.

Part 6. FAQs About Playing DVD on Windows 11

• Why won't my DVD play on Windows 11 automatically?

  It might be an issue with the external DVD player you're using. You might be using a driver with a USB 3.0 port with limited power. You may also need to update the drive firmware to make it function with the Windows 11 software.

• What is the best free DVD player app for Windows 11 in 2026?

  When searching for a DVD player app in 2026, you can use Windows Media Player, VLC Media Player, or Blu-ray Master Blu-ray Player. Among them, Blu-ray Master Blu-ray Player is the exclusive DVD player app. Although the other options are functional, their performance is subpar at best when handling DVD media.

• Does Windows 11 Media Player support DVD playback without a paid upgrade?

  Yes, it does. However, its performance is limited and only offers basic playback. Moreover, Windows Media Player has no paid upgrade options.

• Are external DVD players worth it?

  It depends on your needs. If you have access to DVD media, it is worth your money. However, they offer limited value since most TV shows and movies are released digitally.

• Is it hard to watch DVD media on a modern Windows PC?

  No, it is not. There are multiple DVD multimedia players for Windows computers. All you need to do is buy an external DVD drive.

Conclusion

With the best DVD player options now discussed, we hope that this article has provided you with useful information in learning how to play DVDs on Windows 11 computers. If you are looking for a recommendation, make sure to consider the Blu-ray Master Blu-ray Player as your top pick.