How to Free Import a DVD into iMovie on Mac With Original Content

Do you want to edit videos from physical DVD copies? The good thing is your Mac has a default video editor to professionally trim, add effects, and do overall editing for free. But can you import a DVD into iMovie? While it is not easy to achieve this task, this article will guide you to successfully import the DVD content to the Mac’s default video editor. Let’s continue reading to see the demonstrations.

• Part 1. Can You Import a DVD into iMovie
• Part 2. How to Rip DVD to iMovie-Supported Digital Formats (2 Ways)
• Part 3. How to Import a Ripped DVD into iMovie
• Part 4. FAQs about Importing DVDs into iMovie

Part 1. Can You Import a DVD into iMovie

iMovie on Mac is able to allow users to import VOB files from homemade DVDs. However, there is a lingering drawback with this: the lack of native support for commercial DVDs. This means that you can only import videos you have burned on discs, while movies that are released from cinemas are unsupported.

As obvious as it is, for you to import DVDs on your video editor, you must convert and change the file extensions into supported ones. Here are some natively supported formats on your Mac computer:

Video: MP4, MOV, M4V, VOB, 3GP, AVI

Audio: AAC, AIFF, MP3, WAV, CAF

But remember that these formats must contain uncompressed codecs for you to be able to import DVDs into iMovie. Or else the video editor will not recognize it. Now, if you have homemade DVDs, it is easy to turn them into VOB files and import them to iMovie. Read on to know more details.

Part 2. How to Rip DVD to iMovie-Supported Digital Formats (2 Ways)

Convert DVD to iMovie Format with Blu-ray Master Free DVD Ripper

While HandBrake can rip DVDs, it is still insufficient for a high-quality conversion. So, we encourage you to use Blu-ray Master Free DVD Ripper as it has the power to rip homemade and commercial DVDs on Windows and Mac.

This DVD to iMovie converter consists of advanced technology to extract content from physical DVD discs without lowering the quality. Of course, it converts the videos into other containers, allowing you to change them to VOB, MKV, MP4, and so on, which can be imported into iMovie. Although you can add DVDs to iMovie for video editing, you might as well use the DVD Ripper’s built-in video editor to add text, cut unwanted parts, and further enhance the overall visual. Download this Free DVD Ripper to start with the fastest ripping process.

• A DVD to iMovie converter and ripper on Windows and Mac.
• Convert videos to be compatible with OS like Apple, Android, etc.
• Support a wide range of output video/audio formats and codecs.
• User-friendly interface and effective functionality.

Step 1.Click the Download button to get it on your Mac computer. Open it and you can see an easy guide on its interface.

Step 2.Click the Load DVD option and choose one from its drop-down options: Load DVD Disc, Load DVD Folder, and Load DVD ISO. Then, it will automatically analyze your DVD file, and you need to choose Main Title or Full Title List in the pop-up window.

Note: If you are not satisfied with your ripping mode, you can also change it later.

Step 3.Move to Output Format, and select one output profile from the provided presets. Here, we choose the MP4 Same as source option.

Step 4.Lastly, click the folder icon on the bottom to set a download folder and select Rip All to start your ripping process. After the process is done, you can transfer the ripped DVD videos to iMovie and edit them.

Convert DVD to iMovie Format with HandBrake

HandBrake is a well-known conversion tool, and most of you may have heard of it. It has good system compatibility, and you can use it on your Mac computers. With the rich features, you may feel confused. But don’t worry, if you don’t have high requirements for DVD conversion, you can simply complete the ripping process within several clicks. It provides MP4, MKV, and WebM output formats, and you can further adjust video parameters. Go ahead to see how to convert and import a DVD into iMovie.

Step 1.You may use HandBrake to convert the DVD into iMovie or VOB. Make sure to download the software from the official website and then install it.

Step 2.Load the disc and allow the program to detect it. Import the videos and choose MP4 as the output format. Hit the Start button to process and convert the DVD to MP4.

Step 3.Once the files are converted, open iMovie on your Mac. Click the Create New button to start a new project. Browse your local folder and find the converted videos. From there, copy the DVD videos into iMovie and drag them to the timeline below to start editing or watching.

Part 3. How to Import a Ripped DVD into iMovie

Once you have done the last part’s demonstration and the ripped DVDs are ready, it is time to import them to the iMovie app:

Step 1.Open iMovie on your computer and navigate to the My Media panel from the sidebar. Click the Import Media button and pick the ripped DVD files from your local folder.

Step 2.Once the videos are loaded on the window, drag and drop one to the timeline at the bottom part of the interface. Proceed to edit the clips, such as cutting, trimming, adding effects, etc. Click the Play button to see a preview of the edited video. Then, export the video from iMovie as the format you want to save.

Part 4. FAQs about Importing DVDs into iMovie

• Can I play a DVD on my Mac?

  Yes, you can. As long as you have an optical drive like an Apple USB SuperDrive, streaming videos and songs from DVDs is easy. This method is also excellent for accessing files that are backed up from a CD.

• Can I burn a DVD in iMovie?

  Unfortunately, this app does not have a function that allows you to burn a DVD with iMovie. It is only possible to burn a DVD on your Mac with the help of a professional DVD burner tool, and then you can use iMovie to remove unwanted parts or improve the video quality of all the clips you want to burn.

• Is iMovie still available for Mac?

  Yes. It is a video editor for Apple devices designed to give users free video editing tools. iMovie continues to be part of every OS version, so it is unlikely to get removed by the developers. But if you don’t find the video editor on your Mac, you can download and install it from the App Store, then just sign in with your Apple ID and password.

Wrapping up

In conclusion, it is not possible to directly import DVDs on the video editor. However, you have learned how to put a DVD into iMovie, and it is done by ripping and converting the extracted files. With the help of this post, you can use iMovie to edit and watch the videos, but we also urge you to use DVD Ripper to preserve the high-quality content. Check the free version and discover a professional DVD-ripping software for Mac and Windows.