Detailed Steps to Play DVDs on Windows 11

Brittany Garcia

February 28, 2024 09:50Posted by to Play DVD

Are you curious about whether Windows 11 plays DVDs? Have you ever encountered a computer failure to play DVDs? Here in this article, we give you 7 methods to guide you to play DVDs on Windows 11, including the built-in Windows Media Player, the powerful Blu-ray Master Blu-ray Player, and 5 hardware. Each gives a detailed tutorial. Hopefully, you can enjoy your DVDs quickly with this tutorial on your hands.

Play DVD Windows 11

Part 1. Can I Play DVDs on Windows 11

You can play DVDs on Windows 11. Windows Media Player is a pre-installed player on most laptops and PCs. If you have a DVD decoder on your computer, you can play DVDs on Windows Media Player. In the next part, we introduce you to the built-in Media Player and a third-party Blu-ray Master Blu-ray player. Simply install one of these media players, and you can enjoy your DVD collection on your Windows 11 PC smoothly.

Part 2. How to Play DVD on Windows 11 with DVD Player Software

To play DVDs on your Windows 11, you can choose a professional player like Blu-ray Master Blu-ray Player as well as the Windows built-in Media Player. You can follow these detailed but easy steps to play DVDs on Windows 11.

Blu-ray Master Blu-ray Player

Blu-ray Master Blu-ray player is the top 1 player we recommend due to its powerful and professional features. It can play both Blu-ray and DVD 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.

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

Free Download

For Windows

Secure Download

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for macOS

Secure Download

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

Open Disc

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.

Menu Interface

Step 4.Click the Play button to start watching.

Play DVD

Windows Media Player

In Windows Media Player, you can play different types of discs like 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. Here's how to play DVDs on Windows 11.

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.

Media Player Play DVD

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

Watch DVD on Media Player

Notably, Windows Media Player doesn't support the playback of Blu-ray Disc. To play a Blu-ray Disc, you need a professional Blu-ray Player capable of reading Blu-ray Discs.

Part 3. How to Play DVD on Windows 11 with External DVD Player

You may have a question: Does Windows 11 support an external DVD drive? The answer is yes. If your computer doesn't come with a built-in DVD player or you don't want to install any third-party DVD player, you can choose an external DVD player. Here, we offer you 5 external DVD Players and guide you on how to play your DVDs on Windows 11.

DVD Player Brand Price Media Type Resolution Item Dimensions Item Weight
Philips BP2501 Philips $79.99 DVD, Blu-ray discs FHD 1080p 11.1x1.6x7 .8 inches 2.7 lbs
Samsung Blu-ray DVD player Samsung $169.93 CD, Blu-ray, and DVD 1080p 13x3x9 inches 3.2 lbs
Sony BDP-S6700 Sony $149.99 DVD, Blu-ray disc 4K 10x2x7 inches 2 lbs
Panasonic DP-UB9000 Panasonic $1,399 Blu-ray and DVD disc 4K 16.93x11.81x3.15 inches 17 lbs
LG Wireless DVD Player LG $119 Blu-ray, DVD, CD 1080p 10.6x7.7x1.7 inches 1.9 lbs

Playing DVDs with an external DVD player is quite easy.

Step 1.Connect the DVD Player to your computer with an HDMI cable. Make sure one end of the HDMI cable to the DVD player through the HDMI OUT port and the other to the HDMI IN of your computer.

Connect DVD Player to Computer

Step 2.Insert the DVD disc into the DVD Drive. Then, your computer will automatically read your disc, and you can watch it on your computer.

Part 4. Why Can't I Play DVDs on Windows 11

If you're unable to play DVDs on Windows 11, or your DVD player does not work on Windows 11, you can solve it by troubleshooting the following potential reasons:

Missing DVD Decoder

DVD decoder allows the computer to read and interpret the data on the DVD. If you haven't installed a DVD decoder when you play DVDs with Windows Media Player, your computer may not be able to play DVDs. Ensure that you have a compatible DVD decoder installed on your Windows 11 system if you use the built-in media player to watch DVDs.

Driver Issues

Outdated or corrupted DVD drives can also prevent DVDs from playing on Windows 11. Make sure that your DVD drives are up to date by checking for updates in Device Manager or on the manufacturer's website.

Region Code Restrictions

DVDs are often encoded with region codes, which restrict their playback to specific geographical regions. If you're trying to play a DVD with region code on a DVD player that is not region-free, it may not play. Ensure that your DVD drive supports the region code of the DVD.

Hardware Problems

If none of the above solutions work, it may be the hardware issue on the DVD drive. Try using the DVD drive with another computer or try a different DVD to see if the problem persists.

Part 5. FAQs of Playing DVDs on Windows 11

Wrapping up

This article presents you 7 methods to play DVDs on Windows 11, including 2 software and 5 hardware, and each offers you detailed steps. Hopefully, you can gain an amazing movie-watching experience and enjoy your DVDs after looking through this article. Hope this article is helpful to you, and be free to share it with your friends.

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