Play DVDs on Windows Media Player

Revision as of 01:17, 31 January 2016 by Kipkis (Kipkis | contribs) (importing article from wikihow)

(diff) ← Older revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)

Microsoft makes playing DVDs a little confusing, as some versions of Windows include support, while other versions do not. If you are using Windows 8 or 10, you'll need to install a third-party player. If you're using Windows 7, you may be able to play DVDs without issue. If you're using XP or Vista, you'll get the best results by using another player as well.

Steps

Windows 10 and 8

  1. Download a third-party video player. Windows 10 and 8 do not come with DVD or Blu-Ray support. Microsoft has discontinued support for disc-based video playback, so it is not possible to play DVDs in Windows Media Player. There is no official way to enable this without paying for the official DVD Player app from the Windows Store, so you'll need a third-party media player such as VLC or MPC-HC. These players also provide much more robust support for other video formats, such as MKV. Microsoft used to offer an upgrade pack for Windows 8 that enabled DVD playback, but this is no longer available.[1]
    • VLC is one of the most popular video players, and can play DVDs and many Blu-Ray discs. You can download VLC for free from videolan.org/vlc. VLC is an open-source player, and does not contain any advertisements or spyware.
    • MPC-HC (Media Player Classic) is another popular third-party media player. You can download it for free from mpc-hc.org. Like VLC, MPC-HC is an open-source program, and contains no adware.
  2. Install the media player. Run the installer after downloading it to install your new media player. Most users can leave all of the options at their default settings. These new media players will take over as the default player for most of your media files, which you can adjust during installation if you'd like.[2]
  3. Insert the DVD that you want to watch. Depending on your settings, you may get prompted to launch your new media player.
  4. Open the media player if you are not prompted to launch it. If you don't receive a message to launch your new player when you insert your disc, launch it from the Start menu or screen.[3]
  5. Load the disc. Click the Media or File menu and select Load Disc. Select the type of disc you are loading (DVD, Blu-Ray) and select the drive. The DVD will begin playing.
  6. Use the media player that came with your drive if your disc won't play. Most DVD and Blu-Ray players come with software that can play discs. You may need to use these programs if your disc doesn't work in the third-party player. This is more common with Blu-Ray discs, as they have stricter copy protection.
    • If you don't have the software that came with your disc drive, you can usually find a free version on the manufacturer's website. The software may have come pre-installed on your computer, and may be found in the "All App" section of the Start menu or screen.

Windows 7

  1. Check the version of Windows 7 you are running. Windows 7 Home Premium, Ultimate, and Enterprise come with DVD playback capability. You'll be able to play DVDs in Windows Media Player without issue. Home Basic and Starter do not come with DVD playback capability, and you will need to use a third-party player.
    • You can quickly see your version by pressing ⊞ Win+Pause and checking the "Windows edition" section of the System window that appears.
  2. Insert the DVD and open Windows Media Player. If you are using a version of Windows 7 that supports DVD playback, you should be able to load the DVD in Windows Media Player or Windows Media Center without issue.
  3. Troubleshoot a DVD that won't play. There are a few reasons a DVD may not be playing in Windows 7:[4]
    • If the DVD is from another region, there's a very good chance that it will not play. This is because regions are hard-coded into DVD drives to help fight piracy. To play DVDs from other regions, you'll need to flash your DVD player's firmware, which is not recommended unless absolutely necessary.
    • If you have another DVD player program installed, it may be messing up Windows Media Player. Either use the other DVD player, or uninstall the program so that Windows Media Player works properly again.
    • Your drive may be physically failing. If this is the case, you'll need to install a replacement. See Install-a-DVD-Drive for details.
  4. Install a third-party player if you can't get Windows Media Player to work. There's a good chance that using a program like VLC or MPC-HC will allow you to play DVDs when Windows Media Player isn't working. You can download VLC for free from videolan.org/vlc and MPC-HC for free from mpc-hc.org. Both are open-source and free of spyware.
    • Once you've installed the program, use it to load your DVD. These programs won't help if the DVD is from another region, but they should play most DVDs from your region without issue.

Windows XP and Vista

  1. Download a third-party video player. While you can install a codec pack or decoder to enable DVD playback in Windows Media Player, these either cost money or come saddled with adware. You'll have a much easier time playing DVDs in XP or Vista if you download and use a third-party media player. These will also allow you to play virtually any video file format, including the popular MKV.[5]
    • The two most popular players are VLC and MPC-HC. Both are free and open-source, and do not come bundled with spyware. You can download VLC from videolan.org/vlc and MPC-HC from mpc-hc.org.
  2. Install the downloaded program. Run the installer after downloading and follow the prompts to install it. Neither program will install spyware if you downloaded it directly from the official website. Most users can keep all of the settings at their default.
  3. Insert the DVD you want to watch. Place the DVD into your computer's DVD drive. Make sure that it is a drive that is capable of reading DVDs.
  4. Launch your new program if it doesn't automatically. You'll be able to find your newly installed media player in the Start menu or on your desktop. Launch it if it does not start automatically when the DVD is inserted.
  5. Start playing the DVD. You can click the Play button in your media player to begin playing the inserted DVD. You may be prompted to select the drive before the DVD begins playing.
  6. Troubleshoot a DVD that won't play. Sometimes DVDs just won't play, and there are a few things that may be causing this:
    • Your DVD player can likely only play DVDs from the same region. If you're trying to play an import DVD, you may have to do some digging about flashing your DVD player's firmware.
    • If your DVD player is failing, it won't be able to play DVDs. You may need to install a new DVD player if this is the case. See Install-a-DVD-Drive for details.

Video

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3107057
  2. ↑ http://www.howtogeek.com/127774/how-to-play-dvds-on-windows-8/
  3. ↑ http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-play-dvds-in-windows-8.html
  4. ↑ http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/playing-dvds-in-windows-media-center-frequently-asked-questions
  5. ↑ http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000826.htm
Retrieved from "https://kipkis.com/index.php?title=Play_DVDs_on_Windows_Media_Player&oldid=39507"