How to Copy or Duplicate a DVD to Another DVD on Windows?

Burning DVD data to a blank DVD is not difficult. The tricky part is that a video DVD is different from a normal hard drive folder. If you simply drag & drop or copy & paste DVD files, copy protections, read errors, or an incomplete DVD-Video structure may stop the job. For example, you may see error 0x80030309 when trying to copy protected DVD contents directly.

So, for a reliable DVD-to-DVD copy, the safer workflow is to duplicate the source disc to an ISO image or a VIDEO_TS folder first, and then write that digital DVD copy to a blank DVD.

This is different from converting a DVD to MP4 for playback on a phone or TV. An ISO/VIDEO_TS copy is better when you want to keep the original DVD menu and playback structure.

Before you start: prepare the source DVD, a writable DVD drive, enough hard drive space for the temporary ISO/DVD folder, a blank DVD-R/DVD+R or DVD-RW/DVD+RW disc, and a DVD burning program such as ImgBurn.

WonderFox DVD Ripper Pro is a powerful DVD-ripping tool for Windows PCs. With it, you can get digital copies of homemade DVDs and the DVDs you are allowed to back up. For DVD-to-DVD duplication, the most useful profiles are ISO Image and DVD Folder under the 1:1 Quick Copy category, because they help preserve the DVD menu, titles, chapters, audio tracks, subtitles, and the VIDEO_TS structure for later burning.

Get this Windows application and get started to copy DVD to DVD.

ImgBurn is a free Windows disc burning utility that can write ISO images and DVD folders to blank DVDs. It is not a DVD ripper, so you still need to create the ISO image or VIDEO_TS folder first. Also note that ImgBurn is freeware rather than open-source software, and it has not received a major official update for years. It still works for many users, but you should download it from the official site or a trusted mirror and pay attention during installation.

Tips for preparations:

1. Prepare a blank DVD with enough capacity. A single-layer DVD holds about 4.7 GB, while a dual-layer DVD holds about 8.5 GB.

2. Make sure your PC has a writable DVD drive. Many modern laptops no longer include an internal DVD burner, so an external USB DVD writer may be needed.

3. ImgBurn can burn an ISO image or a VIDEO_TS folder to a DVD. If you want to burn normal video files (MP4, AVI, MKV, MOV, etc.) as a playable DVD-Video disc, use DVD authoring software such as DVD Flick, DVDStyler, or other DVD copy software instead.

4. If you get a "Too big for DVD" message, the target disc does not have enough capacity. This commonly happens when trying to fit DVD-9 content onto a DVD-5 disc. Use a dual-layer blank DVD, remove unnecessary content if your software allows it, or compress the video with quality loss.

5. Watch out for ads on download pages and optional bundled components during installation. Choose custom installation if available and reject anything unrelated.

Now, follow the below 4 steps to burn ISO/DVD folder to DVDs.

Step 1. Download and install ImgBurn from its official site: https://www.imgburn.com/index.php?act=download

Step 2. Launch ImgBurn. Click the "Write image file to disc" option for an ISO image, or "Write files/folders to disc" for a VIDEO_TS folder, based on the DVD copy you have.

Step 3. Click tab "File" > "Browse for a source file" to load the source file into the program. After that, select the DVD Read/Writer Drive.

Step 4. Make sure the DVD writer drive is well connected to your PC and define it as the destination. Finally, click the "Write" button to burn the ISO image or VIDEO_TS folder to the blank DVD. When the burning process finishes, test the new disc in a DVD player or DVD playback software before deleting the ISO/DVD folder from your computer.

When you try to copy a DVD to another DVD, a few small details can decide whether the burned disc works properly.

1. Choose the right blank DVD discs

DVD-R is often a safe choice for broad DVD player compatibility, while DVD+R also works well on many modern players and drives. DVD-RW/DVD+RW discs are rewritable and good for testing, but they may not play on every standalone DVD player.

2. Match the DVD capacity

A DVD-5 disc cannot hold a full DVD-9 copy without compression or content removal. If the ISO/VIDEO_TS folder is larger than the blank disc capacity, use a dual-layer disc or shrink the content with the understanding that quality may drop.

3. Use ISO or VIDEO_TS for a playable duplicate

If your goal is a playable DVD copy with the original menu and chapters, burn the ISO image or VIDEO_TS folder as DVD-Video structure. Burning an MP4 or MKV file as a data DVD is different and may not play in a regular DVD player.

4. Burn at a moderate speed and verify the disc

Using the maximum write speed may increase the chance of playback glitches on low-quality discs. A moderate speed and the verification option in your burning software can help reduce failed burns.

5. Keep the temporary DVD copy until testing

Do not delete the ISO image or VIDEO_TS folder immediately after burning. Play the new disc on the target device first. If it fails, you can burn another disc without ripping the original DVD again.

Q1. Is it legal to copy a DVD?

It depends on the DVD type, your purpose, and the laws in your country or region. Copying homemade DVDs for personal backup is usually different from duplicating protected commercial DVDs for distribution. Do not copy, sell, share, or upload copyrighted DVDs without permission.

Q2. Can I copy a DVD with Windows Media Player?

No, not as a real DVD-to-DVD duplicate. Windows Media Player can burn audio CDs and data CDs/DVDs, but it cannot rip a protected DVD or author a playable DVD-Video disc from an ISO/VIDEO_TS copy. If you burn movie files as a data DVD, many standalone DVD players will not recognize it as a normal video DVD.

Q3. Can HandBrake copy DVD to DVD?

No. HandBrake can rip DVDs to video files such as MP4, MKV, or WebM, but it does not offer DVD burning. If you use HandBrake, you still need a separate DVD authoring or burning program, and you may not keep the original DVD menu structure.

Q4. Do I need two DVD drives to duplicate a DVD?

No. With one DVD drive, you can rip the source DVD to an ISO image or VIDEO_TS folder first, eject the source disc, insert a blank DVD, and then burn the digital copy. Two drives are only useful if your software supports direct disc-to-disc copying and both drives work reliably.

Q5. Why won't my copied DVD play in a DVD player?

Common reasons include burning the files as a data DVD instead of DVD-Video, using an incompatible disc type, not finalizing the disc, choosing a poor-quality blank DVD, burning too fast, or trying to fit DVD-9 content onto DVD-5. Burn the ISO image or VIDEO_TS folder correctly, use a compatible blank disc, and test the result before deleting the backup files.