How to Convert DVD to MP4 with HandBrake?

Before we begin, please note that HandBrake will rip non-protected DVDs only. The discs you bought from the store are mostly commercial DVDs and cannot be converted by HandBrake. You can check the solutions in #Part 2 when HandBrake won't rip your DVD.

Now, follow the steps to use HandBrake to rip DVD to MP4:

Step 1. Insert the DVD into the disk drive on your computer.

Step 2. Run HandBrake. If you don’t have it on your computer, download the latest correct version of HandBrake from https://handbrake.fr/downloads.php, and open it.

Step 3. When HandBrake first comes up, it should ask you to select the source. You should select the DVD source. HandBrake will then load the DVD.

Tips: If the “Source Selection” page didn’t show up, click “Open Source” and repeat the rest.

Step 4. Click the bottom “Browse” button to set a destination folder for your converted DVD.

Step 5. By default, HandBrake has already set the ideal settings for DVD ripping, with output format as MP4 and preset as Fast 1080P30. There’s no need to change the settings yourself. You can click the green “Start Encode” button to start converting DVD to MP4 with HandBrake.

Also Read: HandBrake Tutorial | HandBrake VOB to MP4 | HandBrake AVI | HandBrake ISO | HandBrake VIDEO_TS

You might encounter errors when trying to use HandBrake to convert DVD to MP4, such as Handbrake “no valid source found” or HandBrake won't rip the entire DVD. The common causes are as follows:

• The DVD is damaged or scratched.
• The CPU is overloaded.
• The DVD is copy-protected.

For the first cause, you can seek solutions from this article How to Fix a Scratched DVD. For the second cause, you can try to underclock the CPU to the standard. But in most cases, HandBrake won't rip DVD is due to DVD copy protection. You can remodel HandBrake with libdvdcss to decrypt the DVD first. Relevant tutorials are given in our previous article Rip Encrypted DVDs via HandBrake Libdvdcss on Windows.

But keep in mind that the libdvdcss method only works with CSS-encrypted DVDs. It cannot decrypt newer encryptions like 99 titles and others. In such case, we recommend you to try HandBrake alternative directly.

WonderFox DVD Ripper Pro is the best DVD ripper that we highly recommend. It can copy almost any DVD, even slightly scratched ones, to digital videos in easy steps. Moreover, it can engage GPU during the ripping process and hence relieve the burden on the CPU for faster speed. We will illustrate how to convert DVD to MP4 with this HandBrake alternative below.

Before start, please free download free download the software and install it on your PC.

Step 1. Insert your DVD into the DVD-ROM.

Step 2. Launch WonderFox DVD Ripper Pro. Click on “DVD Disc” and load your DVD. When the software scanned all the titles, it will auto mark the main title of the DVD.

Step 3. Click on the right-side format image to open the format library. Under the Video tab, choose “MP4” as the output format. (Tips: It has 500+ other formats and device presets to choose from as well)

Step 4. The program will smart fit the best settings for the DVD ripping after you chose the output format. So what is left for you is to click the three-dot at the bottom of the program to specify an output folder. When everything is ready, click “Run” to start the ripping process.

1. What is the best HandBrake setting for DVD to MP4?

Here is the general HandBrake best setting for DVD to MP4:

• Video format: MP4
• Video codec: H.264/x264
• Preset: HQ 480p30 Surround (NTSC) or HQ 576p25 Surround (PAL)
• Encoder preset: Very fast
• Encoder profile: Main
• Encoder level: 3:1

2. Can HandBrake remove DRM?

No, HandBrake cannot remove DRM of any kind. It is designed to work with non-protected media files only.

3. What can I use instead of HandBrake DVD rip?

There are many HandBrake alternatives out there, and one of the best is WonderFox DVD Ripper Pro. It is a professional DVD ripper that can easily rip any kind of DVDs to popular formats like MP4, MOV, MKV, AVI, etc. It boasts fast ripping speed and high-quality outputs. Also, it is very easy to use. Download Download the software and have a try!

That’s all for how to convert DVD to MP4 with HandBrake and solutions to HandBrake not working properly. If you have any questions during the DVD conversion, please feel free to contact me on Twitter, and I’ll be glad to help. Thanks for reading!