How to Play DVDs in Windows Media Player?

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Play DVD in Windows Media Player (Windows 7)

Play DVD in VLC (Windows 8, 8.1, 10, 11)

FAQs

Windows Media Player is the built-in media player on Windows with the capability to play a variety of digital files. On Windows 7, it also includes DVD functionality for opening and playing DVDs. If you are using Windows Media Player to play DVDs for the first time, you can follow the tutorial below for detailed steps. Note, however, that versions after Windows 7 do not support DVDs, but you can use a third-party DVD player to get your DVDs to play on them.

Now, let’s first see how to play a DVD in Windows Media Player.

How to Play DVDs in Windows Media Player (Windows 7)

Step 1. Insert a DVD into your computer’s DVD drive.

Step 2. Typically, AutoPlay will start and Windows Media Player will open in ‘Now Playing’ mode while the DVD begins playing. If it doesn’t play or you want to play a disc that’s already inserted into your computer, open the Windows Media Player app manually.

Step 3. In the left navigation pane, double-click the disc name to start playback.

How to Play DVDs in VLC (Windows 8, 8.1, 10, 11)

If you insert a DVD into your Windows 8 or Windows 10 computer, you will find that no program will play the file. To solve the problem, you’ll need to use a third-party program such as VLC, a free, open source media player that supports DVD playback. It’s easy to install the program and play DVDs. Follow the steps below.

Step 1. Download and install VLC from https://www.videolan.org/.

Step 2. Insert the DVD you want to play into your computer.

Step 3. Usually, a notification will pop up in the lower right corner of the screen saying that the disc has been inserted. Click on it and you can choose what to do with DVD movies. If you see the VLC media player option, just select it to start playing the DVD movie.

Step 4. If nothing shows up, open ‘File Explorer’ and go to ‘This PC’.

Step 5. Find the DVD drive, then right-click on it and select ‘Play with VLC media player’.

FAQs

1. Why won’t my Windows Media Player play a DVD?

Windows Media Player requires a DVD decoder to decode the DVD before it can be played. The DVD decoder may be missing from your computer so that Windows Media Player can’t play a DVD. Note that on Windows 8, 8.1, 10, and 11, the DVD decoder is officially removed by Microsoft.

Additionally, if your DVD is not from the same region where your computer was manufactured, the DVD won’t play in your Windows Media Player, either. Please refer to DVD Region Code for more information.

2. How do I get a DVD to play on Windows Media Player?

If your Windows Media Player comes with DVD support, you can simply insert a DVD into your computer and it will automatically start playing on Windows Media Player. Otherwise, you need to download a DVD decoder or convert the DVD to digital files to make it playable on Windows Media Player.

3. Is there a DVD player for Windows 10?

Windows 10 provides a Windows DVD Player app that enables you to play DVDs on Windows 10 PCs. You can buy it in Microsoft Store for $14.99. In addition, there are third-party DVD players such as VLC media player, MPC-HC, GOM Player, etc.