How to Play DVD Movies on Xbox One, Xbox One S, and Xbox One X?

The answer to "Does Xbox One play DVDs" is both yes and no depending on the different models. The Xbox One, or the Original Xbox One, was initially released in 2013, and the lineup expanded to 3 main models: Xbox One S, Xbox One S All-Digital Edition, and Xbox One X. As you can see, except for Xbox One S All-Digital Edition, the other two models are equipped with a (Ultra HD) Blu-ray optical drive for playing physical games and watching DVD movies.

💡 Another thing to note is region restriction. Xbox One games are generally region-free, but DVD and Blu-ray movie discs are not always the same case. A DVD bought from another country or region may fail to play on your Xbox One if its region code does not match the region of your console. Region-free discs, however, should play normally. So, if your Xbox One has a disc drive but still refuses to play a certain DVD, the problem may not be the console itself. It could be a region mismatch, an unreadable disc, or an issue with the Blu-ray Player app.

In a nut shell, Xbox One DVD playback capacity is unavailable on the Xbox One S All-Digital Edition only. After all, it's designed for disc-free gaming and online media streaming. But the good news is, there's still a workaround that can make it possible to watch DVD movies on Xbox One, regardless of which model you have.

To watch DVD movies on your Xbox One console that comes with a build-in (Ultra HD) Blu-ray optical drive, you first need to install the Blu-ray Player app as follows:

Step 1. Insert your DVD disc into the optical drive of your Xbox One.

Step 2. Wait a few seconds, you'll be prompted to download and install the Blu-Ray Player app.

Step 3. After that, your DVD disc should start playing automatically.

Note: The Blu-ray Player app doesn't apply to the Xbox One S All-Digital Edition as it lacks a disc drive.

If there's nothing happened or pop up an error message that says "The thing you're looking for isn't here. We probably don't have it, but just in case, try searching for it.", try to manually install the Blu-ray Player app from the Microsoft Store.

Step 1. Open the guide by pressing the "Xbox" button on your controller.

Step 2. Select "Home" tile on the screen and choose "Store" tile.

Note: If you don't see the "Store" tile, scroll down to "Add more" on the "Home" screen and select the Store tile to add it to Home.

Step 3. Go to "Search" and type in "Blu-ray" in the search bar. Select "Blu-ray Player" app when it appears.

Step 4. Select the "Install" tile to download and install the Blu-ray Player app on your Xbox One.

Step 5. Now follow the above steps to play your DVDs on Xbox One.

Normally, once the Blu-ray Player app is installed, your Xbox One should be able to play DVDs without much trouble. But if the console won’t read the disc, keeps asking you to insert a disc, shows an error code like 0x91d70000, or plays game discs but not movie DVDs, try the fixes below.

1. Check whether your Xbox One model has a disc drive.

Xbox One, Xbox One S, and Xbox One X can play physical DVDs. Xbox One S All-Digital Edition does not have an optical drive, so it cannot read DVDs directly. In this case, you can only play a digital copy through USB or streaming apps.

2. Insert the disc correctly.

Place the disc with the artwork side facing up. Also, put your Xbox One horizontally on a stable, flat surface. The console is not designed to operate vertically, and the wrong position may cause disc reading problems.

3. Clean and inspect the DVD disc.

Dust, fingerprints, scratches, cracks, and stains can prevent the console from reading the disc. Wipe the disc gently with a soft, slightly damp cloth from the center outward. If possible, test another DVD or game disc on the same console, or test the problematic DVD on another player to see whether the issue comes from the disc or the console.

4. Make sure the Blu-ray Player app is installed.

If your Xbox One can read game discs but fails to play DVDs or Blu-rays, reinstall or update the Blu-ray Player app from the Microsoft Store, then try the disc again.

5. Check the DVD region code.

Xbox One is region-free for games, but movie DVDs and Blu-rays may still be region-locked. If the DVD was purchased from another country or region, it may not play unless it matches your console’s region or is labeled region-free.

6. Change the power mode and power cycle the console.

Go to Profile & system > Settings > General > Power options, switch to Shutdown/Energy-saving mode, then hold the Xbox button on the console for about 10 seconds to fully shut it down. Restart the console and insert the disc again.

7. Clear Blu-ray persistent storage.

Go to Settings > Devices & connections > Blu-ray > Persistent storage, and select Clear persistent storage. Then restart your Xbox One and try the DVD again. This can help when cached Blu-ray/DVD data causes playback issues.

8. Reset the console only when necessary.

If none of the above works, you can try resetting the Xbox One system while keeping your games and apps. Go to Settings > System > Console info > Reset console, then choose Reset and keep my games & apps. Avoid choosing “remove everything” unless you have backed up important data.

9. Consider a hardware issue.

If your Xbox One cannot read any disc at all, the disc drive may need servicing. In that case, contact Xbox Support or a local repair service.

As a matter of fact, all Xbox One models are capable of playing video files from a USB drive using the Media Player app. This gives you another way to watch DVD movies on Xbox One, especially when you are using Xbox One S All-Digital Edition, dealing with a region-coded DVD, or having trouble with the console’s disc drive.

To make it work, you need to convert the DVD to an Xbox One-compatible digital video file first. Here I highly recommend WonderFox DVD Ripper Pro, which is designed to create your own DVD digital library for easier playback on Xbox One, TVs, computers, tablets, and more.

Q1: Is Xbox One region-free for DVDs?

A: No. Xbox One games are generally region-free, but DVD and Blu-ray movie discs may still be region-locked. Your Xbox One can usually play discs that match the console’s region or discs marked as region-free.

Q2: Why won’t my Xbox One read my DVD?

A: It could be caused by a dirty or scratched disc, wrong disc orientation, a missing Blu-ray Player app, DVD region mismatch, corrupted Blu-ray persistent storage, or a faulty disc drive. Try cleaning the disc, reinstalling the Blu-ray Player app, clearing persistent storage, and power cycling the console first.

Q3: Can Xbox One S All-Digital Edition play DVDs?

A: No. Xbox One S All-Digital Edition does not have a disc drive, so it cannot play physical DVDs directly. But you can convert your personal DVD to an Xbox One-supported video file and play it from a USB drive.

Q4: Can I change the Xbox One region to play foreign DVDs?

A: Changing the console location may affect some services, purchases, subscriptions, or account-related features, and it does not truly make Xbox One region-free. A safer workaround is to convert your own DVD to a region-free digital video for personal playback.

That’s all about how to play DVD movies on Xbox One. If your Xbox One has a disc drive, the easiest way is to install the Blu-ray Player app and play the DVD directly. But if you are using Xbox One S All-Digital Edition, have a region-coded DVD, or keep running into disc reading problems, converting the DVD to an Xbox One-compatible video file is a more flexible solution.

With WonderFox DVD Ripper Pro, you can digitize your personal DVD collection to MP4, MKV, or the built-in Xbox One profile, then play the movie from a USB drive without swapping discs every time.

Anyway, I hope I've made everything straightforward and comprehensible. Just sit back and enjoy Hollywood blockbusters or classic films on your Xbox One now.