How to Copy a DVD to another DVD in Windows 10

Copying a DVD to another DVD in Windows 10 sounds simple — until you actually try it. Windows 10 doesn’t include a built-in DVD copy feature, and tools like File Explorer or Windows Media Player can only burn files to a disc, not clone a DVD with its original structure, menus, and chapters. If your goal is to copy a DVD to another DVD or copy a DVD to your computer for a 1:1 backup (or copy the movie and burn it to a new disc), you’ll need the right DVD copy tool and a proper burning workflow. In this guide, I’ll walk you through how to copy a DVD to another DVD on Windows 10, step by step, and cover common issues like copy protection, region codes, and failed burns.

What You Need to Copy a DVD in Windows 10

Copying a DVD in Windows 10 is not as simple as dragging files to a folder. To make a proper copy, especially a 1:1 backup with menus and chapters, you’ll need three things: a DVD drive, blank discs (if you’re making a physical copy), and DVD copy software.

1. DVD copy software

Windows 10 does not include a built-in DVD copy tool. File Explorer and Windows Media Player can help with basic burning, but they cannot create a true 1:1 DVD copy with the full disc structure, menus, and chapters. That’s why dedicated DVD copy software is needed to copy a DVD to ISO/VIDEO_TS and burn it properly to a new disc.

Why do we not recommend copying DVDs with Windows Media Player?

1. You can't preview the video since the DVD playback feature is removed in WMP on Windows 10.

2. It cannot rip or copy any DVD to digital formats.

3. It only burns files into data DVDs that are not playable on some DVD players.

2. A DVD drive

You need a DVD drive to read the source disc, and a DVD burner if you want to copy DVD to another DVD. If your PC doesn’t have a built-in drive, a USB external DVD drive is the easiest option. Many external drives are also more stable than older internal ones, and they can reduce read errors on scratched or aging discs.

3. Blank discs (DVD-R vs DVD+R vs DVD-RW)

If your target is to copy a DVD to another DVD, you’ll need blank discs. DVD-R is usually the safest choice for compatibility, especially for video DVDs. DVD+R also works well on many systems, while DVD-RW and DVD+RW are better for testing since they can be erased, but they may not play smoothly on some DVD players. Disc quality matters too, since low-quality discs often cause burning failures.

Part 1. Copy DVD to Computer as a 1:1 Backup (ISO/VIDEO_TS)

Purpose: Safely preserve the original DVD with full menus, chapters, and structure.

Copying a DVD to your computer is the fastest and most reliable way to back it up. With VideoProc Converter AI, you can back up any DVD, whether it’s a classic movie, a home-made disc, kids’ DVD, fitness DVD, or a commercial title with copy protection.

It enables 1:1 backups to ISO, hard drive, or USB, and also allows ripping DVDs to formats like MP4, MOV, MKV, and MP3 while keeping high quality and smaller file size. Its AI Super Resolution can even enhance the quality of digitized DVDs, upscaling resolution to 1080p or 4K.

Free download and install VideoProc Converter AI to copy DVDs in Windows 11/10/8/7 in one click!

Step 1. Insert Your DVD

Put your DVD on the optical drive, and press it into your computer. If your computer is shipped without an optical drive, you need to connect an external one via the USB port.

Step 2. Locate the DVD Disc

Open VideoProc Converter AI. Click DVD in its main UI and select the source DVD. Select Auto Detect to let VideoProc Converter AI detect the disc file system type. Click Done.

Step 3. Copy the DVD to the Windows 10 Computer

Hit Backup. You can then choose Main Copy, Title Copy, ISO, VIDEO_TS, or MKV Copy. It can clone all the DVD data you want to archive onto the Windows 10 computer for backing up or copying to another disc.

Part 2. Copy a DVD to Windows 10 Computer for Playback/Share

Purpose: Convert the DVD into digital formats like MP4, MOV, MKV for viewing on TVs, computers, phones, or sharing.

Suppose you want to copy a DVD to your computer for wider compatibility, so you can easily watch it on TVs, computers, phones, or share it with friends. In this case, you may want to convert the DVD to a common digital format like MP4 or MOV. VideoProc Converter AI can handle this easily. It works with both DRM-protected and home DVDs, and virtually any DVD you throw at it. You can convert them into digital formats such as MP4, HEVC, H.264, and over 420 other formats. It even offers ready-made profiles for popular devices and platforms, allowing you to complete the conversion with a single click.

Step 1. Locate DVD in VideoProc

Insert the DVD into your computer’s optical drive and launch VideoProc Converter AI. Click on DVD and the software will detect the mounted disc. Select the target DVD and click Done.

Step 2. Choose Source and Destination

Click Target Format and select the desired output format, such as MP4 H.264 for maximum compatibility. You can also choose a preset profile for specific platforms or devices, like YouTube or iPhone, depending on your needs.

Step 3. Start Copying

Click Browse to choose a destination folder on your computer, USB drive, or external hard drive. Then click Run to start copying and converting the DVD. VideoProc Converter AI will complete the process quickly and safely, producing a digital copy that you can watch, share, or store as needed.

Part 3. Copy DVD to Another DVD on Windows 10

Purpose: Create a physical DVD backup.

After creating a 1:1 backup of your DVD by following the steps in Part 1, burning it to a blank disc in Windows 10 is straightforward. You can do it using Windows File Explorer or Windows Media Player, but there are a few important details to ensure success.

Step 1. Insert and Open Another DVD

Eject the DVD which you already copy its content on your Windows 10 computer. Insert a blank or a rewritable disc into your PC. Once it spins up, a window pops up to ask what you want to do. Just choose "Burn files to disc" in this dialogue. If the AutoPlay prompt is disabled, go to "This PC" section on Windows 10 or "Computer" on Windows 7/8.1, and double-click on the disc drive.

step 2. Choose a Disc Format

Edit the disc title and choose to use it "Like a USB flash drive" or "With a CD/DVD player". Tap "Next" to proceed.

• Like a USB flash drive: It allows you to burn discs only usable on computers and displays data in folders. You can delete, edit and add files in this disc at will. (Live File System)
• With a CD/DVD player: DVDs burned in this manner can be played on both computers and DVD players. But you cannot delete or edit files after burning. (Mastered)

Step 3. Burn the Video into a Blank Disk

It will take a while to format the drive. When the formatting is finished, open the disc in File Explorer. Find the DVD video just exported from VideoProc Converter AI. Drag the file into the disc root location, and it will be burned into the disk automatically.

Note: A DVD has only either 4.7 GB or 8.5 GB to use. If you wish to store tons of movies, copy DVDs to a hard drive with VideoProc Converter AI. Typically, a commonly used 2TB drive could hold 415 DVD films (4.7GB per one).

Optional Method: Copy a DVD to a Blank Disc in Windows Media Player

Windows Media Player is launched to play videos, audio files, and images on Windows 7, 8.1, 10. It removed the DVD playback utility on Windows 10, but fortunately, keeps the free DVD burning feature. After converting the DVD to a digital format with VideoProc Converter AI, you can use WMP to copy it to another disc. Here's how.

1. Make sure you've changed the disc to a blank one in the optical drive. Open Windows Media Player.

2. Select the "Burn" option in the player library. Expand the drop-down menu and choose "Data CD or DVD". Then it recognizes your disc automatically.

3. Browse the library to find the DVD video just cloned by VideoProc Converter AI. Drag and drop the video file or multiple files into "Burn list" on the right side.

You can change the file order by dragging and dropping a file up and down in the list, and remove one by right-clicking on it and selecting "Remove from list".

Step 4. When the steps above are done, hit "Start burn" above the disc icon to start copying the video/videos to a blank DVD.

FAQs

Does Windows 10 have DVD Copy Software?

No. Microsoft removed DVD copy functionality after Windows 8. Windows 10 users need to copy DVD to computer with third-party software and burn the DVD video into a blank disc with File Explorer.

Is it legal to copy a DVD?

Making a personal backup copy of the DVD content is permissible in some cases and things differ slightly from country to country. But briefly, it is forbidden to copy protected DVDs for commercial uses without the permission of owners under any conditions.

What type of DVD is best for burning movies?

DVD comes in 4 flavors – recordable DVDs, rewritable DVDs, random access DVDs, and read-only DVDs. If you want your DVDs movies to be only readable, choose DVD-R or DVD+R. If you want to edit and delete files on the disc at will, then DVD-RW, DVD+RW or DVD-RAM.

How do I make a DVD read only?

Copy DVD movies to DVD-R or DVD+R. After you store videos to it, it gets read-only by default. The dash and plus between DVD and R used to represent different writing and reading specifications. But noticeable differences have gone recently.

Disclaimer: We do not advocate copying authorized or protected DVD videos.