How To Play A Dvd On Windows 8

When you install Windows 8 on your organization, yous gain access to a number of new features. Some are articulate upgrades over previous versions of Windows—the new system-wide search, for instance—while others are more controversial "side-grades," rather than clear improvements. There's one thing that's a clear-cut downgrade, though: DVD playback.

While before versions of Windows included a gratis, congenital-in DVD thespian, Windows 8 and Windows viii.1 take no such functionality. It can even so read data DVDs, but if you want to play that re-create of Rocky IV you lot got for $2 on clearance at Target, you lot're out of luck.

Fortunately, you've got plenty of options for restoring DVD-playback functionality to Windows viii, for free. Here'south what we recommend:

Option 1: Simply try it!

Earlier you do anything else, bank check to make certain that you really tin't play a DVD in your computer. If you bought a boxed Windows 8 laptop or desktop reckoner with a DVD drive, the manufacturer will virtually certainly have pre-loaded it with DVD playback software. Pop a DVD in and come across if information technology plays!

Option 2: Download VLC

VLC plays DVDs, and it plays them for costless.

If you're upgrading to Windows 8 or built your ain PC from scratch, y'all'll actually have to download software to watch DVDs. Fortunately, there's a free, fast way to go DVD playback in VLC, a powerful media player from VideoLAN.

When you want to watch a DVD, open VLC and—with the DVD in your drive—click Menu, so Open Disc.

VLC's a handy program to have on any new arrangement, anyhow, equally it's capable of opening virtually whatever audio or visual file format, including quite a few that Windows Media Player can't handle. If you desire to play Blu-ray discs, there's a codec pack of questionable legality (and hit-and-miss functionality) available. Alternatively, yous could download a premium programme such as CyberLink'southward $55 PowerDVD 12, which plays both DVDs and Blu-ray discs without a hitch.

Microsoft didn't do away with DVD playback in Windows entirely—they only moved information technology to the for-pay Windows Media Center pack, which costs $10.

WMC is only available for Windows viii Pro.

If you lot accept the basic version of Windows 8, you can't download Windows Media Heart without also paying $100 to upgrade to Windows 8 Pro. If you're just looking for DVD playback and could intendance less about Windows 8 Pro's other special offerings, nosotros'd recommend just going with the VLC selection above.

Exist warned: While Windows Media Center handles DVDs similar a pro, itcan't play Blu-ray discs whatever.

Actually downloading the Windows Media Heart Pack is a somewhat convoluted process involving the Search charm, obscure settings options, and paying for production keys. Microsoft'due south Add together features to Windows eight.1 page tin can walk you through the entire process of buying both the Windows 8 Pro and Windows Media Heart Pack upgrades. When you're washed, your computer volition restart and install Windows Media Center, including DVD playback.