4 Ways to Burn a DVD to Back up Files and Play Movies

Posted by Paula Pailaga to Burn DVD/Blu-ray Jul 09, 2024

Keeping large files, such as movies, online is easier than ever before. However, DVDs are still one of the most common ways to store, backup, and transfer large files. Moreover, it is still an important way to watch videos and movies with family and friends on the large screen. In fact, with a proper tool, you can burn a DVD on your computer directly. This guide demonstrates the four best methods.

The Easiest Way to Burn a Playable DVD

As a cross-platform DVD burner, 4Easysoft DVD Creator can meet all your needs about burning a film to DVD on Windows and Mac. More importantly, it equips pro-level features in a way that everyone can learn quickly. That makes it a good choice for average people.

How to Burn a Video DVD

Step 1Launch the best DVD creator once you install it on your PC. There is another version for Mac users. Choose "DVD Disc", click the "Add Media File(s)" button, browse the videos that you want to write on the optical disc, and open them.

Step 2Click "Next" after the video loads to enter the menu creator window. Locate the "Menu Template" panel, and choose your favorite template. You can add background music or change the background picture at the bottom.

Step 3Hit the "Burn" button. Insert a blank DVD into your computer. Tick the box next to "Burn to disc", select the DVD from the drop-down list, and click the "Start" button. If you wish to back up the DVD, check "Save as ISO", and set a destination folder. You can burn all home videos to DVD.

How to Burn a Film DVD Using DVDStyler

DVDStyler is an open-source DVD-burning program on Windows and Mac. It is a good free option for beginners, but the built-in features are too basic to burn movies to DVDs as professionals.

Step 1Open the free DVD burner, and make sure to select "NTSC 720x480" under the "Video Format" section on the "New project" window. Click "OK" to enter the next window.

Step 2Input a disc title into the "Caption" field, select an appropriate DVD menu template, and click "OK". If you do not want to use a template, click "No template".

Step 3Run a File Explorer, find the video files, and drag and drop them into the storyboard section. Or right-click on the storyboard, choose "Add", select "File", and open the video files. Then arrange the video files on the storyboard.

Step 4Click the "File" menu, and choose "Burn DVD". Select "burn", and click the "Start" button to begin burning films to a DVD immediately. This program can work as an ISO maker, and you can back up your videos as ISO images.

Part 3: How to Burn a DVD with Built-in Feature on Windows

Microsoft has added a DVD burning feature on Windows 11/10/8. It lets you burn any files to a DVD without third-party DVD burning software. Be aware that the feature makes data DVDs but not playable discs.

Step 1Put all videos that you want to burn on a DVD into a single folder. Right-click on the folder, choose "Send to", and select your DVD drive.

Step 2The Burn a Disc dialog will pop up. Put a blank DVD into your DVD drive.

Step 3Enter a title into the "Disc title" field, select "With a CD/DVD player", and click the "Next" button.

Step 4When prompted, tick the checkbox of "Yes, burn these files to another disc", and click the "Finish" button.

How to Burn a DVD Without Third-party Tool on Mac

If you are using a Mac and intend to transfer files between devices, make a backup, or share files with others, the built-in DVD burning feature is a good option to burn a DVD on a Mac. Much like the counterpart feature on PCs, the built-in DVD burning feature is only used to make data DVDs.

Step 1Insert a blank disc into your DVD burner drive. Run the Finder app, and put all desired files into a single folder.

Step 2Then select the folder, go to the "File" menu, and choose "Burn folder name to Disc" to open the "Burn Disc" window.

Step 3Select your DVD drive from the "Burn Disc In" option. Then set other custom options according to your situation.

Step 4Finally, click on the "Burn" button.

FAQs about How to Burn a DVD

• Can I burn DVDs with Windows Media Player?

  Yes, you can burn audio CDs and data CDs or DVDs using Microsoft’s built-in Windows Media Player. If you want to burn a film to a playable DVD, WMP is not available. You have to use a third-party video DVD creator.

• Is it illegal to burn a DVD for personal use?

  It is lawful; however, to make a copy of a DVD movie that you have purchased if that copy is to be used solely for your personal use, such as to make a backup copy. That is not involved with copyright.

• How long does it take to burn a DVD?

  Generally speaking, a regular single-layer 4.7GB DVD-R disc with a 16X speed rating will take 4-6 minutes. If you are using a DVD burning program with hardware acceleration, it is faster.

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