HandBrake Rip Blu-ray Guide: How it Works and What to Know

Well, HandBrake is a handy video converter you might use to rip your Blu-ray collection. But there’s a catch: Using HandBrake to rip Blu-ray alone may not be enough. It is excellent for converting and compressing, but it has limitations when reading protected Blu-ray content. Here’s the bright side: today’s guide will not only explain what HandBrake can and cannot do, but also show you how to rip Blu-ray with HandBrake, along with an alternative worth exploring.

What HandBrake Can and Cannot Do with Blu-ray Ripping

Before you start ripping Blu-ray with HandBrake, first know where the program works well and where it falls short. While HandBrake is a well-known video converter, Blu-ray ripping involves some extra challenges.

• What HandBrake can do: Convert Blu-ray video into formats like MP4 or MKV with customizable quality, resolution, and compression settings.
• What HandBrake cannot do: It cannot directly read and decrypt most copy-protected commercial Blu-ray discs.

In short, HandBrake is perfect for converting Blu-ray content, but it is not a complete ripping solution, so you cannot rip protected Blu-ray with HandBrake directly. If your Blu-ray disc is encrypted, you will need an additional tool to access and prepare the content before bringing it into HandBrake.

How to Rip Blu-ray with HandBrake + MakeMKV

To make the ripping process much easier, pair HandBrake with MakeMKV. After MakeMKV reads and saves your Blu-ray content as an MKV file, HandBrake will then compress and convert that file into a more convenient format.

Here’s how to rip Blu-ray with HandBrake, featuring MakeMKV:

Step 1Get both HandBrake and MakeMKV installed on your computer. Insert your Blu-ray disc into your drive, launch MakeMKV, and let it scan your disc.

Step 2Once it has been analyzed, you’ll see all available titles. Look for the largest title, and choose the video, audio, and subtitles you want to keep. Pick your destination folder and click the “Make MKV” button to copy all content to your computer.

Step 3Now for HandBrake. Drag the created MKV file into it, and let it scan and load its settings. Choose your desired format and adjust resolution, encoder, and other settings as needed.

Note: Avoid using over-compression to keep as much of the original Blu-ray quality as possible.

Step 4Next, select your final destination for your video, then click the “Start Encode” button. HandBrake will convert your MKV file into your desired format. Later, you can move it to your preferred storage media or library.

Why Not Use HandBrake as Your Blu-ray Ripper

HandBrake is a great converter, no doubt about that. But it is not really made for you to have it as your Blu-ray ripping tool. So, before even relying on it fully to do HandBrake Blu-ray ripping, here are some limitations worth taking note of:

• No built-in DRM decryption. HandBrake cannot decrypt most commercial Blu-rays on its own.
• No 4K UHD Blu-ray decryption. HandBrake cannot directly decrypt 4K UHD Blu-ray discs.
• Always re-encodes. Instead of copying the original streams, it converts the video, which affects the quality.
• Manual subtitle handling. Needs extra setup for selecting and managing subtitles. You need to use ByteCopy or other subtitle extractors to rip DVD with subtitles, as well as Blu-ray.
• Manual audio selection. Choose the audio tracks you want to keep manually.
• No Blu-ray menu support. HandBrake does not save interactive Blu-ray menus.
• MakeMKV licensing. If you use MakeMKV with it, its licensing and availability can add another step to the process.

Use HandBrake Alternative to Decrypt and Rip Any Blu-ray

For anyone who wants a simpler way to digitize their Blu-ray collection, 4Easysoft DVD Ripper can be a convenient HandBrake alternative. Instead of ripping Blu-ray with HandBrake plus another tool, this alternative can decrypt and rip your Blu-ray discs in just one place. It converts content to popular video formats while keeping the original video quality as much as possible. Not only that, you can choose specific tiles, audio, and subtitles before starting the ripping process, too.

Step 1Insert the Blu-ray disc you wish to rip into your drive and launch 4Easysoft DVD Ripper. From the main screen, click the “Load Blu-ray” dropdown list, then choose from the list of options.

Step 2After the programs can your disc, you’ll see all the main movie titles on screen. To rip other extras, click the “Full Title List”. Check the chapters or titles you want to keep and click the “OK” button to confirm.

Step 3Open the “Rip All to” menu and choose your desired video format. You can click the “Custom Profile” next to the format to adjust the resolution, codec, bitrate, and other settings for a more personalized output.

Step 4Before starting, review all selected audio tracks and subtitles. Then choose a destination folder for your ripped video, and click the “Rip All” button to start decrypting and converting your Blu-ray into a digital file.

FAQs

• Can I rip 4K Blu-ray with HandBrake?

  Unfortunately, HandBrake cannot directly decrypt protected 4K Blu-ray discs. You will have to look for another solution to access the disc content first.

• Why can’t HandBrake read my Blu-ray disc?

  Your disc may be copy-protected, or HandBrake may not be able to recognize its structure properly. These two are among the main reasons you might need to pair it with another tool.

• Does HandBrake reduce the size of my Blu-ray file?

  Yes. Since HandBrake re-encodes video, it significantly shrinks the file size. But remember that stronger compression can lead to some loss of image quality.

Related Articles:

• 9 Best Free Blu-ray Rippers in 2026 [Tested on Real Discs]
• All Details Included: DVDFab Blu-ray Ripper Review
• 4K Blu-ray Player Buying Guide: 5 Best Models Reviewed
• [In-Depth] Blu-ray Region: Dive into Codes and Restrictions