How to Rip a DVD in 7 Easy Ways

October 17, 2024

22,060

Best tools to rip DVDs on Windows 10/8/7 and Mac

In this guide, we are delving into ripping DVDs, and how to rip a DVD safely and effectively in the best possible way.

To help you navigate through different DVD-ripping options, we’ve compiled a table. Look at it to find out more about each program and to decide which one is the most suitable for your media converting needs.

Program

Best for

Download

1. Movavi Video Converter

Windows 7/8/10/11, Mac OS X 10.13 or later

Ultra-fast conversions on Windows and Mac

Download

2. VLC

Windows XP/Vista/7/8/10/11, Mac OS X 10.7.5 or later

Playing and ripping media

3. HandBrake

Windows 10/11, Mac OS X 10.13 or later

Free ripping with lots of formats

4. WinX DVD Ripper

Windows 11 and lower

Quick ripping

5. Windows Media Player

Windows 7/8/10/11

Support and tutorials

6. WonderFox DVD Ripper

Windows 11 and lower

Ripping protected DVD content

7. Freemake

Windows 10 and lower

Simple and quick conversions

Here’s what Movavi’s team does to provide you with verified information:

When selecting products to include in our reviews, we research both demand and popularity.
All the products covered in this article have been tested by our team.
When testing, we compare key characteristics, including supported input and output formats, quality loss when converting, and other significant features.
We study user reviews from popular review platforms and make use of this information when writing our product reviews.
We collect feedback from our users and analyze their opinions of Movavi software as well as products from other companies.

How to rip DVDs with Movavi Video Converter

Download for Free

Best for: Ultra-fast conversions on Windows and Mac

OS: Windows 7/8/10/11, Mac OS X 10.13 or later

G2 rating: 4.5 out of 5, 3 reviews

Wondering how to transfer your DVD collection to your computer or another device so you can watch your favorite films anywhere? Now you can quickly rip your DVDs using Movavi Video Converter. Just follow the instructions in this tutorial and you'll be able to rip DVDs to any video format you like: AVI, MOV, MKV, M2TS, and many others!

With our handy DVD ripping software, it's a one-click task to convert a DVD to the MP4 file format to watch it on your mobile phone. No need to understand video formats, settings, or technicalities – just run the software, open your DVD, select a ready-made preset and click Convert.

To learn how to rip DVDs to a computer, just download Movavi Video Converter for PC or Mac and read the tutorial below.

Step 1. Download and install Movavi Video Converter

Download Movavi Video Converter on your Mac or Windows to rip a DVD. After the download is finished, run the setup file to install the program.

Download for Free

Step 2. Open the program and add a DVD

Launch Video Converter. Click the Add Media button, then select Add DVD > Open DVD, and find the VIDEO_TS folder on your DVD.

Step 3. Choose the preferred preset

In the Video or Devices tab at the bottom of the video converter interface, select the video format or mobile device you need as your target. You can choose from over 180 media formats and 200 device presets.

Step 4. Rip your DVD

Click Save to to specify the folder on your hard drive where the program should save the converted files. Finally, click the Convert button. The program will start processing your media files.

Step 5. Save your video

If you want to copy your videos to a mobile device after the converting process is complete, minimize or close the program, turn on your mobile device and connect it to your computer. Start the uploading service or just copy and paste the output file to the target folder. And that’s all!

Note that uploading process might take some time depending on the size of your video file.

So now you know how to rip DVDs using Movavi Video Converter!

Disclaimer: Please be aware that Movavi Video Converter does not allow you to convert copy-protected media files and DVDs.

Pros:

180+ supported media formats
Ready-to-use presets
Device-targeted conversions
AI upscaling without quality loss

Cons:

Can’t burn DVDs

How to rip a DVD with VLC

Best for: Playing and ripping media

OS: Windows XP/Vista/7/8/10/11, Mac OS X 10.7.5 or later

CNET rating: 4.6 out of 5, 37 reviews

It’s not hard to learn how to rip a DVD with VLC media player. This freeware is very popular for both Mac and Windows as people choose to play a variety of media files and also try their hand at ripping a DVD with VLC.

How to rip a DVD on Mac and Windows with VLC

Download and open VLC.
Download VLC
Under the Media tab, click on the button to Convert/Save, then choose the Disc tab.
Choose the DVD option and then the DVD drive location so your computer knows where to rip from.
Click Convert/Save and then select the codec and settings you'd like to use for the ripping.
Rip your DVD to a computer. That’s how to rip movies from a DVD using VLC.

Pros:

It is simple and straightforward to use and gives you a lot of control, you can also enjoy the fact that there are a lot of controls over file types. As an option to rip DVDs for free, VLC is understandably very popular.

Cons:

The program can be a bit clunky, and you have to do a lot of exploring in the files of your computer, rather than intuitively rip a DVD through the interface.

How to use HandBrake for a DVD rip

Best for: Free ripping with lots of formats

OS: Windows 10/11, Mac OS X 10.13 or later

CNET rating: 3.5 out of 5, 155 reviews

HandBrake is a similar tool to VLC media player. It offers a free download and whether you’re using Windows 10, an older version, or Mac OS, you can use a HandBrake DVD rip function to get your video off a disc and onto your computer.

How to rip a DVD with HandBrake

Download and open HandBrake. Whether you want to rip DVDs to a PC or Mac, you can choose the appropriate download for the operating system you are using.
Download HandBrake
Choose the file you want to rip by pressing the file icon on the left, navigate to the file that is on the DVD.
Press the Browse button and choose the destination to save the stored file in.
Click Save after making the selection and then Start Encode at the top to begin ripping the DVD to the desired folder on your computer.

Pros:

The big upside is the simple functionality and the fact that it can be used totally free of charge.

Cons:

Though there isn’t a lot of support if anything goes wrong, this is understandable due to the fact that the software doesn’t have a big team behind it. Freeware often has this knock-on effect.

How to rip a DVD to computer with WinX DVD Ripper

Best for: Quick ripping

OS: Windows 11 and lower

G2 rating: 2.5 out of 5, 3 reviews

WinX DVD Ripper can be used on both Windows and Mac, but it is undeniably faster and more effective for those who want to know how to rip a DVD on Windows 10.

How to rip DVDs on Windows 10 or Mac using WinX DVD Ripper

Download and install the program.
Download WinX DVD Ripper
Load a DVD by clicking DVD Disc and navigating to the DVD folder.
Select the output format for the video you want to convert. There are many presets to rip a DVD to the computer, and you can alter the file settings to suit tablets, phones, and more.
Choose the output folder. This is where the video file will be stored.
Click Start and this will begin the process of ripping the DVD and turning it into a file on your computer.

Pros:

The ripper supports both old and new models of DVDs and has incredible speed without being too demanding on your computer and its RAM. The ripper is also good for some damaged DVDs and can do a great job of salvaging video footage.

Cons:

The interface is a little clunky and doesn’t feel particularly modern, and Mac users might find it tough to use, but it is still effective.

How to rip a DVD using Windows Media Player

Best for: Support and tutorials

OS: Windows 7/8/10/11

Windows Media Player isn’t the most powerful software, but to rip DVDs on Windows 10 or earlier versions, the Media Player is a good choice. It’s already on your machine and ready to do its job.

How to rip a DVD using Windows Media Player

Open Windows Media Player, which will already be on your computer if you’re using Windows.
In the Player Library, select the Rip button and select from the choices next to the button to change formatting.
When you're finished with the settings, select Start Rip.

Pros:

This is a convenient method for ripping DVDs. There is plenty of support for Windows users due to the popularity of this app.

Cons:

Windows Media Player can extract a video from DVDs if you are using a Windows system, but keep in mind the fact that it is not the quickest way to rip DVDs and the app can be clunky, especially if you update the system without updating the software.

How to rip DVDs to a PC with WonderFox DVD Ripper

Best for: Ripping protected DVD content

OS: Windows 11 and lower

Windows Report review: 4.7 out of 5, 5 646 reviews

WonderFox DVD Ripper is Windows software that can allow you to rip DVDs to a computer. It’s got a lot of great features and can rip in high-quality, but there is both a paid and free version so you might have to upgrade.

How to rip a video from a DVD using WonderFox

Download and install the program.
Download WonderFox
Load your DVD files. Please choose one of the sources to load your DVD file into the program: DVD Disc, ISO Image, or DVD Folder. This is where you will find the video file within the disc.
Select the desired output format. Please pick your desired format by clicking on the upper right corner of the interface. You can choose MPG, MP4, MOV, AVI, MKV, WMV, VOB, and many more file formats.
Hit Run button to rip DVDs to your hard drive.

Pros:

It's quick and effective, and allows you to access video files on some of the more protected DVDs.

Cons:

One downside of this software is the fact that if you want the full features and functionality, you’ll need to pay for the full version. There are free DVD rippers on the market so this doesn’t necessarily give the best solution. It is also not a way for Mac to rip DVDs, as it only works on Windows.

How to use Freemake on Windows and rip a DVD with it

Best for: Simple and quick conversions

OS: Windows 10 and lower

CNET rating: 4 out of 5, 864 reviews

Freemake Video Converter is a very simple way to rip a DVD. Their website has some online converters, but you do need to download the Freemake free software if you are looking to rip from DVD.

How to rip a DVD to MP4 with Freemake Video Converter

Download and launch Freemake Video Converter.
Download Freemake Video Converter
Add the DVD disc that you want to convert.
Choose the video format you are looking to use as well as conversion parameters.
Begin the ripping process to convert the file and put it on your computer.

Pros:

It’s completely free of charge and easy to use.

Cons:

Freemake doesn’t allow you to rip DVDs on Mac, it only works on Windows. On top of that, it only allows you to rip to a few formats, such as MP4 and AVI. There aren’t as many settings and editing options as some competing models.

Summary: how to choose the best DVD ripper

How can you choose the ideal DVD ripper for you? If you want to know which is the best way to rip a DVD, then the chances are that you will need to consider your individual needs.

Things to consider include:

Usability: Does it have the ease of usability you need? Is a program you’re choosing to rip a DVD compatible with your device?
Features: Can this do everything that you need? The features should be effective, easy-to-use, and ideally fast.
User reviews: Always check what others have said about the software, whether it has bugs, and if it is well-received.
Support: Ideally, you should use software that allows you to get the right level of support if you come across any issues, such as bugs. Tutorials are also very helpful.