Last updated on 2025-02-25, by Patrick

How to Watch Blu-rays and DVDs for Free on Mac & PC

Blu-rays offer a superior watching experience that no other media can compare to. However, not all laptops have disc drives, like Macs and many newly released PCs. This article will guide you through what you need to play Blu-ray and DVDs and how to watch Blu-ray on PC and Macs for free.

Part 1: Things You Need to Play Blu-rays/DVDs on Mac & PC

As streaming media are becoming popular, traditional DVD and Blu-ray media are disappearing, which means drives that read these discs are also becoming a thing of the past, including those on laptops. Many newly released PCs and Macs don’t offer disc drives anymore. To enjoy Blu-ray and DVD movies on notebooks or PCs without optical drives, you will need an external disc drive and Blu-ray player software. Here is what you need to know about these two tools for a smooth disc media-watching experience.

An external disc drive is a device that connects to your computer via USB, allowing you to read CDs, DVDs, or Blu-ray discs. It is useful for computers that do not have an internal optical drive for these discs, such as Macs and some PCs. To watch Blu-Ray and DVDs on your laptop, you’ll need an external Blu-Ray drive. Ensure it is compatible with the operating system of your device.

One recommendation is the ASUS BW-16D1X-U optical drive. It can play Blu-ray on Windows and Mac, without any installation required. With a high-speed USB 3.0 connection, data transfer is fast and stable. So you can enjoy a seamless Blu-ray watching experience on your laptop. Another recommendation is the LG BP60NB10 slim portable Blu-ray writer. This drive supports 4K Blue-ray, 3D Blu-ray, and DVDs. It can reduce noise from the disc spin during playback.

Part 2: How to Play Blu-ray & DVD Discs with Blu-ray Player Software

Apart from a compatible external Blu-ray drive, you will also need a region-free Blu-ray player for laptops. That’s because Blu-ray discs are embedded with region codes that restrict playback to specific geographical regions, and so do DVDs. To play them without limitations, you need all-region Blu-ray player software. Generally, most Macs and PCs do not offer Blu-ray player software. Here are the nine reliable Blu-ray player software programs free of use.

1. Leawo Blu-ray Player:

If you are looking for free Blu-ray player software for your PC or Mac, Leawo Blu-ray Player is the one. As a leading multimedia playback software, it can bypass Blu-ray and DVD region code limitations and support 4K Blu-ray, Blu-ray, and DVD playback, providing a premium watching experience. The easy-to-use interface is for all users, from beginners to professionals. You can easily access all the files on the disc. Here are the steps to play Blu-ray on a Windows OS laptop, with the Leawo Blu-ray Player as an example.

Step 1: Install Leawo Blu-ray Player

Download and install Leawo Blu-ray Player on your laptop.

• Leawo Free Blu-ray Player

  – Deliver quality-lossless video images at 720p/1080p/1080i/4K in H.264/H.265, MP4, MKV, MOV, etc. formats.
  – Support various audio decoding technologies like Dolby, DTS, AAC, TrueHD, DTS-HD, etc.
  – Personalize settings like selecting subtitles and audio tracks freely.
  – Support fluent and smooth media decoding and playback.

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Step 2: Launch Leawo Blu-ray Player

Make sure the external disc drive is connected to your laptop. Insert the DVD or Blu-ray into the drive. Launch the player software, and it will auto-detect the disc. You can click ‘Play Disc’ to start playing it or ‘Open File’ to view all the files on the disc.

Step 3: Optional program settings

You may adjust the subtitle, video, and audio settings for the optimal viewing experience.

2. VideoByte Blu-ray Player:

VideoByte Blu-ray Player has built-in DTS and Dolby services and supports up to 4K video playback. The integrated GPU acceleration technology ensures a smooth playback of any media. You can use this region-free player to play any Blu-rays and DVDs without region restrictions.  This region-free Blu-ray player software offers a 30-day free trial for both PC and Mac versions.

3. Cisdem Video Converter:

This is a multifunctional video converter program with a free built-in region-free Blu-ray/DVD player. With a one-time purchase of 69.99 USD, you can unlock the rest of its features, such as converting video format, ripping DVDs and Blu-rays, downloading videos from streaming sites, editing videos, etc.

4. PlayerFab Ultra HD Player:

This professional region-free Blu-ray player features Hi-Res audio output support and GPU hardware decoding, excelling in reading 4K Blu-ray discs and presenting high-quality pictures and lossless audios. It greatly simplifies the playback control by providing two modes: the menu mode allows you to navigate the files easily, and the simple mode allows you to jump straightforwardly to any feature-length title you’d like to watch. This player is priced at 69.99 USD.

5. Blu-ray Master:

This Blu-ray player allows you to watch Blu-ray and DVD movies, regardless of region code restrictions. The clean interface allows you to navigate the menu easily and access its rich features, such as Blu-ray disc ripping and copying. With an upgrade of 22.97 USD, you can enjoy 4K Blu-ray playback on this Blu-ray player.

6. Wondershare DVD Creator:

This is a professional DVD creator with a free built-in Blu-ray player, which is only available in the Windows version. It supports Blu-ray and DVD playback. With a lifetime purchase of 49.95 USD, you can burn your DVD using any video and audio.

7. VLC Media Player:

This is a widely used open-source, free multimedia player that supports Blu-ray and DVD playback from all regions. However, it requires additional setup steps to enable this feature. Platforms that VLC supports include Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, etc. Unlike the other players, this program is not user-friendly for beginners.

8. Aiseesoft Blu-ray Player:

This AI-supported Blu-ray player supports playback of 1080p Blu-ray and DVDs. It can also act as a common media player for all sorts of video files. With a one-time purchase of 49.96 USD, you can enjoy its full features, such as quick snapshots, multiple parameter settings, audio track, and subtitles, etc.

9. Macgo Blu-ray Player:

This Blu-ray player is compatible with both Windows and Mac. The official version, priced at $29.95, allows you to watch Blu-ray movies without watermark. The 39.95 USD Pro version supports 4K Blu-ray, DVD, and other media file playback as well, and offers a Blu-ray Menu feature for easy navigation.

Part 3: FAQs

1. Differences between Blu-ray and DVD

While both Blu-ray and DVD are physical disc formats used to store movies, TV shows, and other content, there are many differences between the two. To begin with, Blu-ray discs hold significantly more data than DVDs. The storage capacity of Blu-ray is up to 50 GB, and that of DVD is up to 8.5 GB. This allows for higher-quality video and audio in Blu-rays. The video resolution of Blu-ray is from 1080p to 4K, and that of DVD is 480p. Blu-ray supports higher-quality audio formats, providing a richer and more immersive sound experience. While DVDs are still a viable option, Blu-ray, as a significant upgrade from DVD, is the preferred choice for those who want the best home theater experience with the best Blu-ray player software.

2. Is Blu-ray 4K?

No. Not all Blu-rays are 4K. In fact, to watch 4K Blu-ray on the laptop, you do not need a 4K Blu-ray drive, but a Blu-ray player software that supports 4K Blu-ray playback, such as Leawo Blu-ray Player. Check out how to play 4K Blu-ray discs on computers.

3. Is Blu-ray better than DVD?

Yes. Blu-ray discs offer much higher resolution video and higher quality audio than DVDs.

4. Can Blu-ray players play DVDs?

Yes, Blu-ray players can play DVDs. Blu-ray players have the necessary hardware and software to read both Blu-ray discs and DVDs, while DVD players only have what’s needed for DVDs. So, if you’re looking to upgrade your home entertainment system, a Blu-ray player is a great choice.

5. Can you play Blu-ray on DVD players?

No, you cannot play Blu-ray discs on a standard DVD player.

6. Does PS5 play Blu-ray?

Yes, the PS5 can play Blu-ray discs, including 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray discs, as long as you have the standard PS5 console with the disc drive.

Conclusion

For those who wish to watch Blu-ray on PC and Mac, an external Blu-ray drive and region-free Blu-ray player software are a must. Learn about the key features of the 10 Blu-ray players listed above, and you should be able to pick the one that meets your needs. Watching Blu-ray and DVDs on your laptop can be just as simple as that!