How to Put a Video on a DVD

Do you have a home video from a family holiday that's too large to share via email? Or perhaps you just want to have a copy of a digital video you want to watch on any DVD player? This wikiHow will show you how to burn a video onto a DVD using for Burn for macOS and Ashampoo's Burning Studio for Windows. You'll also learn how to use your computer's built-in software to create data-only DVDs that you can only watch with a computer.

Method 1
Method 1 of 5:

Creating a Video DVD with Ashampoo for Windows

  1. Image titled Put a Video on a DVD Step 1
    1
    Get a blank DVD. First, you need a blank disc you can burn your video to. You can buy a blank DVD from any audio or electronics store for less than $1 per disc or $10 per 10-piece packs.
    • You can choose between two disc sizes: 4GB or 8GB. A 4 GB disc is about enough for a movie-length video of an hour and a half; any longer, and you’ll need to use the 8 GB.
    • Use this method if you want to be able to watch your DVD movie on a DVD player and have Windows 10, 8, or 7.
  2. Image titled Put a Video on a DVD Step 2
    2
    Put the blank DVD in your computer’s CD/DVD drive. This drive is located in front of a CPU tower or along the sides of a laptop, depending on the make and model. Press the button on the drive to open it and insert the disc inside.
    • If your computer doesn't have a CD/DVD drive, like netbooks, you can use an external CD/DVD drive instead, which you can purchase from any computer or electronics shop for around $20. There’s no need to install it; just plug it into any USB port on your computer and you can start using it.
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  3. Image titled Put a Video on a DVD Step 3
    3
    Download Burning Studio from https://www.ashampoo.com/en/usd/pin/7110/burning-software/burning-studio-free? When you click the blue Download button on the right side of the page, you will be directed to another page as the program downloads. Run the downloaded .exe to install Ashampoo's Burning Studio.
  4. Image titled Put a Video on a DVD Step 4
    4
    Open Burning Studio. If the program doesn't open immediately after installing, you can open the program from the Start Menu.
  5. Image titled Put a Video on a DVD Step 5
    5
    Hover over Burn Data. You'll find this in a menu on the left side of the program window. Another menu will open to the right.
  6. Image titled Put a Video on a DVD Step 6
    6
    Click New Disc. This is usually the first listing on this menu, and a new window will open.
  7. Image titled Put a Video on a DVD Step 7
    7
    Click the plus icon (+). You'll see this on the right side of the program window, and your file browser will appear.
  8. Image titled Put a Video on a DVD Step 8
    8
    Navigate to and double-click the file you want to add. You can select multiple files by holding down Ctrl when you click a file.
  9. Image titled Put a Video on a DVD Step 9
    9
    Click Add. You'll see this at the bottom right corner of the file browser window.
  10. Image titled Put a Video on a DVD Step 10
    10
    Click to select a disc recorder location under "Writer Settings." Choose the location of your blank DVD.
  11. Image titled Put a Video on a DVD Step 11
    11
    Click Write DVD. This will start the burning process. You'll see a progress bar along the top of the screen that indicates the burning process as well as system messages if there are errors, such as if a file cannot be burned.
    • A window will pop-up when burning is complete, and you can click Ok and Exit to close the program.[1]
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Method 2
Method 2 of 5:

Creating a Video DVD using Burn for Mac

  1. Image titled Put a Video on a DVD Step 12
    1
    Get a blank DVD. First, you need a blank disc you can burn your video onto. You can buy a blank DVD from any audio or electronics store for less than $1 per disc or $10 per 10-piece packs.
    • You can choose between two disc sizes: 4 gigabytes or 8 gigabytes. A 4 GB disc is about enough for a movie-length video of an hour and a half; if your video is longer, you’ll need to use the 8 GB.
    • Use this method if you want to be able to watch your DVD movie on a DVD player and have macOS.
  2. Image titled Put a Video on a DVD Step 13
    2
    Put the blank DVD in your computer’s CD/DVD drive.This drive is located in front of a CPU tower or along the sides of a laptop or monitor, depending on the model. Slide the disc inside the drive and your computer should pull it in.
    • If your computer doesn't have a CD/DVD drive, like netbooks and some models of Mac computers, you can use an external CD/DVD drive instead, which you can purchase from any computer or electronics shop for around $20. There’s no need to install it; just plug it into any USB port on your computer and you can start using it.
  3. Image titled Put a Video on a DVD Step 14
    3
    Download Burn from https://burn-osx.sourceforge.io/Pages/English/home.html. This will allow you to copy files and documents on your Mac to blank DVDs.
    • You'll see the green download button on the right side of the page. After Burn has downloaded, double-click the downloaded file to complete the installation process which includes dragging the downloaded file to your Applications folder.
    • You may need to allow app downloads from anywhere, which you can manage in System Preferences > Security & Privacy > General.[2]
  4. Image titled Put a Video on a DVD Step 15
    4
    Launch Burn. You can find this yellow and black app icon in the Applications folder of Finder.
  5. Image titled Put a Video on a DVD Step 16
    5
    Click Video. You'll find this along the top of the application window next to "Audio."
    • Type in any name you want for your DVD on the text field provided. You can use alphanumeric characters when naming your disc.
  6. Image titled Put a Video on a DVD Step 17
    6
    Click on the drop-down button next to the “Disc Name” text field. This will allow you to choose what kind of CD you’ll be burning.
  7. Image titled Put a Video on a DVD Step 18
    7
    Click to select DVD-Video. This will format the DVD to play as a normal DVD.
  8. Image titled Put a Video on a DVD Step 19
    8
    Click the Burn menu and select Preferences. Ths "Burn" menu is near the top-left corner of the screen.
  9. Image titled Put a Video on a DVD Step 20
    9
    Click Video. You'll see this tab located along the top of the window with "General", "Burner", "Data", "Audio", and "Advanced.".
    • Click the “Region” drop-down menu and select “NTSC” from the list. This sets the file format of the DVD you’re about to create so that DVD players will be able to read your disc. Press the red button at the upper left of the Options window to close it.
  10. Image titled Put a Video on a DVD Step 21
    10
    Go to your video file in Finder and drag-and-drop it into Burn. You'll have to wait for a few moments while Burn loads the video file.
    • If an “Incompatible file” prompt appears as you move the video file to Burn’s window, simply click on Convert button on the prompt, and this will change the video file to a format the program recognizes.
  11. Image titled Put a Video on a DVD Step 22
    11
    Click Burn. You'll see this button in the lower right of the screen.
    • On the next window, select the right copying speed to burn the DVD. Click on the “Speed” drop-down list and select “4x.” This will ensure that the video will be copied to the DVD using the average speed without compromising quality. Generally, the slower the speed, the better quality the burn. 4k isn't the fastest speed available, but it is the most popular. Click Burn button again to begin the process.
    • Once the process is done, a DVD shortcut icon will be created on your desktop.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 5:

Creating a Data DVD using Windows 10

  1. Image titled Put a Video on a DVD Step 23
    1
    Get a blank DVD. First, you need a blank disc you can burn your video to. You can buy a blank DVD from any audio or electronics store for less than $1 per disc or $10 per 10-piece packs.
    • Use this method if you want to save the video's file to a DVD but don't plan to watch the movie on a DVD player. You can still watch the movie on computers with DVD-ROM drives by inserting the finished DVD and double-clicking the video file.
    • You can choose between two disc sizes: 4GB or 8GB. A 4 GB disc is about enough for a movie-length video of an hour and a half; any longer, and you’ll need to use the 8 GB.
  2. Image titled Put a Video on a DVD Step 24
    2
    Put the blank DVD in your computer’s CD/DVD drive. This drive is located in front of a CPU tower or along the sides of a laptop, depending on the make and model. Press the button on the drive to open it and insert the disc inside.
    • If your computer doesn't have a CD/DVD drive, like netbooks, you can use an external CD/DVD drive instead, which you can purchase from any computer or electronics shop for around $20. There’s no need to install it; just plug it into any USB port on your computer and you can start using it.
  3. Image titled Put a Video on a DVD Step 25
    3
    Click Burn. After you’ve inserted the DVD into the drive, a small auto-run window will appear on your desktop asking what you want to do with the DVD. After you click on Burn, a “Burn a disc” window will open.
    • If the window does not popup, you can navigate to your video file in File Explorer, right-click it, then click Send and select your DVD drive (might be D:).[3]
    • Most Windows computers come with built-in software to burn CD/DVDs. You can also use Windows Media Player, which works similarly if you don't have Windows 10.[4]
  4. Image titled Put a Video on a DVD Step 26
    4
    Type in any name you want for the DVD in the text field provided. You'll be typing in a small "Burn a Disc" window. Make sure to select “With a CD/DVD player” option. This will allow your disc to be readable on DVD players and computers.
    • Click Next to continue. This will open your DVD drive in a new window as the files you selected previously are copied to the CD/DVD burner drive.
  5. Image titled Put a Video on a DVD Step 27
    5
    Navigate to the folder where the video you want to burn is located. You'll want to open it and select the video file. Once you’ve selected the video file, drag it over to the DVD drive window. This will copy the selected video files to your DVD, ready for burning.
  6. Image titled Put a Video on a DVD Step 28
    6
    Click the Drive Tools tab. You'll find this along the top of the pop-up window.
  7. Image titled Put a Video on a DVD Step 29
    7
    Click Finish Burning. This is usually the second option in the list, under "Eject."
    • The process of burning your video to a DVD might take a few minutes, depending on the length of your video. The disc should automatically eject from the drive once finished.
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Method 4
Method 4 of 5:

Creating a Data DVD with Windows Media Player

  1. Image titled Put a Video on a DVD Step 30
    1
    Get a blank DVD. First, you need a blank disc you can put your video into. You can buy a blank DVD from any audio or electronics store for less than $1 per disc or $10 per 10-piece packs.
    • Use this method if you want to save the video's file to a DVD but don't plan to watch the movie on a DVD player. You can still watch the movie on computers with DVD-ROM drives by inserting the finished DVD and double-clicking the video file.
    • You can choose between two disc sizes: 4 gigabytes or 8 gigabytes. A 4 GB disc is about enough for a movie-length video of an hour and a half; any longer, and you’ll need to use the 8 GB.
  2. Image titled Put a Video on a DVD Step 31
    2
    Put the blank DVD in your computer’s CD/DVD drive. This drive is located in front of a CPU tower or along the sides of a laptop, depending on the make and model. Press the button on the drive to open it and insert the disc inside.
    • If your computer doesn't have a CD/DVD drive, like netbooks, you can use an external CD/DVD drive instead, which you can purchase from any computer or electronics shop for around $20. There’s no need to install it; just plug it into any USB port on your computer and you can start using it.
  3. Image titled Put a Video on a DVD Step 32
    3
    Open Windows Media Player. You can find this program in the Start Menu, or you can type "wmp" into the Windows search bar.
  4. Image titled Put a Video on a DVD Step 33
    4
    Click Burn. You'll see this on the top right corner of the window, between "Play" and "Sync."
  5. Image titled Put a Video on a DVD Step 34
    5
    Click the checkmark on paper icon. A menu will drop-down.
  6. Image titled Put a Video on a DVD Step 35
    6
    Click to select Data CD or DVD. This indicates that you want to burn a video, not just an audible track.
  7. Image titled Put a Video on a DVD Step 36
    7
    Press ⊞ Win+E to open Windows File Explorer.
  8. Image titled Put a Video on a DVD Step 37
    8
    Drop the video file onto the burn list in WMP. You should see the burn list if you clicked into the Burn tab earlier.
    • As you add your video file, you'll see how much space you have left on the DVD below the DVD name. You can also drag-and-drop files to rearrange them before you burn them.
  9. Image titled Put a Video on a DVD Step 38
    9
    Click Start Burn. You'll find this above the DVD name.
    • The process of burning your video to a DVD might take a few minutes, depending on the length of your video. The disc should automatically eject from the drive once finished.
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Method 5
Method 5 of 5:

Creatig a Data DVD Using a Mac

  1. Image titled Put a Video on a DVD Step 39
    1
    Get a blank DVD. First, you need a blank disc you can burn your video onto. You can buy a blank DVD from any audio or electronics store for less than $1 per disc or $10 per 10-piece packs.
    • You can choose between two disc sizes: 4 gigabytes or 8 gigabytes. A 4 GB disc is about enough for a movie-length video of an hour and a half; if your video is longer, you’ll need to use the 8 GB.
    • Use this method if you want to save the video's file to a DVD but don't plan to watch the movie on a DVD player. You can still watch the movie on computers with DVD-ROM drives by inserting the finished DVD and double-clicking the video file.
  2. Image titled Put a Video on a DVD Step 40
    2
    Put the blank DVD in your computer’s CD/DVD drive. This drive is located in front of a CPU tower or along the sides of a laptop or monitor, depending on the model. Slide the disc inside the drive and your computer should pull it in.
    • If your computer doesn't have a CD/DVD drive, like netbooks and some models of Mac computers, you can use an external CD/DVD drive instead, which you can purchase from any computer or electronics shop for around $20. There’s no need to install it; just plug it into any USB port on your computer and you can start using it.
  3. Image titled Put a Video on a DVD Step 41
    3
    Open Finder
    Mac Finder
    .     When you insert the blank disc, you might get a pop-up window asking what you want to do with the blank disc. You can select to open Finder here, or click its icon on the Dock instead.
  4. Image titled Put a Video on a DVD Step 42
    4
    Double-click the disc image on your desktop. You'll want to have open your Finder and a window for your blank disc.
  5. Image titled Put a Video on a DVD Step 43
    5
    Drag-and-drop the video file to the blank disc window. The original file is not moved to the blank disc, but it is an alias, or shortcut.[5]
    • You can also rename and rearrange the items in the disc window. When they are burned, those files will remain in the order and with the same file names that they have now.
  6. Image titled Put a Video on a DVD Step 44
    6
    Click the File menu. It's at the top-left corner of the screen.
  7. Image titled Put a Video on a DVD Step 45
    7
    Click Burn. You'll have a few more on-screen instructions to follow. You'll also be instructed to not eject the disc before burning is 100% complete.
    • The process of burning your video to a DVD might take a few minutes, depending on the length of your video. The disc should automatically eject from the drive once finished.
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Community Q&A

  • Question
    Can I burn several home videos on one disc?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Yes, as long as you don't exceed the disc's storage capacity.
  • Question
    What should I do if it says the video is too big to burn?
    Denneisk
    Denneisk
    Top Answerer
    You need a CD with more space.
  • Question
    Can the file have subtitles?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Yes. When you burn a file onto a DVD, you are essentially moving all contents of a file to a different place. As long as the original file includes subtitles, the DVD that you are burning to will have the subtitles.
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Warnings

  • Note that if you use Windows 10 or Windows Media Player to burn a DVD, only certain DVD players, like your computer, will be able to read the format it's burned in.
    ⧼thumbs_response⧽
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References

  1. ↑ https://support.ashampoo.com/hc/en-us/articles/360012660974-Ashampoo-Burning-Studio-20-How-do-I-safely-burn-my-files-to-Blu-ray-DVD-or-CD-
  2. ↑ https://macintoshhowto.com/dvd/how-to-make-a-dvd-on-os-x.html
  3. ↑ https://www.easytechguides.com/burn-a-cd-or-dvd-in-windows-10.html
  4. ↑ https://www.easytechguides.com/burn-a-cd-or-dvd-in-windows-10.html
  5. ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/burn-cds-and-dvds-mchl8addfd95/mac

About This Article

Darlene Antonelli, MA
Written by:
Darlene Antonelli, MA
wikiHow Technology Writer
This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Darlene Antonelli, MA. Darlene Antonelli is a Technology Writer and Editor for wikiHow. Darlene has experience teaching college courses, writing technology-related articles, and working hands-on in the technology field. She earned an MA in Writing from Rowan University in 2012 and wrote her thesis on online communities and the personalities curated in such communities. This article has been viewed 223,801 times.
How helpful is this?
Co-authors: 9
Updated: October 8, 2020
Views: 223,801
Categories: External Storage Devices
Article SummaryX

1. Get a blank DVD.
2. Put the blank DVD in your computer's CD/DVD drive.
3. Click Burn.
4. Type in a name for your DVD
5. Navigate to the folder where the video you want to burn is located.
6. Click Drive Tools.
7. Click Finish Burning.

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