Windows DVD Player Download for Windows 10 FAQ

Posted by Kaylee Wood | Last update: April 28, 2020

This guide rounds up all the possible information about Windows DVD Player on Windows 10, the native DVD player app that Microsoft developed for Windows 10 PC. Besides that, here also provides some qualified free DVD players for Windows 10 to help play DVDs when your Windows DVD Player Windows 10 is not working.

Main Contents:
1. What is Windows DVD Player?
2. Download Windows DVD Player
3. Play DVDs with Windows DVD Player
4. Fix Windows DVD Player not Working Error
5. Best Windows DVD Player Alternative

Wiki: What is Windows DVD Player?

Windows DVD Player is an app developed by Microsoft that helps play both commercial and homemade discs in the DVD-Video format on Windows 10. The Windows 10-based DVD player PC app also requires a DVD-capable optical drive to play DVD discs but does not support Blu-ray discs.

Windows DVD Player was first introduced in Windows 98 and also available for Windows ME and Windows 2000 before removal from Windows XP and beyond. After Windows XP, the built-in DVD playback feature on Windows computer was moved to other apps like Windows Media Player and Windows Media Center. However, when DVD codecs was removed from Windows 8 and Windows Media Center discontinues on Windows 10, the Windows DVD Player download on Windows 10 is available once again.

How to Download Windows DVD Player for Windows 10?

Method 1. Free Download Windows DVD Player App

The Windows DVD Player is only free for eligible Windows 10 upgrades. To get it for free, you should upgrade to Windows 10 from the following Windows 7 or Windows 8 with Media Center version:

* Windows 7 Home Premium
* Windows 7 Professional
* Windows 7 Ultimate
* Windows 8 Pro with Media Center
* Windows 8.1 Pro with Media Center

Not sure about your Windows version? You can check your Windows version here: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/13443/windows-which-version-am-i-running

After you have upgraded to Windows 10, the Windows DVD Player app will be automatically downloaded through Windows Update.

However…

* The free offer is available for a limited time but the expired time is not sure. So, how to download Windows DVD Player for Windows 10 for free when the free trial is not available.
* The app is totally not available if you do a clean installation of Windows 10 instead of an upgrade. So, how to get the DVD player for Windows 10 under such circumstance.
* If you upgrade from an edition of Windows 7 or Windows 8 that doesn't include Media Center, you may pay $14.99 for Windows DVD Player in Microsoft Store or just free download third-party DVD player for Windows 10 like 5KPlayer that plays DVDs.

Method 2. Buy Windows DVD Player PC App in Microsoft Store

Paying $14.99 in Microsoft Store, and you can get the app. However, before sacrificing your pocket, you'd better use the 7-day free trial to check if your device is compatible with Windows DVD Player and then buy the app to have the full DVD viewing experience. Kindly remind, the 7-day free trial cannot let you watch movies.

Buy Windows DVD Player app here:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/windows-dvd-player/9nblggh2j19w?activetab=pivot:overviewtab

How to Play DVDs on Windows 10 PC with Windows DVD Player?

After upgrading to Windows 10, the Windows DVD Player app will be automatically downloaded through Windows Update. Now, find it on your Windows 10 PC and play your DVD discs.

Step 1. Find the Windows 10 Windows DVD Player by searching Windows DVD Player in the Start menu, and launch it.
Step 2. Play your DVD disc movies. Just insert a DVD disc into your DVD drive and then click on the Play option for the movie.

You can have access to the usual array of commands, including Play, Pause, Stop, Fast Forward, Rewind, Control Volume, and Resize Screen. Worth mentioning, if you want to switch a disc, you need to restart the app.

How about the DVD playback performance of Windows DVD Player on Windows 10?
Not that satisfying, kinds of problems persist since the launch of the Windows DVD Player app. For example, it crashes a lot and some DVD menus couldn't be navigated properly. Many users think it should be totally free but not a $14.99 app.

How to Solve Windows DVD Player Windows 10 not Working Problem?

As we mentioned above, only upgrade to Windows 10 can you get the Windows DVD Player app for free. If the free version is not working anymore, you can try to reinstall Windows 7 or Windows 8 with Media Center and then upgrade to Windows 10 to use Windows DVD Player once again. Otherwise, you can only purchase it through the Microsoft Store for further DVD playback on Windows 10. Besides, the Windows 7/8 version should be qualified, that is to say, upgrading from the fake or crack Windows version would not help you get the free Windows DVD Player app.

Also, Windows DVD Player app can only play DVD movies on the discs, which surely requires a DVD-capable optical drive. That also means it won't support DVD Video_TS and ISO file playback. Worse still, the Windows DVD Player last updated in July 20, 2015 that it may not support the newest DVD protection methods in recent 10 years including DVD CSS, region code, RCE, Sony ArccOS, UOPs and Disney X-project DRM (99 titles DVD encryption included).

So, how to solve Windows DVD Player not working problem? How to play DVDs on Windows 10 without the above issues? You may turn to Windows Media Player, also the native DVD player for Windows computer. However, Windows Media Player DVD playing feature is not that powerful that you have to have a compatible DVD decoder installed on your computer to play DVDs successfully. Why pay $14.99 for the tinpot Windows DVD Player app or use the incompetent Windows Media Player to play DVDs when there is a free and better option for DVD playing on Windows 10 as well as Windows 8 and 7. To help you enjoy number of DVD discs, ISO images and Video_TS, here we recommend you the best free DVD player software - 5KPlayer.