How to Burn a DVD

Download and install a DVD authoring program. If you want to burn video files onto a DVD for playback on DVD players, you’ll need to download a specialized DVD burning program, often referred to as a "DVD authoring" tool. These programs convert video file formats to make them recognizable by DVD players. They are typically not pre-installed on computers, but you can find trial or basic versions that come with your DVD burner. Below are some of the most popular free programs for their respective operating systems:

• WinX DVD Author - winxdvd.com/dvd-author/ (Windows)
• Burn - burn-osx.sourceforge.net (Mac)
• DeVeDe - rastersoft.com/programas/devede.html (Linux)

Create a video project in your DVD authoring program. The process varies depending on the software, but typically, you’ll see a main menu upon launching the program, allowing you to select the type of DVD you want to create. Choose the "Video" tab.

Add video files to your new project. Once the project is started, you can include your first video file. Most programs support common video formats, so there’s no need to worry about converting files beforehand. Simply click and drag the video into the program’s window or browse your computer to locate the file.

• You can burn a full-length movie or a multi-episode TV series onto a DVD.

Begin the conversion process. Typically, the files you add won’t be in the correct MPEG-2 format for DVD videos. The program will automatically convert the video files either as you add them or after you’ve finished adding them. This conversion process may take some time.

• During conversion, select the appropriate DVD region. The U.S. and Japan use NTSC, while most European countries use PAL.
• If using DeVeDe, the conversion will occur during the final step of the DVD creation process.
• If errors occur during conversion, you may need to use specialized software like Handbrake. You can find tutorials online for using such programs.

Create a menu. Many DVD authoring programs include basic menu creation tools, allowing you to design a custom menu for your video. Discs without menus will still play automatically when inserted.

• In Burn for Mac, click the Gear icon and select "Use DVD theme" to enable a basic DVD menu.
• When designing menus, avoid placing buttons near the edges of the screen, as they may be cut off by older TVs or DVD players.

Insert a blank DVD. After converting the video and creating the menu, you’re ready to start burning. Insert a blank DVD-R into your computer’s DVD burner. This is the most compatible format for creating video DVDs, as it works with most DVD players. Some older players may not support burned DVDs, regardless of the format.

• If your computer opens an AutoPlay window when inserting the disc, close it.

Open the Burn menu in your DVD authoring program. The steps vary depending on the software you’re using. There are a few settings to check before burning your project to the disc:

• Set the "Write Speed" to a lower value. While selecting the maximum speed or a higher value reduces the burning time, it may lead to errors and make the disc unreadable. To ensure the disc works properly, set the write speed to 2X or 4X.
• If you haven’t been prompted to select a region, go to the Burn menu and choose the appropriate region.

Burn the disc. After verifying the settings, start the burning process by clicking the Start or Burn button. If the video hasn’t been converted yet, this will happen at the end of the process. The entire procedure can take a significant amount of time, especially if you’ve lowered the write speed. Avoid using your computer during conversion and burning, as it may slow down the process or cause errors.

• If using DeVeDe, the program will create an ISO file (disk image). You’ll need to burn the ISO file manually. Refer to the section below for more details.

Play the newly burned disc. Once the burning and conversion processes are complete, you can test the new disc on various DVD players. Keep in mind that not all DVD players support homemade DVDs, especially older models.

Insert a blank DVD into your computer’s burner. If you’re burning personal data or want to prevent others from overwriting your disc, use a DVD-R or DVD-R DL (Dual Layer). If you plan to rewrite or edit the content later, opt for a DVD-RW disc.

Open the DVD in your computer’s File Explorer. Modern operating systems allow you to burn DVDs directly from File Explorer without needing additional software. Insert a blank disc and copy files or folders onto it.

• On Windows 7 and later, you’ll be prompted to choose between using the disc like a USB flash drive or a traditional DVD. Selecting "Like a USB flash drive" lets you overwrite the disc’s content, though it will only be readable on Windows. Choosing "With a CD/DVD player" means the disc will function like a standard DVD, requiring finalization before use.
• If using OS X, the blank disc will appear on your desktop. Double-click its icon to open it in Finder.

Drag files and folders into the blank disc window. The original files will remain intact. You can copy up to 4.38GB of data onto a DVD-R. The status bar at the bottom of the window will show the remaining space.

Burn the disc. Once you’ve added the files, the process is nearly complete, and you can eject the disc to use it on another device. The steps vary slightly depending on your operating system and settings.

• If you chose "Like a USB flash drive" on Windows, simply eject the disc after copying files, and it will be ready to use on other Windows computers. This may take a few minutes.
• If you selected "With a CD/DVD player" on Windows, click the "Finish burning" button to complete the process, which may also take a few minutes.
• If using OS X, click the Burn button next to the disc’s name in the sidebar.

Identify the disk image file. This file is an exact copy of the DVD/CD you want to burn onto a blank disc. Burning it will create a duplicate of the original. While there are many types of disk image files, the most common is ISO, which can be burned using built-in tools in Windows 7 or later and OS X. Other formats include CDR, BIN/CUE, DMG, CDI, and NRG.

• If using Windows Vista or XP, or if you’re working with non-ISO image files, you’ll need third-party burning software like ImgBurn (imgburn.com).

Insert a blank DVD into your burner. When burning an image file to a disc, you cannot overwrite it later. For the best results, use a DVD-R.

Launch your disc burning software. The process varies slightly depending on your operating system and the program you’re using:

• On Windows 7, 8, and 10 - Right-click the ISO file and select "Burn to disc." This will open the Windows Disc Image Burner tool.
• On OS X - Open Disk Utility, which can be found in the Utilities folder. Drag the ISO file into the left pane of the Disk Utility window.
• On Windows Vista and XP, or for non-ISO image files - Open your disc burning software and load the image file.

Start the burning process. Click the "Burn" button to begin writing the ISO or other image file to the blank DVD. This may take a few minutes, depending on the burn speed and the size of the image file.