Upgrade to Windows 8 or 10 and you may be surprised to find that yous tin no longer play video DVDs or Blu-ray. Unlike previous versions of Windows, Windows 8 and 10 don't include built-in support for playing DVDs.

Microsoft opted not to include DVD back up because and then many new computers – especially tablets and ultrabooks – aren't coming with DVD drives. Microsoft pays a licensing fee for each copy of Windows that ships with DVD support.

Annotation: You can still employ data DVDs with Windows 8 or ten. This just applies to video DVDs.

Install a Third-Party DVD Player

The easiest fashion to play DVDs in Windows 8 or Windows 10 is past installing a third-party DVD player. We recommend the popular VLC media player. It's free, and subsequently you install it you'll be able to play DVDs in VLC – no problem. Blu-rays are another story, equally they are supported only many of them won't play considering of DRM encryption.

To play a DVD in VLC, click the Media menu and select Open up Disc.

VLC is far from the but media player you can use — there are a ton of free, third-political party media players with integrated support for DVDs.

Utilize a Licensed DVD Histrion

If you purchased a new Windows viii or 10 computer that comes with a DVD or Blu-ray drive, your estimator's manufacturer has likely included DVD-playing software with your computer. It will probably be configured to open automatically when you insert a video DVD. If it isn't, you can endeavour typing DVD or Blu-ray at the First screen to search your installed applications and come across if you have any applications with DVD (or Blu-ray) in their name.

To examine all the software on your estimator, apply the All Apps screen. Press the Windows central to access the Start screen, correct-click anywhere on the Showtime screen, and select All Apps. Scroll through the list of installed applications and await for a DVD-playing program.

If y'all're using Windows 10, you can click the All Apps item on the Start Bill of fare to see the same list of applications.

Purchase the Windows viii Media Middle Pack (Windows 8 simply)

Microsoft no longer includes Windows Media Center with Windows 8. Windows Media Center, which includes DVD playback, is bachelor separately. If you have Windows 8 Pro, yous can purchase the Windows eight Media Eye Pack to activate Windows Media Center and DVD playback on your computer.

Microsoft is offering the Windows 8 Media Centre Pack for free until January 31, 2013 – click here to get it.

If you lot have the basic, not-Pro edition of Windows 8 on your reckoner, you'll have to upgrade to Windows 8 Pro by purchasing the Windows 8 Pro Pack before you lot can get Windows 8 Media Center. Utilise the Add features to Windows viii command panel to upgrade. To open it, press the Windows key, blazon add features, tap or click the Settings category, and tap or click Add features to Windows viii.

Windows Media Center is non available for Enterprise versions of Windows 8.

While information technology may seem a bit weird that Microsoft has removed this feature from Windows eight, information technology'south explained by the increasing focus on streaming media and the corporeality of new computers coming without DVD drives.

The easy installation of VLC and the reality that computer manufacturers will include their own DVD-playing software mean that Windows eight's lack of DVD support isn't actually a problem.