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Quick Answer: Does Xbox One Play Blu-ray?

Does Blu-ray Play on Xbox One?

Yes. Xbox One consoles can play Blu-ray and DVD movies once you install the free Blu-ray Player app.

  • Original Xbox One: plays standard 1080p Blu-ray/DVD.
  • Xbox One S / One X: also supports 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray.

In other words, Xbox is not only a gaming device but also a capable Blu-ray player. In this guide, we'll also explain region rules, common playback issues, and safe ways to enjoy your Blu-ray collection on Xbox if discs don't work.

Xbox One Blu-ray support: regions, formats & More

Disc region codes on Xbox One

Although Xbox One consoles have a built-in Blu-ray drive, movies are region-locked. This means the disc must match your console's region setting.

Blu-ray regions:

  • Region A — North America, South America, Japan, Korea
  • Region B — Europe, Middle East, Africa, Australia, New Zealand
  • Region C — Asia (except Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong)

DVDs follow a similar rule but use numerical codes from 1 to 6. For example, a Region A disc bought in the United States will not work on an Xbox One imported from the United Kingdom, which belongs to Region B. It is worth noting that this restriction applies only to movies: Xbox game discs are region-free, so games can be played worldwide regardless of where they were purchased.

Formats & video features supported

In terms of format compatibility, Xbox One consoles are designed to handle a wide variety of optical media. Standard Blu-ray discs at 1080p resolution and DVD video are supported across all models, and the system can also play 3D Blu-ray titles when connected to a compatible display.

From a technical standpoint, the console's Blu-ray Player app supports popular video codecs such as H.264, VC-1, and MPEG-4 AVC, along with multiple audio tracks and subtitle streams embedded on the disc. Some of the more recent movie releases may require a system update to ensure smooth playback, since Microsoft occasionally adds new codec or DRM support through firmware updates.

Model differences in Blu-ray playback

Not all Xbox One models offer the same Blu-ray features:

Xbox Model Blu-ray/DVD 3D Blu-ray 4K UHD Blu-ray HDR Support Blu-ray App Required
Xbox One (2013) ✅ (1080p only) ✅ ❌ ❌ ✅
Xbox One S ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅
Xbox One X ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅

How to play a Blu-ray on Xbox One (Official Way)

Before you can watch movies, Xbox One requires the Blu-ray Player app. This is a free application provided by Microsoft, and it must be installed before the console can recognize and play Blu-ray or DVD movies. There are two simple ways to get the app:

Method 1: Install from the Microsoft Store

  1. Turn on your Xbox One and press the Xbox button on your controller to open the guide.
  2. Select Home, scroll to the right, and choose Store.
  3. In the search bar, type "Blu-ray Player" and select the app from the results.
  4. On the store page, click Install.
  5. Once the installation finishes, insert your Blu-ray disc and choose Play disc from the dashboard.

play Blu-ray on Xbox One Player

Method 2: Install by inserting a disc

  1. Insert a Blu-ray or DVD movie into your Xbox One’s disc drive.
  2. The console will prompt you to install the Blu-ray Player app.
  3. Select Install to download and add it to your system.
  4. After installation, return to the dashboard and select Play disc to start the movie.
Tip: After installing the player, any supported Blu-ray or DVD disc will automatically launch. Also, the app doesn't bypass region codes. You still need to use the disc that matches your console region.

Play Without a Disc: Rip your Blu-ray for Xbox playback

Although Xbox One can play Blu-ray discs, playback failures may still occur in certain situations. For example, when the disc is scratched, the movie originates from another region, or the drive encounters reading difficulties. In such cases, many users prefer to create digital copies of their Blu-ray discs and watch them directly on Xbox One through a USB drive or a home media server.

Recommended tool: DVDFab Blu-ray Ripper

When discs fail to play on Xbox One, a practical solution is to make a digital copy of your movies. DVDFab Blu-ray Ripper helps you convert Blu-rays into Xbox-friendly formats such as MP4, MKV, or WMV, so you can store them on a USB drive or stream them through your home server.

Features
  • • Automatically remove Region Code, AACS, BD+, BD-J, RC, Cinavia Removal and more
  • • Convert Blu-rays to 1,000+ video and audio formats, MP4, MKV, AVI, FLAC, etc
  • • 50x faster ripping speed with GPU acceleration, and rip standard Blu-ray in batch mode
  • • Regularly updated to handle the latest Blu-ray protections and new discs and devices
  • • Built-in video editor to crop, add watermark, embed subtitle, and support settings for codec, resolution, frame rate, etc

How to Convert Blu-ray to Xbox-compatible digital formats?

Step 1: Download the latest version of DVDFab

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Install and launch DVDFab Blu-ray Ripper on your PC. Select the Ripper module. Then load the Blu-ray disc by clicking on the Add button and selecting the source from the dropdown list.

Step 2: Choose one profile and customize the output video

Click on "Choose Other Profile" to pick an Xbox-supported format like MP4 or choose Xbox One from the device profiles.

Play Blu-ray on Xbox One Using DVDFab Blu-ray Ripper

Then, you can choose the titles, audio tracks, and subtitles you would like to include. Explore the Advanced Settings and use the built-in Video Editor to personalize the final video.

play blu ray disc on xbox one with dvdfab blu-ray ripper

Step 3: Start the blu-ray conversion process

Click on the "Start" button to begin ripping. Finally, copy the converted file to a USB drive and plug it into your Xbox One to play directly.

Extra note for 4K discs: If you own an Xbox One S or Xbox One X and want 4K content, you can back up UHD Blu-rays with DVDFab UHD Ripper and save them as 4K-compatible files for playback on your console.

FAQs

Why won't my Xbox One play a Blu-ray disc?

Possible Cause How to Fix It
Region code mismatch Create a digital copy of your legally owned discs with tools like DVDFab to bypass region issues and play files directly on Xbox.
Scratched or dirty disc Clean the disc with a soft cloth, or try another copy of the movie. Deep scratches may make the disc unplayable.
Unsupported disc type Remember: only Xbox One S and Xbox One X support 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray. The original Xbox One plays standard 1080p Blu-ray/DVD only.
Drive or hardware issue Restart the console, reinsert the disc, or test another Blu-ray/DVD. If all fail, contact Xbox Support for hardware diagnostics.

Can Xbox One play 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray?

The original Xbox One (2013) only supports standard 1080p Blu-ray/DVD playback, not Ultra HD. The Xbox One S and Xbox One X fully support 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray and HDR when paired with a 4K TV. If you want a cinematic 4K movie experience at home, the S and X models are the ideal choice.

Do I need an app to play Blu-ray on Xbox One?

Yes. To play physical discs on any Xbox One console, you must install the official Blu-ray Player app from Microsoft Store. Other video player apps (such as VLC for Xbox or Movies & TV) can only play digital video files stored on your USB drive or network server. They cannot directly read Blu-ray or DVD discs from the console’s drive.

Conclusion

Now you know: Xbox One can play Blu-ray and DVD movies, provided you install Microsof's Blu-ray Player app, and the S/X models even add 4K Ultra HD support. Don't be frustrated if your disc can't be played due to scratches or region code issues. By backing up your legally owned Blu-rays with DVDFab Blu-ray Ripper, you can store them in MP4 or MKV and watch them freely on Xbox, iPad, or media players.