How to Copy DVD on Windows 10/11/8/7 Easily [DVD to DVD Copy]

Picture a Friday night: the kid-favorite movie DVD freezes, and the out-of-print concert DVD shows hairline scratches. That is why you need to know how to copy DVDs. To copy DVD to DVD is to protect the original, keep menus and structure intact, and give you a plug-and-play backup for the living room. In this article I'll cover 3 paths to copy DVDs: how to handle protected discs, and how to deal with non-protected discs step by step.

How I Choose the Best Way to Copy DVD to DVD

The goal determines the method for copying DVDs to DVDs. I use the table below to choose the tool that best fits my needs in different situations.

Tips: Not sure whether your DVD is copy protected? Here's a quick check before copying DVDs to DVDs: most commercially produced movie DVDs have copy protection (generally known as CSS), but home-made discs do not. 

How to Copy a DVD with DVDFab DVD Copy

Best for: encrypted DVD movies, 1:1 or compressed DVD to DVD copies

DVDFab DVD Copy is professional software to copy a DVD to another DVD, even for newly released, protected movie discs. I use DVDFab DVD Copy to duplicate DVD discs when I need a true 1:1 backup that keeps menus, chapters, and structure. It offers six modes: Full Disc, Main Movie, Clone/Burn, Split, Merge, and Customize. The copy can be saved to a DVD-9 or DVD-5 disc, an ISO image, or a VIDEO_TS folder. 

From my own experience, DVDFab's PathPlayer and Cloud Decryption Service worked very well with my newly purchased DVD, Captain America: Brave New World. These two features let the software scan the disc in 7 seconds without any interruptions, and the entire copy took only 5 minutes and 17 seconds.

DVDFab DVD Copy

Features:

• Copy ISO/folder/DVD to ISO image file or DVD folder for easy storage on hard disc
• Handle and copy decrypted discs (CSS/APS/RC/RCE, Sony DADC-type)
• Six copy modes: Full Disc, Main Movie, Clone/Burn, Split, Merge, Customize
• Compress DVD-9 discs (8.5GB) into DVD-5 discs (4.7GB) without quality loss

 

Below is the guide on using DVDFab to copy a DVD to another DVD.

Step 1: Download and Launch DVDFab

Download and launch DVDFab on your Windows 10/11/8/7 or Mac.

Step 2: Select Copy Mode

Select the Copy module on the left sidebar of the main interface and open Copy Mode. Select any of the available copy modes according to your needs before creating DVD to DVD copies. If you don't know which mode to pick, see the detailed explanations of each mode below.

1. Full Disc: Copy the entire disc, including menus and extras; optional compression to fit DVD-5. 
2. Main Movie: Copy only the feature title with chosen audio/subs for a cleaner, smaller disc. 
3. Clone/Burn: Make a 1:1 DVD copy or ISO with original quality.
4. Split: Copy a DVD-9 across two DVD-5 discs to avoid compression and preserve quality. 
5. Merge: Combine multiple sources (discs/ISOs/folders) into a single disc for convenient playback. 
6. Customize: Pick specific titles, audio, and subtitles; keep or drop menus as needed. 

In DVDFab, the DVD Copy module offers a DVD to Blu-ray converter feature, but it requires an additional license.

Step 3: Load Your DVD and Adjust Settings

After you pick the copy mode, you can upload the source DVD you want to copy. Add a disc to your computer's DVD drive and DVDFab will automatically load it. DVDFab DVD Copy also accepts sources as an ISO image or a VIDEO_TS folder. If your source file is a folder or ISO, simply drag and drop it onto the main UI, or click Add Source to browse.

👉Main Movie: Because you selected Main Movie, once the source is loaded, the main feature is chosen by default. Here you can select the subtitles, audio tracks, and chapters you want to copy, and adjust Advanced Settings as needed. In Advanced Settings, set Output Size to DVD-9 or DVD-5. If your original DVD is DVD-9, choose DVD-9 to keep the original size/quality, or choose DVD-5 to enable compression.

👉Full Disc: In this DVD copy mode you don't need to pick titles, chapters, subtitles, or audio, because the goal is to copy everything (menus and navigation included). You can still choose DVD-5 or DVD-9 as the target to control a 1:1 capacity clone versus a compressed copy.

👉Clone/Burn: This mode requires no extra settings and lets you create a 1:1, byte-for-byte clone with no quality loss; you can also save as an ISO by choosing a save path, then burn that ISO to a blank disc later. Clone preserves the original layer break and structure.

👉Split Mode: This mode can split a DVD-9 into two DVD-5 discs. After you upload the DVD-9, the software lists all titles; select which titles go on Disc 1 and which go on Disc 2. DVDFab shows the size of each disc as you choose, and you can also adjust audio and subtitles per title.

👉Merge Mode: Upload multiple disc sources (or ISO/folder). The program displays all titles; choose the audio and subtitle tracks to keep for each source, and build a single playable DVD.

👉Customize Mode: As the name implies, you can precisely select the titles/chapters you want to copy, decide whether to keep menus, choose audio/subtitle tracks, and set the output target (ISO / Folder / burner).

Step 4: Choose Output Format and Save Location for the DVD Copy

After you finish all adjustments, go to the bottom of the main UI and choose a directory to save the output file. You can also select your optical drive in the Save to drop-down to write the output directly to a blank disc. When everything is set, click Start to copy DVD to DVD.

Disclaimer: Copy-protection removal for commercial purposes is restricted in the United States under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). However, fair use, such as making personal backups of discs you own to some extent, can be permitted. We recommend checking the laws of your regions before copying DVDs.

Copy a DVD to Another DVD with DVD Shrink + ImgBurn

Best for: copy home-made DVD videos to make playable backup

For non-protected titles, I still copy DVD with DVD Shrink because it transcodes a dual-layer DVD-9 down to DVD-5, and saves a full VIDEO_TS folder and ISO image that I can burn later with a dedicated DVD burner ImgBurn. It includes Full Disc and Reauthor workflows, an optional Deep Analysis pass, and Adaptive Error Compensation (AEC) with "Sharp/Smooth" variants to improve visual results at higher compression. Although DVD Shrink supports some basic decryption, it was discontinued in 2004 and has trouble with modern protections, so I only use it for home-made or otherwise non-protected discs. Additionally, DVD Shrink is Windows-only, so it can't be used to copy DVD on Mac.

❗Alarm: The current stable version of DVD Shrink is 3.2.0.15 for Windows. Other versions labeled "DVD Shrink 2010/2011" or "DVD Shrink for Mac" are merely be fakes and scams.

The following part is the tutorial on how to Copy a DVD with DVD Shrink and ImgBurn.

Step 1: Run DVD Shrink and Load Your Source

Install and open DVD Shrink 3.2. Use Open Disc to scan a disc in your DVD drive, or Open Files to import a prepared VIDEO_TS folder. Shrink reads the disc layout and builds a tree of titles, menus, and extras for you to work with. 

Step 2: Pick a DVD Copy Mode

DVD Shrink has two practical routes for copying DVDs. You can select one on the top navigation bar. Full Disc refers to preserving menus, extras, and navigation, so the copy behaves like the original, and Reauthor lets you curate the structure (for example, keep only the main feature) for a smaller, cleaner backup. Drag the Main Title into the left pane to build your movie-only layout.

Step 3: Set Compression and Streams

In the right-hand Compression Settings panel you control size and quality. The higher the percentage, the less the video is compressed. You can leave it on Automatic, which picks just enough compression to make the project fit the target disc, or switch to Custom Ratio to set the level yourself—commonly used to squeeze the extras harder so the main feature keeps more bitrate. 

For better results at higher compression, enable Deep Analysis and the Adaptive Error Compensation (AEC) quality options (Sharp/Smooth variants). AEC is CPU-intensive and, depending on your computer's speed, the backup can take significantly longer than a standard run—but it usually delivers visibly better output. Also keep only the audio and subtitle tracks you need to avoid wasting space and reduce how much compression is required.

Step 4: Back up to ISO or VIDEO_TS

Click Backup! and set the Target to either ISO Image File or Hard Disk Folder (VIDEO_TS), then choose a save location and start. The output is ready to burn or archive.

Step 5: Copy the ISO/VIDEO_TS to a blank DVD with ImgBurn

DVD Shrink does not include a built-in DVD burning engine, so you can't copy DVD to DVD directly with this tool itself. You could use ImgBurn, which you can free download on the official site.

Open ImgBurn to burn your DVD copy. If you have an ISO, choose Write image file to disc, select the ISO as the source, pick your DVD burner, insert a blank disc, enable Verify, and start to burn ISO to DVD; if you have a VIDEO_TS folder, choose Write files/folders to disc, add the VIDEO_TS at the disc root, let ImgBurn apply the DVD-Video layout, enable Verify, and burn, then this program will begin copying DVDs.

Copy DVDs to DVDs with Windows File Explorer

Best for: copy non-protected DVDs for data backup

If you only want to copy DVD to DVD for file backup, and don't care about playback on a set-top player, you can use Windows' built-in program File Explorer. Note that this method works only for non-protected discs and does not guarantee playback in a DVD player; it's for data backup only. Here's the simplest tutorial on how to copy a DVD on Windows 10 with File Explorer.

Step 1: Insert the DVD into the CD\DVD drive. Open computer, click on DVD drive, and select the files you want to copy. Copy and paste selected files to the location where you want to save those files. After copying DVD, eject it.

Step 2: Insert a blank DVD and wait a few seconds for Windows to detect it. In the AutoPlay prompt, choose "Burn files to disc." If AutoPlay is disabled, open File Explorer and double-click your optical drive.

Step 3: Then a "Burn a Disc" dialog appears asking "How do you want to use this disc?" Choose "With a CD/DVD player." This uses the Mastered format, which finalizes the disc for broad compatibility.

Step 4: Drag the DVD items you want to copy into the disc window in File Explorer (it's best to place the entire VIDEO_TS folder at the root of the disc). You'll see a notice that the files are "waiting to be burned to disc," which means they're queued. 

Step 5: Once you're done copying everything you want to write to the disc, Select "Drive Tools" in the toolbar menu of the File Explorer window, then select "Finish Burning." After that, you will see a "Burn to Disc" window pop up. Input a disc name, set a write speed, and confirm to start burning. 

When DVD burning task is done, Windows provides a notice stating "You have successfully burned your files to the disc."

Note: Even if you pick "With a CD/DVD player" here, the cloned disc will still be detected as a data disc by DVD players and will not play. If you require a playable disc, I suggest using DVDFab DVD Copy, which's the easiest option to copy DVD to DVD.

Tips for Copying DVDs

1. Match the disk type and capacity to the task.
Choose DVD-5 (4.7 GB) for brief material or data, and DVD-9 (8.5 GB) to prevent severe compression. If you choose DVD-9, ensure that your burner supports dual-layer.

2. Burn with the appropriate layout for your goal.
To create a playable DVD-Video, use a tool that follows the DVD-Video template. 
For a data backup, Windows/File Explorer The CD/DVD player mode completes the disc for broad read compatibility. 

3. Use moderate speeds to verify.
Avoid burning at maximum speeds; instead, choose a middle speed that your media supports and verify the disc after writing to detect marginal burns early. 

4. Select trustworthy blank media.
Buy trusted disc brands like Taiyo Yuden or Verbatim, which have continually shown outstanding burn quality and long-term stability across burners and players.

Conclusion

In short, how to copy a DVD boils down to two checks: protection and playability. For protected DVDs, I rely on DVDFab DVD Copy for a decrypted DVD copy. For home-made titles, pairing DVD Shrink with ImgBurn can be used to copy playable DVDs, while Windows File Explorer is handy to copy DVD to DVD for file backup. Whichever technique you pick, follow the instructions above to safely copy a DVD to another DVD without difficulties.