How to Rip DVD with HandBrake on Windows & Mac [Encrypted DVDs]

HandBrake is an open-source, free software for encoding videos from various digital formats into a selection of modern, widely supported codecs. Also, as one of the best free DVD rippers, HandBrake is capable of ripping and converting DVDs to MP4, MKV, and WebM formats that can be played on multiple devices.

Well, interested in learning how to rip homemade or copy-protected DVDs using HandBrake? Continue reading for detailed steps and optimal solutions if you encounter any issues with HandBrake DVD ripping.

Before Ripping DVDs with HandBrake: What Should You Do?

HandBrake is a popular tool favored for ripping homemade DVDs. Notably, however, it lacks the functionality to rip commercial DVDs fraught with copy protection - any such attempts are met with a warning message that this is beyond HandBrake's capabilities. 

To rip a copy-protected DVD, one requires the use of Libdvdcss. Birthed from the VideoLAN project, Libdvdcss enables the reading and decryption of DVDs fortified with a Content Scramble System (CSS). But it must be emphasized that Libdvdcss isn't a standalone solution - it requires the integration with a DVD ripper and player, a potentially challenging task for those less accustomed to navigating technical terrain. 

Furthermore, if the DVDs have advanced encryption systems like Sony's ARccOS or Disney's X-project DRM, only a powerful DVD decrypter will suffice in neutralizing these potent copy protections.

Download HandBrake DVD Ripper

Open the HandBrake DVD Ripper download page you will see a few different versions available for download. The current Version: 1.9.0 is available for Mac OS 10.13 or later, Windows 10 or later, and Linux. Click the correct button according to your operating system

Please download from the official channel, you can refer to HandBrake official downloading guideline.

Install Libdvdcss for HandBrake on Windows

You need to manually install the libdvdcss library. Here's how:

• Step 1: Go to the official VideoLAN page to download the correct version of libdvdcss.
• Step 2: After renaming the downloaded file to libdvdcss.dll, move it to the HandBrake installation directory, usually C:\Program Files\HandBrake\ for 64-bit (32-bit).

💡Detailed Tutorial on How to Download Libdvdcss HandBrake

Install Libdvdcss to HandBrake on Mac

macOS prevents libdvdcss from being installed via drag-and-drop due to its strict security policy. Instead, you can install libdvdcss directly from the terminal using the MacOS package manager Homebrew.

• Step 1: Open Terminal and paste the following command. 

/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

• Step 2: You will be prompted to click Return and type in your administrator password.
• Step 3: The process will also download and install some portions of Apple's Xcode developer software. Approve this when the pop-up prompts you to do so.
• Step 4: Once the process is complete and you see the normal prompt, enter the command: brew install libdvdcss into the Terminal window and press Return.
• Step 5: Once done, close the Terminal window and you're ready to begin. After libdvdcss is installed, Handbrake will be able to read your CSS-protected DVDs.

How to Rip DVD with HandBrake on Windows

In this section, I will use Windows 11 to show you how to rip a DVD on Windows using HandBrake.

Step 1: Load the DVD you want to rip

Insert the DVD into your computer's DVD drive and launch HandBrake. Then, tap on "Open Source" in the top left corner and select the DVD drive. HandBrake will begin scanning the contents of your DVD. This process could take several minutes to fully analyze everything on the DVD.

Step 2: Select the DVD title and chapter

HandBrake generally automatically selects the main movie - typically the longest title on the disc movie. You can verify this by looking at the duration of each title it has listed. If you have to rip a particular title from your movie separately, select it. Select the movie to be ripped from the Title menu and click "Add to queue".

You can also select specific chapters of this title to rip by inputting the chapter numbers in the "Chapters" option. 

Step 3: Choose an output format

Choose a preset encoding option and your desired output format. HandBrake lets you convert DVDs to MP4, MKV, and WebM formats, with a range of output presets available.

You can also select subtitles and audio tracks, adjust video settings such as codec, frame rate, and quality, and apply many other editing options.

Analysis:

• The Very Fast preset offers high speed and produces acceptable quality for quick rips. In testing, it finished about three times faster than Fast and nearly four times faster than HQ, though the resulting file is somewhat larger.
• The Fast preset provides a balance between file size and speed and works well for most situations.
• The HQ preset creates the largest file—more than twice the size of Fast—and delivers the best video detail and surround audio. It suits home theater setups but requires more time and storage space.

Step 4: Set the destination to save the ripped DVD

Next, in the "Save As" section, input the desired file name and select where you want to save the ripped DVD on your computer or other external storage.

Step 5: Start to rip DVD with HandBrake

After you complete the steps above, click the "Start Encode" button at the top of the interface to begin ripping the DVD. The process may take some time, depending on the length of the content and your computer’s performance. When it finishes, the ripped video will be saved in the folder you selected earlier.

Why HandBrake Won't Rip DVD? How to Fix It?

Common HandBrake DVD Ripping Errors and Solutions

Even though HandBrake is a powerful free DVD ripper, it is not perfect. Below are some of the most common issues you may encounter when ripping DVDs with HandBrake and how to fix them.

For more issues, you can refer to the official HandBrake trouble shooting page.

Best Solution When HandBrake Won't Rip DVD

If you're still experiencing DVD ripping issues with HandBrake even after trying the above possible solutions, consider switching to the best alternative. That's where DVDFab DVD Ripper comes into the picture.

HandBrake with libdvdcss is only effective against basic CSS protection. It often fails with advanced DRM like Sony ARccOS, Disney's X-Project, or recent commercial DVDs. DVDFab DVD Ripper offers comprehensive support, consistently handling almost all DVD protections, making it a better choice for ripping newer or more challenging discs.

DVDFab DVD Ripper

This DVD Ripper allows you to rip copy-protected DVD / ISO file / Folder to any video & audio format playable on any device, media player, or home theatre.

Features:

• Remove any DVD copy protection like CSS, APS, RC, Sony DADC, etc.
• Keep updated to support newly-released DVDs 
• Rip DVDs to MP4, MP3, MKV, and other 1000+ audio and video formats
• Support both CPU & GPU acceleration and batches conversion
• Customize output videos through the video editor and Advanced settings
• Convert DVD Video to 4K HDR10 Content with NVIDIA AI Enhancer

How to Use DVDFab DVD Ripper to Rip Protected DVDs?

Step 1: Download the latest version of DVDFab and install it on your MacOS or Windows.

Step 2: Run the software and choose the Ripper option. Insert the DVD into the drive or navigate to it using the "Add" button if it is already inserted. If the source is an ISO file or folder, simply drag and drop them onto the main interface.

Step 3: Click "Choose Other Profile" to select the output video format. You can choose to convert your DVD to MP4, MKV, AVI, etc. as you desire.

Customized options are available to select audio tracks, language, extract subtitles from DVD to SRT format, or add external subtitles. You can also customize the video and audio parameters using "Advanced Settings" and "Video Edit".

Step 4: Select the final location for saving the output file and click "Start" to begin the DVD to digital conversion.

How to Choose DVD Ripper for Different Scenario? 

Choosing the right DVD ripping tool depends on your technical experience and the type of DVDs you want to convert. The table below matches common user types and scenarios with the most suitable software recommendations.

Conclusion

Although HandBrake is the first option for many people when thinking about ripping DVDs. But in some cases, it may not work out. With stable output quality and diversified configurations, DVDFab DVD Ripper is the best HandBrake alternative, which is capable of handling various encryption schemes and even ripping damaged, aged DVDs.