How to Rip DVD with VLC Media Player on Mac, Windows, and Linux [2026]

Here's the short answer: a VLC DVD ripper can convert an unprotected DVD to MKV or MP4, but the result depends on selecting the right title, audio track, subtitles, and output profile. VLC is useful for occasional conversions, not for discs that repeatedly fail to load or encode.

I use VLC for simple homemade DVDs because its built-in conversion tool is available on Windows, macOS, and Linux. For a commercial or unusually structured disc, the important checks are the title, MP4 profile, and a short playback test. This guide explains how to rip DVD with VLC, select the right movie or episode, and fix common VLC failures.

What VLC Can and Cannot Rip

VLC is a media player first, and its DVD ripping feature is really a conversion feature inside the player. It works best with homemade or unprotected DVDs, but it can become unreliable when a disc has copy protection, multiple titles, complex subtitles, or damaged sectors.

That is why I would check the disc type before starting. The table below shows when VLC is worth trying and when is not.

Rip DVDs with VLC on macOS, Windows or Linux: Step-by-step

Before following the steps below, download the latest VLC directly from VideoLAN rather than using an old installer from a third-party site. As of September 2026, the latest VLC 3.0 release for Windows and macOS is VLC 3.0.23.

How to Rip a DVD with VLC on Mac

Step 1: Install VLC on macOS

Download and open the latest version of VLC Media Player. If your Mac does not have a built-in optical drive, connect an external DVD drive first. Many newer Macs do not include a disc drive, so a USB or USB-C external DVD drive may be necessary before you can rip DVD with VLC Mac.

Step 2: Load the DVD into VLC

Insert the DVD into the drive and wait for macOS to mount the disc. Open VLC Media Player, then from the top menu choose File → Open Disc.

Set the disc type to DVD. If VLC keeps looping on the DVD menu, clear the check box labeled Use DVD menus or enable No disc menus, then confirm by selecting Open. VLC will begin playback, which helps you confirm that the disc has loaded correctly.

Step 3:  Identify the main feature, language, and subtitles

Before converting the full DVD, play it for a minute. Open the Playback menu and pick Title. The main movie is often the longest title, but this is not always true for TV series discs or discs with bonus content.

• From the Audio menu, pick Audio Track and choose the correct language instead of a commentary track.
• From the Subtitles menu, enable the subtitle track you want to include or test before conversion.
• If the DVD has several episodes, write down the title number for each episode before ripping.

Step 4: Configure DVD Ripping Settings

Open File → Convert / Stream. Under Choose Profile, set MP4 (H.264 + AAC) as the target format. This combination is a safe starting point because it plays well on most computers, TVs, phones, and tablets.

Then open Customize to refine the conversion settings:

• Video Codec: choose H.264. For standard DVDs, start with a moderate bitrate such as 2,000-3,000 kilobits per second, or use a constant-quality value near 20 if your VLC build offers that option.
• Audio Codec: choose AAC with 128–192 kilobits per second bitrate. Keep the same channel layout as the source when possible, such as stereo or 5.1.

Step 5: Start Ripping DVD

Select Choose Destination, specify an output folder, and give the file a clear name that ends with .mp4. Click Save or Go to begin the conversion.

How to Rip a DVD on Windows with VLC

Step 1: Download the latest VLC from the official VideoLAN website and complete the installation. The official Windows download page currently lists VLC 3.0.23, so avoid old installers unless you have a specific compatibility reason.

Step 2: Open the DVD source

Insert the DVD into your computer's optical drive. On the VLC menu bar, select Media → Convert / Save. In the Open Media window, open the Disc tab and check DVD under Disc Selection.

If VLC keeps recording the DVD menu instead of the movie, enable No disc menus. You can preview the playback by pressing Play, or move on by selecting Convert / Save.

Step 3: Confirm the title and chapters

In the same window, under Starting Position, select the title or chapter you want to rip. The main movie is usually the longest title, but trailers, menus, and bonus clips can also appear as separate titles. If you are ripping a TV series DVD, you may need to convert each episode title separately.

Then select Convert / Save at the bottom of the window.

Step 4: Set the conversion options

Under Settings, choose Convert. In Profile, pick Video - H.264 + MP3 (MP4) or an MP4 profile with H.264 video and AAC audio. If VLC creates a video with no sound, edit the profile and make sure the audio codec is enabled.

Next, click the Browse button beside Destination file, choose a save folder, and give the file a name ending in .mp4.

Step 5: Start ripping DVD on Windows

Once you have checked the title, profile, and destination file, hit Start to begin conversion. The progress bar in VLC shows encoding in real time.

How to Rip a DVD with VLC on Linux

Given the user base, only the installation instructions for Ubuntu are provided here. For other Linux distributions, please refer to the official VLC website or your distribution's package manager for installation guidance.

Step 1: Install VLC to your computer. VLC is available in the default Ubuntu repositories. To install VLC, run:

sudo apt install vlc

If you require the absolute latest version of VLC, you can add the official VLC developers' PPA. First, add the PPA and update your package lists:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:videolan/master-daily

sudo apt update

Then, install VLC with:

sudo apt install vlc

Step 2: Launch VLC, click on "Media" in the navigation bar. Then, choose "Convert/Save" from the drop-down menu.

Step 3: Choose the "Disc" tab on the pop-up window. Browse to the location of your DVD and confirm you select the right disc device. If VLC gets stuck in the DVD menu, enable No disc menus. Then, click on "Convert/Save".

Step 4: Select the title or chapter you want to convert. Then, select a profile for your ripped video. If you're unsure, "Video - H.264 + MP3 (MP4)" is a reliable default. Choose the destination file and click "Start" to begin.

If VLC cannot read the DVD on Linux, the problem may be the disc, the drive, the region setting, or copy protection. Test whether VLC can play the DVD normally before assuming the conversion steps are wrong.

Troubleshooting VLC DVD Ripper: Common Errors and Fixes

If VLC fails during DVD ripping, use the table below to find the most likely cause and the first fix to try. I have grouped the issues by what you can actually see in the output file, such as no audio, missing subtitles, wrong title, freezing, or slow conversion.

Author

In my testing, the most useful habit was checking the output right after a short conversion. If the file has sound, subtitles, the correct title, and normal sync, I continue with the full DVD. If not, I adjust the track or title settings before wasting more time.

When VLC Is Not Enough: Choose the Right Tool for the Job

When a DVD has complex titles, repeated read failures, or track-selection problems that VLC cannot resolve, a different tool may be more appropriate. The comparison below distinguishes simple conversion, compression, title preservation, and dedicated personal-backup tasks.

Best VLC Alternative: DVDFab DVD Ripper

DVDFab DVD Ripper is a dedicated DVD ripping program for users who need more control than VLC can offer. It supports copy-protected DVD discs, ISO files, and folders, and can export videos to common formats such as MP4, MKV, AVI, and other device-friendly profiles. It is especially useful when you need to choose specific titles, audio tracks, subtitles, edit the video, or process several DVD sources with fewer manual steps.

In my test using DVDFab 13.0.5.9 on Windows 10, the software ripped a 159-minute movie in about 5 minutes and 27 seconds. The actual speed may vary depending on your DVD drive, computer hardware, disc condition, output profile, and whether hardware acceleration is available, but the result was much faster than the real-time conversion I usually expect from VLC.

How to Rip DVD Using DVDFab DVD Ripper?

Now have a look at the complete user guide on how to digitize a DVD using this software.

Step 1: Open DVDFab and choose the Ripper module

Launch DVDFab and select the Ripper module from the main interface.

Step 2: Load the DVD, ISO file, or VIDEO_TS folder

Insert the DVD disc or add the ISO/folder source. After the source is loaded, check that the main title is selected correctly.

Step 3: Choose the output format

Open the profile panel and choose the output format you need. If you are not sure which format to select, converting DVD to MP4 is usually a practical choice for phones, computers, TVs, and media servers.

Step 4: Select audio and subtitle tracks

Choose the language track and subtitle track you actually need. This step is useful if VLC previously ripped the commentary track, missed subtitles, or selected the wrong episode.

Step 5: Select the output path and start conversion

Choose a save location, review the output settings, and click Start. After conversion, play the file for a few minutes to confirm that the title, audio, and subtitles are correct.

DVDFab DVD Ripper vs VLC DVD Ripper

Author

If you're not concerned about ripping speed and don't have high demands for output quality, VLC may serve you just fine for occasional, simple jobs. However, if you're ripping large libraries, dealing with tricky or scratched discs, or want to customize every detail, the time (and headache) you save with DVDFab DVD Ripper is well worth it.

Final Thoughts

VLC is still worth trying first because it is free, familiar, and good enough for many simple DVDs. Just keep its limits in mind before you spend time troubleshooting the same disc again and again.

My practical advice is simple: use VLC for simple, unprotected DVDs, and switch tools when VLC repeatedly gives you the wrong title, missing audio, missing subtitles, or read errors. That way, you can use VLC where it makes sense and avoid wasting time where it does not.