How to Copy or Rip a DVD on Mac: Free Software
Copy a DVD on Mac with free software like HandBrake and MakeMKV: which external drive to buy, how to pick an output format, and the read errors that actually stop a rip.
Optical discs are far from dead: people still rip a DVD to keep a copy, burn a video disc for a relative's player, back up a Blu-ray collection, or just get a store-bought disc to play on a Mac that no longer has a drive. This hub gathers every disc guide we have, from the free tools that do the job (HandBrake, MakeMKV, VLC, the built-in Finder burn) to the paid apps worth it for protected discs. Each guide states the macOS version its tools publish support for, and lists the free option first. For format conversion and downloading that does not involve a disc, see the Mac Video Toolkit.
Copy a DVD on Mac with free software like HandBrake and MakeMKV: which external drive to buy, how to pick an output format, and the read errors that actually stop a rip.
The best free DVD burner for Mac: burn data DVDs, video DVDs, and ISO images with Finder and the free Burn app. Free DVD burning software, step by step, plus troubleshooting.
Compare the Blu-ray ripping software available on Mac in 2026: MakeMKV, HandBrake, DVDFab and EaseFab, what an external drive costs, and where the law draws the line.
Learn how to play Blu-ray on Mac with the right external drive and software. Free VLC method, paid apps, and ripping compared for macOS Tahoe 26.