Windows 8 - No DVD Playback Software Included as Standard

Windows 8 DVD playback

Unlike Windows 7, Windows 8 does not include the software support as standard to play movies on DVD discs. If you insert a DVD disc into a Windows 8 machine you likely will not get an Autoplay menu - nothing happens.

To get around this problem, you will need to install additional software which provides support for DVD playback.

Windows Media Center

One option is the Microsoft Windows Media Center. This is not a free option - you will need to purchase and download it from Microsoft. This includes TV recording capabilities and DVD playback etc.

Third Party Alternatives

There are some third party alternatives to Windows Media Center. Some of them are without charge - for example you can download the VLC Media Player from http://www.videolan.org/vlc for free. Then when you insert a DVD you will get the Autoplay menu which will give you then option to choose to play the disk with the VLC player.

Applies to:

• All systems running Windows 8