How to Play Blu-ray on Windows PC: Software and Hardware Solutions

Playing Blu-ray on Windows PCs can bring the advantages of a high-quality experience, more convenient viewing, and better compatibility. These have also made more and more users to play and watch Blu-ray on PC (Windows 11/10/8/7). Playing Blu-ray right from your PC requires extensive techniques. But worry not! We’re here to guide you. This post will delve into three methods to play Blu-ray on PC. So, if you’re curious about enhancing your Blu-ray experience on your PC, stick around for step-by-step guides and helpful insights.

Part 1. Can Windows 11 Play Blu-ray natively

No, Windows 11/10 does not have a built-in Blu-ray player. To watch Blu-rays on PC, you need:

• • External/Internal Blu-ray Drive.
• • Blu-ray Player Software (e.g., AnyMP4 Blu-ray Player for encrypted discs).
• • 4K Monitor & HDCP 2.2 Cable (for 4K UHD only).

Part 2. How to Play Blu-ray on PC on Windows 11/10/8/7 via the Software

For modern PC users, the 'official' path is effectively broken. Intel 12th Gen (and newer) CPUs no longer support SGX technology, which means traditional licensed software like CyberLink PowerDVD cannot play 4K UHD discs on these systems. To play Blu-rays on Windows 10/11, you can use:

AnyMP4 Blu-ray Player is the best alternative for most, as it supports 'UHD-friendly' drives and bypasses the SGX requirement, making it much easier to use on modern hardware.

VLC is a great free tool, but it requires significant manual configuration to handle encryption.

1 AnyMP4 Blu-ray Player

If you want to enjoy your Blu-ray collection on PC, AnyMP4 Blu-ray Player, which is available on Windows 11/10/8/7, is an excellent choice. As a 4-in-1 multimedia player, it is able to play any Blu-ray discs, folders, and ISO image files on your PC smoothly and in lossless quality. With the latest Blu-ray technology, this region-free Blu-ray player can also play Blu-ray discs from any region and any disc type, such as BD-5, BD-9, BD-R, and more. In addition, AnyMP4 Blu-ray player provides you with smart yet easy menu navigation support, allowing you to quickly open and select the main movie, title, or chapter.

Requirement(s):

• BD Drive: Ensure your PC has a BD drive.
• Blu-ray Player Software: Install Blu-ray player software on your PC.
• PC: PC running Windows 7 and later operating systems.

Here’s how to play 4K Blu-ray on PC without SGX using AnyMP4 Blu-ray Player:

1. Initially, get a free download of AnyMP4 Blu-ray Player. Install the Blu-ray player software and wait for the installation process to complete.

Warm reminder: Before launching, insert the Blu-ray disc you want to play into your BD drive. Ensure that your BD drive is connected to your PC.

2. Launch it on your Windows PC. You will be presented with two loading options. Select Open Disc for loading the Blu-ray disc. Otherwise, select Open File to load the Blu-ray Folder or Blu-ray ISO file.

3. AnyMP4 Blu-ray Player will automatically play the Blu-ray content upon loading. The operation is really easy.

Tip: When playing Blu-ray, you can also make some customized playback settings if needed.

e.g. you can control play, pause, backward, forward, volume, etc., by clicking the corresponding buttons from the bottom menu.

Click Control on the top menu, and you can adjust the menu and title or navigate to a certain chapter.

Click Audio and Video, and then you can adjust the Blu-ray's audio and video settings to suit your preference.

2 VLC Media Player

VLC Media Player is a well-known media player that is able to play Blu-ray movies on a PC. It can handle Blu-ray discs, ISO files, and BDMV folders for easy playback. To bring an immersive viewing experience, it is equipped with multiple smart settings to improve, such as track synchronization, audio track selection, subtitle addition, etc. It fails to process Blu-rays with AACS or BD+ protection. If you just want a free tool to play some homemade Blu-rays, it is suitable for you.

How to use VLC to play Blu-rays:

1. Launch the Tool

Download VLC from its official website. Install and open the tool on your Windows 10/11 computer.

2. Open Blu-ray Movie

Insert a Blu-ray disc into your optical drive. Choose Media > Open File to open ISO files or Open Disc to load the inserted Blu-ray disc.

If you choose the Open Disc option, in the new pop-up window, click Browse to locate the Blu-ray and select Play to play it properly.

3. Adjust Playback Settings

Then, you can watch the Blu-ray movie on it, and you can explore and adjust playback settings to make your viewing more immersive.

VLC is a robust tool to play common Blu-ray movies. If you just occasionally play Blu-rays, it is absolutely a good choice to enjoy movies for free.

Part 3. How to Play Blu-ray on Windows PC by Digitizing Blu-ray

The best way to play Blu-ray on PC is to digitize them for convenient playback. That said, AnyMP4 Blu-ray Ripper is the answer to that desire. It offers a comprehensive solution to digitize Blu-ray content effortlessly. This versatile software goes beyond a simple ripping tool. It allows users to convert Blu-ray discs, folders, and ISO files to 500+ digital formats.

For good measure, it enables customization of output settings, including video and audio parameters. Also, it offers editing functionalities, allowing users to rotate, crop, add custom watermarks, and apply effects to enhance their digitized content. It is a reliable and feature-rich solution, making Blu-ray content easily accessible on your PC in the digital format of your choice.

Requirement(s):

• BD Drive: Ensure your PC has a BD drive.
• Blu-ray Ripper Software: Install Blu-ray Ripper software on your PC.
• Blu-ray Content: Prepare your Blu-ray disc folder or ISO file.

Here’s how to play Blu-ray on PC by digitizing it in AnyMP4 Blu-ray Ripper:

1. Beforehand, obtain the AnyMP4 Blu-ray Ripper by clicking the free download below. Install the Blu-ray ripper software and allow the installation process to finish.

2. Before running the software, insert the Blu-ray you intend to digitize into your BD drive. Run the software and click Load Blu-ray to select the Blu-ray disc or folder.

Note: You can also load the Blu-ray Folder and Blu-ray ISO. Simply click the Load Blu-ray drop-down menu to select Load Blu-ray ISO or Load Blu-ray Folder options.

3. Click the Output Format option and select a format for ripped Blu-ray. These formats have different resolutions and qualities, and you can also choose the same format as the source file.

4. Set the output path for the ripped Blu-ray. Once finished, click Rip All to begin the ripping process. AnyMP4 Blu-ray Ripper will start digitizing the Blu-ray into the selected digital format.

5. Specify the path destination on your PC where you want to save the digitized Blu-ray files. Click the Save To field to set the output path.

6. Once all set and configured, click Rip All to begin the ripping process. AnyMP4 Blu-ray Ripper will start digitizing the Blu-ray into the selected digital format.

All in all, AnyMP4 Blu-ray Ripper is one of the best Blu-ray ripping tools for transitioning Blu-ray into a digital format for PC playback.

Next, we'll show you how to play ripped video on PC using VLC:

1. Download and install VLC on your PC, and then launch it.

2. Click Media in the upper left corner, and then choose from Open File, Open Multiple Files, and Open Folder to upload the ripped Blu-ray you want to play.

3. After uploading, it will play automatically on your PC.

Part 4. How to Watch Blu-ray on a Large TV via PC (HDMI Connection)

Can I connect my PC to a TV to watch Blu-ray? Yes! If you prefer a cinematic experience on a larger screen, you can use your PC as a Blu-ray player and output the signal to your 4K TV via HDMI.

Requirements:

• • Internal/External BD Drive: To read the disc data on your PC.
• • Blu-ray Player Software: Such as AnyMP4 Blu-ray Player, which handles the encryption.
• • High-Speed HDMI 2.0/2.1 Cable: Essential for 4K UHD playback.
• • HDCP 2.2 Compatible Display: Both your TV and GPU port must support HDCP 2.2 to play protected 4K content.

How to watch Blu-rays on a large TV in detail?

1. Connect the Hardware

Plug one end of the HDMI cable into your PC’s HDMI Output port and the other into your TV's HDMI Input.

2. Set Display Mode

Press Win + P on your keyboard and select Extend or Second screen only. Ensure the resolution is set to 3840 x 2160 for 4K discs.

3. Insert and Load

Put your Blu-ray disc into the drive and launch your player software.

4. Configure Audio

Right-click the Speaker icon in your Taskbar, select 'Sound settings,' and set your TV (HDMI Audio) as the default output device to enjoy surround sound.

5. Start Playing

Hit the play button in your software and enjoy the movie on your big screen.

The steps are easy, and you can follow them to enjoy big-screen Blu-rays.

Conclusion

To sum it up, we have covered various approaches to play Blu-ray on PC. We explored how to play Blu-ray discs, folders, and ISO files directly on your computer using specialized software like AnyMP4 Blu-ray Player. It emerged as a go-to solution, providing a seamless playback experience for Blu-ray content. We also discussed hardware connectivity, demonstrating how to play Blu-ray discs on Windows 10/11 and extend it to your TV via HDMI. For those looking to digitize their Blu-ray collection, AnyMP4 Blu-ray Ripper took the spotlight. It offers a convenient way to convert Blu-ray discs into digital formats for easy playback on your PC. Whether you prefer a traditional approach or want the digital trend, AnyMP4 Blu-ray Player and AnyMP4 Blu-ray Ripper stand out as reliable companions.