Believe it or not, Windows 10 doesn't have DVD playing capabilities built straight into it. That might seem reasonable as numerous computers now come with no kind of disc drive included in them, but when you've got a computer having a DVD drive or have picked up an external DVD drive, you'll be left unclear about how you can play DVDs in Windows 10.

There are a variety of solutions which will let you play DVDs in Windows 10, and we'll go over those we believe are the best solutions for their simplicity and convenience (and lack of added costs).

How to play DVDs on Windows 10 with pre-installed software

If you've obtained a computer having a DVD player built-in, chances are very good it came with its very own software for enjoying DVDs. Since Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 not have the support built in, computer makers that add DVD players are almost certain to add that support in themselves before shipping out the product.

So, this is what you should do:

The first step: Look for the built-in DVD player software.

Should you have your computers user manual, there might be instructions for playing DVDs inside it. You can also explore the manufacturer's web site to see which media/DVD playing software they installed.

Another possible way for locating the software would be to open the Windows search bar and kind in "movies" or "DVD" and find out what results appear. The pre-installed software is probably, though not guaranteed, to look.

You may even get the software to launch automatically just by putting a DVD to your computer's DVD drive.

Once you have identified the software that came pre-installed, you need to easily be able to play your DVDs.

How to play DVDs in Windows 10 with free software

If you're using an external DVD drive or aren't able to find any already installed software for DVD playback on your pc with an internal DVD player, you're never out of luck.

While Microsoft does have a paid option for playing DVDs in Windows 10, you can get by having a great free option. VLC Media Player is the best free video player for countless reasons, also it so transpires with support DVD playback. You may even try any software that came bundled by having an external DVD drive, as they often come with some.

Step one: Launch VLC
Second step: Insert your DVD

Playback may begin automatically. Whether it does, you're all set. If it doesn't, carry out the following steps:

Step three: Select Media > Open Disc, or press Ctrl + D with VLC because the active window.
Fourth step: In the new pop-up menu, under "Disc Selection," choose DVD and press Play at the bottom.

If VLC hasn't identified your DVD, you may have to explain in which the disc drive is. It can be done using by pressing browse in the "Disc Selection" portion of the pop-up menu and selecting your computers DVD drive from the drive options on the left of the File Explorer window.

How to play DVDs in Windows 10 using Microsoft's paid software

As good as VLC is, we can understand if you are cautious about using a third-party software, so we'll provide instructions on Microsoft's software.

Step one: Try Windows Media Player.

Launch Windows Media Player with your DVD inserted. In the navigation menu on the left side of Windows Media Player, you may see your DVD appear. Select it, and then try to play it. In case your computer came with a pre-installed DVD decoder, the DVD may play. If this fails, try out next thing.

Second step: Try the Windows DVD Player app.

You can get the Windows DVD Player app or by looking it up within the Windows Store. This is a $14.99 app, however, you can use it inside a trial mode to help you confirm it will use your DVD drive.

To download the Trial version, select the three dots next to the Buy button, and choose Free trial offer. Once it's installed, run it and insert a DVD. If the app determines it is suitable for your device, you are able to choose the Buy Now option to get the complete app and employ it to play DVDs.