How to burn a DVD with the Best & Free Software

If you have home-recorded videos capturing unforgettable moments, burning them onto DVDs is a wonderful way to organize and preserve these memories for the long run. Burning a DVD involves writing data onto a physical disk, which provides a reliable storage medium with a longer shelf life than many digital-only solutions. Whether you want to archive cherished family videos or create shareable discs, DVDs remain a convenient and durable choice.

In this guide, I will share several effective methods to burn a DVD, either as a video DVD playable on any DVD player or as a data DVD for storing files. Additionally, I'll share my personal experiences testing each software to help you find the best fit.

How to Burn Movies to DVD with DVDFab DVD Creator?

DVDFab DVD Creator is a professional-grade tool that excels in transforming various video formats into high-quality DVDs, ISO images, or folders. One standout feature I appreciated during my trials was the fast burning speed—faster than many competitors thanks to robust hardware acceleration. This is a real time-saver when handling multiple videos in batches.

Key Features:

• Burn DVDs without quality loss, supporting formats such as DVD-9 and DVD-5
• Hardware acceleration ensures efficient processing, even when burning multiple discs
• Extensive customization options including professional DVD menus, templates, and video editors
• Available for both Windows PC and Mac users, with a free trial available

Steps to burn a DVD using DVDFab DVD Creator

Step 1: Download and launch DVDFab DVD Creator. Load your video by clicking the + button or dragging it into the interface for DVD creation.

Step 2: After loading your video, the main interface displays input and output details. You can select audio track(s) and subtitle(s) or add external subtitles.

Use Advanced Settings and Video Editors to adjust output parameters. In the Menu Settings, choose a template and personalize it with gadgets and other options to suit your preferences.

Step 3: Set the file directory and click Start to burn DVD movies quickly and free.

How to Burn DVDs with Freemake Video Converter

Freemake DVD Burner is a popular free DVD authoring tool designed for Windows users. It’s suitable for those looking to quickly burn DVDs with menus and subtitles without complex settings.

Key Features:

• Compatible with over 500 video and audio formats, including AVI, MP4, WMV, MKV, and more
• Allows basic video editing such as merging multiple clips rotating videos
• Supports burning up to 40 hours of video footage on single or dual-layer DVDs

Limitations:

• The free version adds watermarks to output videos and burned DVDs
• Some advanced features—such as watermark removal—require purchasing the premium version
• Currently available only for Windows OS
• Technical support response times may be slower

Steps to Burn DVDs using Freemake Video Converter

Step 1: Download and install the newest free Freemake DVD Burner software. It works on all Windows versions, and no extra components are needed.

Step 2: Click the +Video button or drag-and-drop media to load videos for DVD burning. You can also import VIDEO_TS folders, ISO images, audio files, or photos.

Step 3: Press the to DVD button, insert a blank DVD-R or DVD-RW disc (double-layer recommended for longer duration).

Step 4: Select your DVD drive and name the disc in the new window. Choose a menu type, select PAL or NTSC encoding, adjust the aspect ratio, and pick an audio codec.

Step 5: Click the Convert button to create your DVD. The process depends on your drive's speed and settings. If there is no blank disc, create an ISO image or Video_TS folder for later burning.

How to Burn DVD Movies Free with DVD Styler

DVD Styler is an open-source, and cross-platform DVD authoring tool with a focus on custom menus and scripting flexibility. It supports burning video files to play on any standalone DVD player, and allows you to create multi-chapter DVDs with interactive navigation and chapter menus.

Key Features:

• Enables creation of professional DVDs with fully customizable menus
• Provides DVD scripting capabilities for users who want to customize navigation
• Supports a wide variety of video formats, enabling flexible input options

Limitations:

• The interface, while functional, is somewhat dated
• The software frequently crashes when processing large video files
• DVDStyler’s supports are limited compared to commercial alternatives

Detailed steps to Burn a DVD using DVD Styler

Step 1: Launch DVDStyler and set the Video Format to NTSC on the New project screen. Click OK to proceed.

Step 2: Choose a menu template, title your project, and select Chapter selection before clicking OK again.

Then, drag and drop your MP4 video file into the timeline. You can also right-click in the timeline to browse and add your video from your computer or storage device.

Step 3: Connect an external CD/DVD drive via USB to burn your movie. Load a blank DVD into the drive and close it. Then, click the orange burn icon to start the burning process.

Step 4: Click the burn icon and then Start. The Generate DVD screen will show progress. After completion, Burning was successful will appear, and the DVD will eject.

Conclusion

Burning DVDs has always been a crucial method for backing up data, preserving precious videos, and ensuring offline access to your media. In this article, we've explored several reliable programs catering to different user needs and expertise levels.

DVDFab DVD Creator stands out for its speed, advanced customization features, and high-quality output. Freemake offers a simple, free option suitable for beginners. And DVDStyler offers cross-platform customization for those who prefer a hands-on approach.