Most Blu-ray authoring programs can create a basic main menu.

 

Far fewer can create a real Blu-ray pop-up menu that appears while the movie is playing.

 

That difference matters if you want a disc that behaves more like a professionally authored commercial Blu-ray. A traditional Top Menu is useful before playback, but a Pop-Up Menu allows viewers to access chapters or other navigation options without completely leaving the movie.

 

In 2026, the choice becomes even more complicated if you also need 4K UHD Blu-ray authoring, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, TrueHD Dolby Atmos, multiple audio tracks, subtitles, ISO output or macOS support.

 

Some programs support Blu-ray pop-up menus but only for standard 1080p Blu-ray. Others provide professional BD-J menu authoring but require separately prepared compliant video and audio streams. A few are designed primarily for commercial mastering facilities rather than home users.

 

This guide compares five Blu-ray authoring solutions that can be used in workflows involving pop-up menus:

               1. Yuhan Blu-ray / 4K UHD Creator

               2. TMPGEnc Authoring Works 7

               3. Blu-Disc Studio

               4. Scenarist BD / Scenarist UHD

               5. EasyBD with Quick BD Menu

 

The best choice depends on whether you need an easy all-in-one workflow or complete professional control.

Part 1. What Is a Blu-ray Pop-Up Menu?

A Blu-ray Pop-Up Menu is an interactive menu that appears over the video while playback continues.

 

For example, while watching a movie, the viewer can press the Pop-Up Menu button on the Blu-ray remote and access chapter navigation without returning to the Top Menu.

 

A traditional Blu-ray structure might look like this:

Top Menu

Play Movie
Scenes
Setup
Bonus Features

 

Once the movie begins, a Pop-Up Menu can provide a second navigation layer:

 

Pop-Up Menu

Chapters
Main Menu
Audiou

Subtitles

 

The exact structure depends on the authoring software and disc design.

 

TMPGEnc's official documentation describes a BDMV pop-up menu as a menu that appears while Blu-ray content is being watched, and Blu-Disc Studio similarly treats a popup menu as a menu linked to a playing movie.

 

That makes a Pop-Up Menu fundamentally different from an ordinary static menu.

 

Part 2. Why Is Pop-Up Menu Support Uncommon?

Blu-ray navigation is more complicated than DVD navigation.

 

A basic Blu-ray authoring application can often generate a simple Top Menu using templates without exposing much of the underlying navigation logic.

 

Pop-up menus require more sophisticated interactive graphics and navigation behavior.

 

At the professional end of the market, tools such as Blu-Disc Studio and Scenarist expose much deeper control over menu programming, button states, variables, navigation actions and BD-J or HDMV behavior.

 

That power comes with additional complexity.

 

At the consumer end, many programs simplify authoring but omit pop-up menus completely.

 

This creates a gap between easy consumer Blu-ray creators and full professional authoring systems.

Part 3. Best Blu-ray Authoring Software with Pop-Up Menus: Quick Comparison

Software	Pop-Up Menu	Standard Blu-ray	4K UHD Blu-ray	Platform	Best For
Yuhan Blu-ray / 4K UHD Creator	Yes	Yes	Yes	Windows / macOS	Home users and advanced UHD authoring
TMPGEnc Authoring Works 7	Yes	Yes	No UHD Blu-ray authoring	Windows	Traditional Blu-ray/DVD authoring
Blu-Disc Studio	Yes	Yes	Yes with UHD version	Windows	Advanced BD-J and professional-style menus
Scenarist BD / UHD	Yes	Yes	Yes	Professional Windows workflow	Commercial mastering and replication
EasyBD + Quick BD Menu	Yes	Yes	Yes, depending on EasyBD workflow	Windows	Semi-professional modular authoring

 

There is no single winner for every user.

 

Someone creating personal 4K UHD Blu-rays from MKV files has very different requirements from a mastering facility preparing a commercial replication master.

Part 4. Yuhan Blu-ray / 4K UHD Creator — Best for Easy Blu-ray and UHD Pop-Up Menu Authoring

Best for: users who want Blu-ray and UHD Blu-ray pop-up menus without learning professional BD-J programming.

 

Yuhan Blu-ray DVD Creator provides a comparatively integrated workflow.

 

Instead of requiring users to separately encode, demux, design interactive graphics and manually build navigation commands, it combines video import, chapters, audio, subtitles, menu creation, encoding and disc output in one application.

 

Its current menu settings include an explicit Enable Pop-up Menu option. Once enabled, compatible Blu-ray players can display a Pop-Up Menu during playback. The Main button text in the Pop-Up Menu can also be customized.

 

This makes it significantly easier than authoring the complete interactive structure manually.

 

Pop-Up Menu and Menu Structure

Yuhan supports more than just the Pop-Up Menu.

 

Its Blu-ray menu workflow includes:

Top Menu
Scene Menu
Setup Menu
Audio Menu
Subtitle Menu
Bonus Features

 

The Scene Menu can display content in four ways:

File (Icon)
File (Text)
Chapter (Icon)
Chapter (Text)

 

This means a movie can use thumbnail-based chapter navigation, while a concert can use text-based song navigation.

 

The Pop-Up Menu then adds convenient navigation while the movie itself is playing.

 

Yuhan's current authoring documentation also supports configurable highlight styles, Setup button behavior, navigation button styles and different menu-background video behaviors.

 

Better Choice for UHD Blu-ray Users

The biggest difference between Yuhan and TMPGEnc Authoring Works is UHD support.

 

Yuhan 4K UHD Creator is designed for Ultra HD Blu-ray workflows as well as regular Blu-ray.

 

It supports UHD authoring features such as:

HDR10
HDR10+
Dolby Vision
Multiple audio tracks
Multiple subtitles
TrueHD Dolby Atmos
DTS-HD Master Audio
Custom UHD menus
Pop-Up Menu
ISO / BDMV / disc output

 

This is especially useful for users creating an UHD Blu-ray from MakeMKV or MKV sources.

 

Yuhan's current site also specifically documents Pop-Up Menu support for 4K UHD Blu-ray projects.

 

Windows and Mac Support

Another important difference is platform support.

 

Yuhan supports Windows as well as macOS, including Intel Macs and Apple Silicon systems.

 

That makes it one of the more practical options for Mac users who want advanced Blu-ray or UHD Blu-ray menus without moving the authoring workflow to a dedicated Windows workstation.

 

Price

At the time of writing, Yuhan lists a lifetime license for:

Yuhan Blu-ray Creator: $59.95

and:

Yuhan 4K UHD Creator: $89.95

The purchase page also lists lifetime use and free upgrades.

 

Important Physical UHD Disc Note

If you are creating a physical UHD Blu-ray for playback on a standalone UHD Blu-ray player, use BD25 or BD50 as the practical target.

 

Do not assume that a user-burned BD66/BD100 BDXL disc will be readable simply because commercial UHD Blu-rays exist in 66 GB and 100 GB capacities.

 

If a MakeMKV or M2TS project is larger than BD50, use Transcoding to reduce it for a physical BD50 or BD25.

 

For an ISO-only workflow, a larger compliant project can remain larger than 50 GB and Passthrough may still be suitable.

 

Best Choice If You Need

Choose Yuhan if you want:

• Blu-ray and 4K UHD Blu-ray authoring
• Pop-Up Menu without BD-J programming
• Dolby Vision or HDR10+ workflows
• MKV and MakeMKV input
• Multiple audio tracks and subtitles
• Custom chapter menus
• Windows and Mac support
• ISO, folder and physical-disc output

For a detailed guide, see How to Create a 4K UHD Blu-ray with a Pop-Up Menu on Windows and Mac.

 

Part 5. TMPGEnc Authoring Works 7 — Best for Traditional Windows Blu-ray Authoring

Best for: Windows users creating DVD, AVCHD and standard Blu-ray BDMV projects.

 

TMPGEnc Authoring Works has long been one of the best-known consumer/prosumer disc-authoring applications.

 

Importantly for this comparison, TMPGEnc Authoring Works 7 really does support Blu-ray Pop-Up Menus.

 

Its official specification states that its DVD/Blu-ray/AVCHD menu editor creates complete Blu-ray BDMV menus and specifically supports high-definition and pop-up menus.

 

Pegasys also provides dedicated documentation explaining how to create a BDMV Pop-Up Menu.

 

That makes TMPGEnc a genuine pop-up-menu authoring application rather than a program that merely provides a conventional main menu.

 

Strong Menu Authoring for Regular Blu-ray

TMPGEnc Authoring Works 7 is a good choice when your target is conventional Blu-ray.

 

It includes editing, chapter creation, menu templates, custom-menu design and Blu-ray output in one reasonably mature application.

 

Compared with professional systems such as Scenarist, it presents the authoring process in a much more accessible interface.

 

The program was also still actively maintained in 2026. Pegasys released Authoring Works 7 version 7.1.3.16 on June 11, 2026.

 

Main Limitation: No UHD Blu-ray Authoring

This is where TMPGEnc and Yuhan serve different audiences.

 

TMPGEnc Authoring Works 7 officially covers:

DVD
Blu-ray BDMV
AVCHD

 

Its current specifications do not position it as an Ultra HD Blu-ray authoring system.

 

Therefore, it can be an excellent choice for 1080p Blu-ray with pop-up menus, but it is not the right choice if your goal is:

Dolby Vision UHD Blu-ray
HDR10+ UHD Blu-ray
2160p UHD Blu-ray authoring

 

Windows Only

TMPGEnc Authoring Works 7 is available for 64-bit Windows.

 

The official store explicitly states that it cannot be used in a 32-bit environment and lists the product as Windows-only.

 

Mac users therefore need another solution.

 

Price

Pegasys currently lists the full lifetime version of TMPGEnc Authoring Works 7 at $122.

 

Best Choice If You Need

TMPGEnc is particularly attractive if:

• You mainly create standard 1080p Blu-rays
• You also create DVDs or AVCHD projects
• You want a real BDMV Pop-Up Menu
• You use Windows
• You do not need UHD Blu-ray authoring

 

Part 6. Blu-Disc Studio — Best for Advanced BD-J Pop-Up Menu Design

Best for: advanced authors who need deep interactive menu control without moving directly to Scenarist.

 

Blu-Disc Studio is significantly more technical than Yuhan or TMPGEnc.

 

It is designed around professional-style Blu-ray authoring and supports BD-J interactive menus.

 

Its official feature list explicitly includes:

Main and popup menus

 

together with animated menus, customizable playlists, chapter actions, automatic scenes menus, carousel menus, GPRs, PSRs, Java functions, variables, resume behavior and menu simulation.

 

This allows menu logic that goes far beyond simple template-based authoring.

 

Pop-Up Menu Control Is Much Deeper

Blu-Disc Studio does not simply provide an Enable Pop-Up Menu checkbox.

 

The author can actually design individual popup pages and attach them to specific movies.

 

The official user guide includes an entire project devoted to creating a Blu-ray disc with a Pop-Up Menu and explains how popup menus are linked to playing movies.

 

That level of control is useful for advanced projects requiring:

 

different pop-up menus for different titles, custom button behaviors, current audio/subtitle highlighting, conditional navigation or more complex BD-J logic.

 

The trade-off is complexity.

 

You need a much stronger understanding of Blu-ray structure than you do with a typical consumer authoring application.

 

UHD Support

Blu-Disc Studio also has a dedicated UHD version.

 

The official feature page lists UHD support and HEVC input for the UHD version, while DVDLogic describes Blu-Disc Studio as a Blu-ray/UHD authoring application capable of designing both main and pop-up menus.

 

The UHD version is part of DVDLogic's KITe UHD authoring ecosystem.

 

This makes Blu-Disc Studio much closer to a professional UHD authoring product than TMPGEnc.

 

Prepared Streams Are Usually Expected

The workflow is also different from an all-in-one consumer creator.

 

DVDLogic's own instructions describe preparing compatible video/audio streams first, preparing graphics such as PSD or PNG menu assets, designing the menus, configuring navigation and then compiling the project.

 

That means it is best suited to users who are comfortable preparing authoring-ready assets.

 

Someone who simply wants to import an arbitrary MKV and click Burn will find Yuhan considerably easier.

 

Windows Only

Blu-Disc Studio 4.7.2 currently supports Windows 7/8/10/11 x64.

 

Still Actively Developed in 2026

Blu-Disc Studio is not abandoned software.

 

Version 4.7.2 was released on February 1, 2026, adding features including direct ISO creation in selected editions and other workflow improvements.

 

Best Choice If You Need

Blu-Disc Studio is a strong option if:

• You need highly customizable BD-J menus
• You want detailed pop-up-menu logic
• You are comfortable preparing compliant streams
• You need UHD authoring
• You want a path toward Scenarist workflows
• You work on Windows

 

Part 7. Scenarist BD / Scenarist UHD — Best for Professional Commercial Blu-ray Authoring

Best for: professional authoring houses, replication workflows and commercial disc releases.

 

Scenarist occupies a completely different level of the market.

 

Its website describes Scenarist BD as a professional Blu-ray authoring platform and Scenarist UHD as the system used for a large portion of commercially released Ultra HD Blu-ray titles.

 

If your objective is a commercial pressed Blu-ray or UHD Blu-ray master rather than a personal burned disc, Scenarist is the type of system used in professional facilities.

 

Professional Pop-Up Menu Workflow

Scenarist supports detailed menu authoring through HDMV and BD-J workflows.

 

Scenarist Designer, its Photoshop-based menu tool, can export custom menus and popups for import into Scenarist BD or Scenarist UHD. It also supports SDR and HDR menu creation.

 

The Scenarist upgrade documentation additionally lists features such as Pop-Up Menu timeout control and detailed HDMV authoring support.

 

This is not just chapter-menu creation.

 

It is full professional Blu-ray navigation authoring.

 

Professional UHD Features

Scenarist UHD is designed for commercial Ultra HD Blu-ray production and supports advanced HDR workflows.

 

The company documents professional UHD authoring involving technologies such as HDR10+, Dolby Vision and HDR.

 

This makes Scenarist appropriate for mastering facilities that need specification-level control and commercial replication output.

 

Not Intended as a Simple Home Blu-ray Creator

 

Scenarist is not the logical choice for someone who wants to:

 

import an MKV, select a template and burn a personal BD50.

 

Its workflow, licensing, training and authoring concepts are aimed at professional disc-production environments.

 

Scenarist sells through resellers and provides subscription/non-expiring licensing options rather than positioning the product like a typical consumer download.

 

Best Choice If You Need

Choose Scenarist when you need:

• Commercial Blu-ray/UHD mastering
• Complete HDMV/BD-J control
• Professional replication workflow
• Studio-quality Pop-Up Menu programming
• HDR/Dolby Vision commercial UHD delivery
• Professional support and training

 

For most individual users, this level of authoring power is unnecessary.

 

Part 8. EasyBD + Quick BD Menu — Best Modular Semi-Professional Workflow

Best for: users who want detailed Blu-ray/UHD control but prefer a modular DVDLogic workflow.

 

EasyBD is another DVDLogic authoring solution.

 

DVDLogic describes it as a semi-professional Blu-ray/UHD authoring application that can compile video, audio, subtitles, interactive graphics, chapters and navigation into Blu-ray and UHD projects.

 

Pop-Up Menu design can be handled through DVDLogic's Quick BD Menu.

 

Quick BD Menu can create both Main and Pop-Up menus and generates interactive menu output that can be used with EasyBD and other supported professional authoring systems.

 

Interesting Pop-Up Menu Feature

One particularly useful capability documented by DVDLogic is chapter tracking.

 

Quick BD Menu can create a pop-up menu that tracks the movie position so that the current chapter can be highlighted.

 

That is more advanced than simply showing a static navigation overlay.

 

More Modular Than Yuhan or TMPGEnc

The downside is that the workflow is split across tools and concepts.

 

EasyBD handles the Blu-ray/UHD authoring and multiplexing side, while menu tools such as Quick BD Menu or IG Editor can be used for interactive graphics.

 

That is attractive to technically experienced users but less convenient for someone who simply wants an integrated authoring program.

 

Best Choice If You Need

Consider EasyBD and Quick BD Menu if:

• You understand Blu-ray structure
• You want semi-professional navigation control
• You prefer DVDLogic tools
• You need interactive Pop-Up Menu authoring
• You want a bridge between basic authoring and full professional systems

 

Part 9. What About Adobe Encore?

Adobe Encore is still frequently mentioned whenever Blu-ray menu authoring is discussed.

 

It was an important Blu-ray/DVD authoring application and many existing projects, tutorials and menu workflows still reference it.

 

However, Encore has been discontinued for many years.

 

That makes it increasingly difficult to recommend as the foundation for a new 2026 Blu-ray authoring workflow.

 

Modern operating-system compatibility, licensing, installation and codec support all make current alternatives more practical.

 

If you are specifically replacing an old Encore workflow, see Best Adobe Encore Alternative in 2026: DVD, Blu-ray and 4K UHD Authoring After Encore CS6.

Part 10. What About tsMuxer?

tsMuxer is useful, but it belongs to a different category.

 

It can create Blu-ray or UHD Blu-ray structures from compliant media streams and is particularly useful for remuxing workflows.

 

However, it does not provide a complete graphical disc-menu authoring system like the applications compared above.

 

If you require a Top Menu, Scene Menu or Pop-Up Menu, tsMuxer alone is not the appropriate solution.

 

It remains useful when menus are unnecessary and preserving compliant streams without transcoding is the priority.

Part 11. What About DVDFab UHD Creator?

DVDFab UHD Creator is designed for creating UHD Blu-ray output from video sources and provides menu-template functionality.

 

However, if Pop-Up Menu authoring is a specific requirement, verify that feature carefully rather than assuming every UHD menu creator supports it.

 

Yuhan's current comparison materials specifically distinguish its Pop-Up Menu functionality from the simpler menu workflow offered in DVDFab UHD Creator.

 

For a detailed feature comparison, see DVDFab UHD Creator Alternative in 2026: Yuhan 4K UHD Creator vs DVDFab Compared.

Part 12. Which Blu-ray Pop-Up Menu Software Is Best for Beginners?

For most home users, the easiest choices are:

 

Yuhan Blu-ray Creator / 4K UHD Creator

or

TMPGEnc Authoring Works 7

 

TMPGEnc is particularly mature for standard Blu-ray/DVD authoring on Windows.

 

Yuhan has the advantage if you also need:

4K UHD Blu-ray
macOS
Dolby Vision
HDR10+
MKV/MakeMKV workflows

 

Both are much easier to approach than professional BD-J systems.

Part 13. Which Is Best for 4K UHD Blu-ray?

If UHD Blu-ray is essential, the comparison changes substantially.

 

TMPGEnc Authoring Works 7 drops out because its current authoring specification is centered on DVD, Blu-ray BDMV and AVCHD rather than UHD Blu-ray.

 

That leaves three broad levels.

 

Home / Advanced User

Yuhan 4K UHD Creator

Best when you want an integrated UHD authoring workflow from source video to menus, ISO or disc.

 

Advanced / Semi-Professional

Blu-Disc Studio UHD / KITe

Better when you need deeper BD-J menu programming and already understand preparation of compliant media assets.

 

Commercial Studio

Scenarist UHD

Designed for commercial Ultra HD Blu-ray production and professional mastering.

 

These programs should not be judged only by the number of features they list.

 

They are intended for very different users.

Part 14. Which Is Best for Mac?

Among the programs compared here, Yuhan has the clearest consumer-focused Mac workflow.

 

It supports both Intel and Apple Silicon Macs in addition to Windows.

 

TMPGEnc Authoring Works 7 and Blu-Disc Studio are Windows applications.

 

Therefore, Mac users who specifically need Blu-ray or UHD Blu-ray Pop-Up Menu authoring have a much smaller selection.

Part 15. Which Is Best for Professional BD-J Menus?

If your definition of “custom menu” means complete interactive programming rather than changing backgrounds and button text, look at:

 

Blu-Disc Studio

or:

Scenarist

 

Blu-Disc Studio exposes GPR/PSR variables, Java functions, playlists, chapter actions, animations and BD-J menu logic.

 

Scenarist goes further into professional HDMV/BD-J production and commercial mastering workflows.

 

These tools make sense when menu behavior itself is part of the authoring design.

 

For a personal movie collection, they may be unnecessary.

Part 16. Frequently Asked Questions

What is the easiest Blu-ray authoring software with a Pop-Up Menu?

For users who do not want to learn BD-J programming, Yuhan and TMPGEnc Authoring Works 7 are among the more accessible options. Yuhan has the additional advantage of UHD Blu-ray and macOS support, while TMPGEnc is a mature Windows option for standard BDMV Blu-ray projects.

Does TMPGEnc Authoring Works 7 support Pop-Up Menus?

Yes. Pegasys explicitly lists high-definition and Pop-Up Menu support for BDMV projects in the official specification.

Does TMPGEnc Authoring Works 7 create 4K UHD Blu-rays?

Its current official authoring specification focuses on DVD, Blu-ray BDMV and AVCHD rather than Ultra HD Blu-ray authoring. If your target is UHD Blu-ray, choose a dedicated UHD authoring tool.

Can Blu-Disc Studio create a Pop-Up Menu?

Yes. Main and Pop-Up Menu authoring is explicitly listed in Blu-Disc Studio's official features, and its user documentation includes a dedicated Pop-Up Menu tutorial.

Does Blu-Disc Studio support UHD Blu-ray?

Yes, through its UHD edition. The current product documentation lists HEVC and UHD support in the UHD version.

Does Scenarist support Pop-Up Menus?

Yes. Scenarist Designer can prepare and export custom menu and popup assets for Scenarist BD and Scenarist UHD, while Scenarist provides professional HDMV/BD-J authoring.

Can I make an UHD Blu-ray Pop-Up Menu from an MKV?

Yes, with a tool that supports both MKV-oriented UHD authoring and Pop-Up Menus. Yuhan 4K UHD Creator is designed for this workflow. However, the processing mode depends on the source. For example, an MKV containing TrueHD requires Transcoding in Yuhan so that the necessary AC3 + TrueHD Blu-ray audio structure can be generated. Large sources also require Transcoding when they need to fit a BD25 or BD50 physical disc for standalone-player playback.

Do I need a Pop-Up Menu on every Blu-ray?

No. A simple home movie may work perfectly with a Top Menu and chapter selection. Pop-Up Menus are most useful for longer movies, concerts, episodic discs and more polished projects where viewers need quick access to navigation while playback continues.

Part 17. Final Verdict: Which Blu-ray Authoring Software with Pop-Up Menus Should You Choose?

There is no single Blu-ray authoring application that is best for every user.

 

The important question is how much control you actually need.

 

For most home and advanced users who want Blu-ray or 4K UHD Blu-ray authoring with a real Pop-Up Menu, Yuhan Blu-ray / 4K UHD Creator offers one of the most straightforward workflows. It combines menus, chapters, audio, subtitles, HDR, ISO output and physical-disc creation without requiring the user to program BD-J navigation manually.

 

For Windows users focused on traditional 1080p Blu-ray and DVD authoring, TMPGEnc Authoring Works 7 remains a strong choice and provides genuine BDMV Pop-Up Menu functionality.

 

For authors who need deep BD-J interaction and highly customized Pop-Up Menus, Blu-Disc Studio provides substantially more programming control.

 

For commercial replication and Hollywood-level mastering workflows, Scenarist BD and Scenarist UHD remain professional authoring systems rather than ordinary consumer Blu-ray creators.

 

And for technically experienced users who prefer a modular workflow, EasyBD with Quick BD Menu provides another path to interactive main and Pop-Up Menu authoring.

 

The important point is not to assume that every program advertised as a “Blu-ray menu creator” supports a true Pop-Up Menu.

 

A Top Menu appears outside normal movie playback.

 

A real Blu-ray Pop-Up Menu appears while the content is playing.

 

If that commercial-disc-style navigation experience is important to your project, make sure the authoring software explicitly supports it before building the rest of your workflow around the application.

 

If you want to learn more about Yuhan Blu-ray Creator, please click: https://yuhanmedia.com/bd-creator

 

If you want to download and try it for free, please click the button below to download it.

 

       

 

If you’re using a Mac with an Apple Silicon chip (M1, M2, M3, M4, etc.) rather than an Intel processor, please download the native Apple Silicon version here:

https://yuhanmedia.com/wp-content/download/bdc_setup_apple.dmg