Despite the rise of streaming services and digital media, DVDs remain a beloved format for collectors, movie enthusiasts, and anyone who enjoys owning physical copies of their favorite films. However, DVDs are fragile. Scratches, wear and tear, and even region restrictions can make them unusable over time. That’s why backing up your DVDs is a smart strategy for preservation and convenience.

Part 1. Why MakeMKV is the Best Free DVD Backup Tool

When it comes to backing up DVD content to your computer, not all software is created equal. There are many types of DVDs out there, and most ripping tools are limited in what they can handle. MakeMKV, however, stands out as the most reliable and versatile free tool for backing up DVDs—even the tricky ones.

Understanding the Different Types of DVDs

To understand why MakeMKV is so useful, it's important to know the different DVD formats and the challenges they pose.

1. Ordinary DVD Movies (UDF Format)

Most DVDs are created in the UDF (Universal Disk Format). These discs contain a VIDEO_TS folder filled with .VOB, .IFO, and .BUP files. In ordinary DVDs:

• The total size of .VOB files equals the disc’s capacity (e.g., around 4.7GB for DVD-5).
• The video structure is straightforward and compatible with many DVD players and backup tools.

2. Disney’s Copy-Protected 99-Title DVDs

Disney uses advanced copy protection called the 99-title structure. These discs contain many fake video titles—often 99 or more—with the aim of confusing DVD ripping software. Most tools cannot identify the correct title for the main movie, or they crash during extraction.

• These discs can report a video size of 40GB to 50GB, much larger than the actual disc capacity.
• Only one of the titles is valid—the rest are traps.
• Common DVD backup tools fail to locate the correct title.

3. Japanese AV (Adult Video) DVDs (CDFS Format)

Japanese adult videos often come in a CDFS (Compact Disc File System) format instead of UDF. These DVDs are unconventional:

• Main .VOB files often exceed 1GB.
• The filesystem is less compatible with mainstream ripping tools.
• Decryption and backup are more difficult due to unique file structures.

Most DVD backup software can only handle the first type—the most common standard movie discs. However, for the second type, such as 99-title DVDs (often used by Disney), the copied VIDEO_TS directory often exceeds the size limit of a standard DVD, making it impossible to burn successfully.

For the third type, such as AV (adult videos) DVDs, the copied VOB file (e.g., VTS_01_1.VOB) can exceed 1GB, which violates the UHD 1.02 standard, leading to failure during playback or burning.

Fortunately, MakeMKV can perfectly handle almost all types of DVD movies, making it one of the most reliable tools for DVD backup.

Part 2. How to Use MakeMKV to Backup DVD

First, we need to back up the DVD movie to ISO using MakeMKV. MakeMKV is easy to use, even for beginners. Here’s a step-by-step guide to backing up your DVD:

Steps to MakeMKV backup DVD to ISO:

Step 1: Download and Install MakeMKV

Go to the official website: https://www.makemkv.com, Download the latest version for your operating system (Windows/macOS/Linux).

Step 2: Insert Your DVD

Install and launch the software, insert the DVD, and click the Backup button on the toolbar.

Step 3: Bakcup your DVD

When the backup dialog box appears, simply click the "OK" button, and MakeMKV will begin the backup process.

How to burn DVD ISO to disc

On Windows, you can use ImgBurn to easily burn a DVD ISO file to a disc.

On Mac, simply right-click on the ISO file, and from the pop-up menu, select "Burn to Disc" to begin the burning process.

Part 3. How to Burn Videos and Photos to DVD

While MakeMKV is perfect for backing up DVD content, you might also want to create DVDs from your own videos or photo collections. For that, we recommend Yuhan DVD Creator—a feature-rich tool for burning professional-looking DVDs on Windows or Mac.

Why Use Yuhan DVD Creator?

Yuhan DVD Creator is designed to make DVD creation simple, customizable, and reliable. Whether you’re burning home videos, edited films, or photo slideshows, this tool makes it effortless to build DVDs that work in any player.

Key Features:

• Supports all common formats: MKV, MP4, AVI, MOV, WMV, M2TS, JPG, PNG, and more.
• Allows multiple audio tracks and subtitle files (SRT, ASS, SUP).
• Compatible with PAL and NTSC video systems.
• Supports 4:3 and 16:9 aspect ratios.
• Comes with 30+ DVD menu templates.
• Offers custom menus: Add background music, change thumbnails, and rearrange buttons.
• Burn directly to disc, ISO, or DVD folder.

Steps to Burn Videos to DVD and Photos with Yuhan DVD Creator

Before we start, we need to download and install Yuhan DVD Creator. If your computer is Windows, you can click the button on the left below to download it. If your computer is Mac, please click the button on the right below to download it.

Step 1: Add Video Files

After launching the software, click the "DVD" tab at the top to begin creating your DVD. Next, click "Add Video" to import the video files you want to burn, and "Add Picture" to include photo files. At the bottom of the window, you can customize essential settings such as disc capacity (DVD5 or DVD9), video aspect ratio (16:9 or 4:3), and choose between PAL or NTSC video formats based on your region.

Step 2: Disk Menu Settings

Click the "Select Menu" button to open the "Menu Settings" dialog box. Here, you can browse the available templates on the right and customize them to your preference—such as setting a background image, adding background music, adjusting the position of menu items, and more.

Step 3: Output Settings

You can save your DVD assets as a DVD folder, an ISO image, or burn them directly to a disc. Additionally, you can configure settings such as the default audio track, default subtitles, disc label, and more to suit your preferences.

Step 4: Start authoring

Click the "Start" button to begin the burning process with Yuhan DVD Creator. Once the process is complete, the disc will be automatically ejected.

Part 4. Conclusion

MakeMKV is without a doubt the best free DVD backup software in 2025. It handles everything from ordinary discs to complex Disney-protected DVDs and unique Japanese CDFS formats—something most other tools can’t manage. Whether you're looking to archive your collection or convert discs for digital playback, MakeMKV is the tool to trust.

On the flip side, if you want to create DVDs from your own content—family videos, photos, or backed-up MKV files—Yuhan DVD Creator offers a professional, flexible solution with full menu customization and broad format support.

By combining MakeMKV for backups and Yuhan DVD Creator for authoring, you get the best of both worlds: Preserve your media and create new DVDs with ease.

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

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