Windows Media Player is the default media player coming with Microsoft's platform. With WindowsMedia Player, you can enjoy media conveniently and without any charge. This article will show you how to play a DVD with Windows Media Player.

What you will need to play a DVD with WMP

• Microsoft system installed on your PC
• DVD-ROM drive
• A software or hardware DVD decoder
• Windows Media Player 10 or above

How to Play a DVD using Windows Media Player

Make Sure DVD Playback Decoder Installed
Windows Media Player support for DVD playback is dependent upon the presence of a supported decoder, either hardware or software. When these are present, Windows Media Player provides DVD playback, which is provided by DirectShow, uses advanced features of your video hardware, such as the Video Mixing Renderer (VMR).

Open Windows Media Player & Insert the DVD into the DVD drive.
Now, sit down and relax. The DVD playback will automatically start. If the disc does not play automatically, click Quick Access Panel button on the Windows Media Player menu and select the drive that contains the DVD.

How to fix Window Media Player "Cannot Play This DVD" Error

• If there is no compatible DVD decoder installed on your system, you will encounter a "Cannot Play This DVD" error when insert the DVD into DVD drive.
• To fix "Cannot Play This DVD" error, you need to install suitable DVD codec on your system. Of course, you could purchase commercial DVD decoder from giants like Cyberlink, Corel, Roxio, etc. for better and multimedia experience. However, you could usually use the free DVD codec, like K-lite Codec Pack, Codec Pack (Advanced) and so on. After DVD codec installed, play DVD again in Windows Media Player.

Also you can copy DVD to iTunes for playback if you like.