How to Remove Copy Protection from DVD in 6 Easy and Proven Ways

Are you a DVD enthusiast? Looking into how to remove copy protection from DVD? Read this post, you're going to learn 6 easy yet efficient ways to remove DVD copy protection.

When ripping a protected DVD, often you would get an unplayable outcome or an error notice, such as "read error" and "copy protection 0x8003030 error". Why? Most commercial DVDs contain some forms of copy protection for preventing the DVD from unauthorized distribution or playback.

Thus, breaking DVD copy protection is a necessary step whenever you want to back up your movie collection or digitalize the disc. Luckily, this is easy to approach once you are with the right DVD copy protection removal software. Keep reading, I'm going to show you 3 easy ways to remove copyright protection from DVDs of any kind, including the latest released Disney movie DVDs.

How to Remove Copy Protection from DVD

Removing copy protection from DVDs is not technically possible, as it is embedded in the disc itself. However, you can use software tools to bypass or crack the copy protection and create an unencrypted digital copy of your DVD. Let's quickly review 6 of the best DRM removal tools that can help you bypass or crack DVD copy protection, allowing you to make unencrypted copies of your DVD content.

1. Remove Copy Protection from DVD with VideoProc Converter AI

• OS: Microsoft Windows 11, 10, 8/8.1, 7 (32-bit and 64-bit versions)
• What's in it for you: Automatically remove copy protection from virtually any kinds of DVDs in 2 minutes.

Whether you want to remove copy protection from the old morning show DVDs, the latest Disney-99 title movie DVDs, the 21st Century Fox movie DVDs, or whatever other encrypted DVDs, VideoProc Converter AI can help you out. This easy yet powerful DVD copy protection removal software supports all common and non-standard encryption schemes, allowing everyone break copy protected commercial DVDs with just one click, without using additional plugins or software.

It allows you to create 1:1 backups of your favorite DVDs in MKV, VIDEO_TS folder, or ISO image file formats. Additionally, you can digitize your DVDs into MP4, AVI, WMV, MOV, and over 370 other digital formats for convenient playback, sharing, archiving, and editing.

Thanks to the High Quality Engine support, bypassing copyright protection and digitizing DVDs doesn't compromise on quality. Even better, VideoProc Converter AI introduces a few AI-powered features for you to enhance the video quality. For instance, with its Super Resolution AI, you can upscale the 480P videos extracted from DVDs to up to 4K resolution for viewing them on modern screens with remarkable clarity.

Why Is VideoProc Converter AI the Best Pick to Break DVD Copy Protection

• Automatically remove copyright protection from DVDs on its own.
• Bypass CSS, RCE, Sony ARccOS, UOPs, X-project DRM, D-Cops, LaserLock, and more.
• Break DVD protection at a blazing fast speed, powered by the full GPU acceleration tech.
• Rip the encrypted DVD to MP4, AVI, MOV, ISO, and 370+ more popular or rare format.
• Backup the encrypted DVDs to MKV, VIDEO_TS folder, and ISO image files with 1:1 quality.
• New! AI upscaling DVD 480P to up to UHD 4K without artifacts or detail loss.
• Stabilization, frame interpolation, and more AI tools to elevate your videos.
• All-in-one: edit, convert, compress, and download videos; rip, backup DVDs.

Step 1. Import the Copy Protected DVD.

Download and install this free DVD copy protection removal software on your Windows or Mac. Launch it up, choose DVD to enter the DVD ripping panel. Hit Disc to open up the Select the source disc panel. VideoProc Converter AI will auto recognize the installed DVD. Next, you hit Done.

Step 2. Choose the Output Format.

Navigate to the Target Format panel to pick up MP4, MKV, AVI, MOV, or any other digital format as the wanted output format. You can also hit the Backup button to get options like ISO, VIDEO_TS, Main Copy, and Title Copy, etc.

Step 3. Remove Copy Protection from DVD.

Hit RUN to start to remove the copy protection from DVD. To remove strong DVD encryption, just tick up the option box for Safe Mode.

Learn More about the DVD Converter in VideoProc Converter AI

2. Remove Copy Protection from DVD with HandBrake

• OS: Microsoft Windows 7 or later; Mac OS X Yosemite (version 10.10) and later; Ubuntu LTS versions.
• What's in it for you: Remove UOP, CSS, and region code copy protection from DVDs.

Before getting into the detailed steps of removing copy protection from DVD with HandBrake, it's important to know that this free DVD copy protection removal software is for ripping unprotected DVDs even though it can bypass the UOP protection. If you still want to rely on HandBrake to unlock CSS or Region Code copy protection from movie DVDs, you have to take advantage of the libdvdcss library.

Step 1. Install HandBrake.

Go to the official site of HandBrake to download and install the latest version of HandBrake on your PC or Mac.

Step 2. Download Libdvdcss.

For Windows users:

• Download libdvdcss.dll (32bit or 64bit) first.
• Copy and paste the DLL file under C:\Program Files\Handbrake.

For Mac users:

• Start Terminal and enter the command line: /usr/bin/ruby -e "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/master/install)"
• Press Return and enter your password. It now starts to install Homebrew.
• Once Homebrew is successfully installed on the Mac, start Terminal again.
• Enter the command line: brew install libdvdcss. Press Enter.
• Homebrew now starts to download and install the libdvdcss library on your Mac.

Heads Up

OS X El Capitan and later come with a new security system named SIP (System Integrity Protection). It will remove the libdvdcss library and a few other apps that are used for removing protection from DVDs. Hence, you might fail to install the libdvdcss library on your Mac by following the above steps. No worry, however, we've already found the solution.

• Download and install libdvdcss.pkg on the Mac.
• Start Terminal.
• Enter sudo mkdir /usr/local/lib/ sudo cp ~/Downloads/libdvdcss_1.4.0/libdvdcss.2.dylib /usr/local/lib/libdvdcss.2.dylib and press Enter. That's it.

Step 3. Import the Encrypted DVD.

Launch up HandBrake. The tool will display all the files and discs it detected. Choose the DVD you want to remove the copy protection from, and this will lead you to a new panel.

Step 4. Choose the Output File.

Beginners can choose the wanted output format from the giving options of Preset. Advanced user? Just navigate down to find the Video and Audio tabs. Here, you have dozens of options used for customizing the video bitrate, resolutions, frame rate, and sample rate, etc.

Step 5. Remove Copy Protection from DVD with HandBrake.

Once you're satisfied with all the adjustments, choose Browse to set up an output file folder. Press Start Encode on the top menu bar. HandBrake will then start to rip the DVD and remove the copy protection schema.

3. Remove Copy Protection from DVD with IMGBURN

• OS: Microsoft Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista, 2003, XP, and earlier.
• What's in it for you: Free to remove CSS protection from DVDs (not guarantee to work).

DVD Decrypter users might have heard about IMGBURN since both two are developed by Lightning UK!. From the information provided by Wiki, IMGBURN cannot remove the CSS or any other sort of copy protection from a DVD, however, from my test, it sometimes could work for removing CSS encryption from a few old movie DVDs.

Step 1. Install IMGBURN.

Come over to the IMGBURN homepage to find a list of mirror sites. You can visit one of those mirror sites to download IMGBURN install pack. After that, install and launch up the freeware.

Step 2. Choose the Conversion Mode.

Choose Create image file from disc on the start interface of this CSS protection remover to enter the conversion panel.

Step 3. Select the DVD.

Hit the down-triangle button to find the DVD that you want to remove copy protection from, and click it.

Step 4. Remove Copy Protection from DVD with IMGBURN.

Hit the yellow explore button to choose an output file folder for holding the output ISO file. Press the blue arrow to start to unlock copy protected DVD with IMGBURN.

4. Remove Copy Protection from DVD with MakeMKV

• OS: Windows XP or later, x86 or x64; x64 or ARM64 Mac OS X 10.7 or later; Linux.
• What's in it for you: Free to remove AACS, structure protection, BD-Java protection, etc.

MakeMKV is a handy solution for removing copy protection from DVDs, Blu-rays, UHD, and AVCHD discs and digitalizing them to MKV format. It works by remuxing the video clips into MKV files, maintaining all the information without altering the video or audio content. This DVD copy protection removal software is only free while in beta. However, given it has been in beta for over a decade and users can use it for free by simply entering the latest beta key whenever prompted for registration, it can be regarded as a cost-free solution to remove copy protection from DVD.

Step 1. Install MakeMKV.

Visit the MakeMKV website to download and install the latest version. Alternatively, you can find the installation pack on VideoHelp. To avoid interruptions, you can purchase a license for $60. After installation, open the program and enter the key when required, or do it later under the Help > Register menu.

Step 2. Import the Copy Protected DVD.

Insert the copy-protected DVD into your optical drive. Open MakeMKV and click the optical drive button located in the center to allow the software to read the DVD.

Step 3. Select Needed Content.

Choose the specific title(s), audio tracks, and subtitles you want to convert and save as copy-protected free MKV files.

Step 4. Remove Copy Protection with MakeMKV.

Click the file folder button, and select the output directory for the MKV file. Press the button under Make MKV, and this free DVD copy protection removal software will start copying the files from the copyright-protected DVD.

5. Remove Copy Protection from DVD with DVD Shrink

• OS: Microsoft Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, and 10.
• What's in it for you: Free to remove CSS, region code, and UOP protection from DVDs.

DVD Shrink is primarily designed to compress the content of DVD files. It can reduce the original 8.5GB DVD content to 4.7GB, allowing it to fit on a single-layer writable DVD. It can also serve as a free piece of DVD copy protection removal software for removing copy protection from DVDs by bypassing region code, UOP, and CSS protection schemes. However, it may disappoint you if you intend to use it for removing copy protection from DVDs protected by advanced technologies like X-project and Macrovision RipGuard. In such cases, it often fails with errors like Invalid File Structure and CRC Error. Aside from compatibility issues, it's important to note that DVD Shrink has not received any updates for over 20 years, since July 2004.

Step 1. Download and Install DVD Shrink.

Visit the official DVD Shrink site to download and install the latest stable version (3.2.0.15 for English, 3.2.0.16 for German) on your Windows PC. Give it a caution that Versions with additional words like DVD Shrink 2014 or newer are likely scams.

Step 2. Add the Copy Protected DVD.

Insert the DVD into your computer's disc drive. Click Open Disc and select the DVD you just inserted as the source. DVD Shrink will analyze the disc, and once complete, you'll see the DVD structure on the upper left: Menus, Main Movie, and Extras.

Step 3. Specify Compression Settings, Audio Track, and Subtitles.

Navigate to the Compression Settings section and select your preferred compression ratio. If you want to compress the content in the copy-protected DVDs to fit on a DVD5 disc, then choose Automatic. By default, all audio tracks and subtitles are selected. You can uncheck any tracks you do not need to make the output file smaller in size.

Step 4. Remove Copy Protection from DVD vis DVD Shrink

Go to the top center to locate and click Backup. Select the backup target and target folder of the DVD output files. Click OK to start removing copy protection from DVD via DVD Shrink.

6. Remove Copy Protection from DVD with VLC

• OS: Microsoft Windows XP SP3 and above, Mac OS X Lion (version 10.7.5) and above, etc.
• What's in it for you: Free to remove CSS, region code, and UOP protection from DVDs.

Step 1. Download and Install VLC.

Go to the official page of VLC to have its latest version downloaded and installed on your computer.

Step 2. Load Your DVD.

Open this free DVD copy protection removal software, click Media which is located in the top menu bar, and select Convert / Save. Click Disc, go to the Disc Device section, and select the DVD disc that you want to bypass the CSS protection.

Step 3. Select the Needed Content.

Check the No disc menus option to bypass DVD menus and prevent ripping errors. You can also select specific titles, chapters, and audio tracks to work with.

Step 4. Remove Copy Protection from DVD with VLC.

Click Convert / Save and choose the desired output format from the drop-down of the Profile menu. Click Browser and select the output folder. Hit Start to start ripping DVD to digital formats and remove the DRM protection scheme.

8 DVD Copy Protection Forms

The DVDs in your hand may adopt different copy protection forms like CSS and ARccOS. Some encryption schemes are easy to bypass while others are not. To give you a better reference, below I list the basic information of 8 of the most common DVD copy protection forms.

1. CSS

Content Scramble System (CSS), introduced in 1996, is the most widely applied Digital Rights Management (DRM) scheme. It adopts the 40-bit stream cipher to prevent the DVD content from being copied without permission. Apart from that, an unauthorized device won't be able to read and play the CSS-protected DVD.

2. Region Code

A region codec is for preventing the playback of a commercial disc in a region other than the one it is released. Suppose you have a DVD that is released in Canada (region 1), then you could not play it on a region 2 DVD player. With region codec protection, movie studios can effectively control the release date and price of new movies according to region.

3. RCE

RCE, the abbreviation for Region Codec Enhanced, is for preventing the playback of a movie DVD in a region other than the one it is released, even if the DVD is played in a region free player.

4. UOP

The full name of UOP is User operation prohibition. Just as its name implies, UOP is for preventing people from performing any actions during the playback of a UOP protected section. It is initially come out to stop viewers from skipping the copyright notice, but now UOP is more widely running for stopping views skipping the ads of a DVD.

5. ARccOS

Sony ARccOS Protection, a copy protection system created by Sony, is designed as an additional layer used with the CSS scheme. When people are trying to copy the DVD by using a DVD copy tool, ARccOS will deliberately generate corrupted sectors on the DVD.

6. APS

APS is the abbreviation of Analog Protection System. It is a VHS and DVD copy protection system developed by TiVo Corporation (formerly the Macrivsion). It works by adding pulses to apply negatively impact on the AGC circuit of the recording device. By doing so, it can damage the digital copies of APS encrypted DVDs.

7. HDCP

HDCP refers to High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection. It's a digital copy protection scheme proposed and carried out by Intel. When users copy a DVD without permission, the HDCP technique will interrupt the process and downgrade the result picture quality to achieve the purpose of protecting the DVD content.

8. Disney X Project

Disney X Project (99-title) is a new copy protection scheme developed by Disney. The features of this sort of encrypted movie DVDs are 99 titles and over 40GB of file size. Currently, no freeware can remove a Disney 99 title copy protection scheme. Among a handful of commercial DVD rippers that claim themselves to be able to remove the Disney X Project protection, only VideoProc Converter AI is found truly stable and reliable.

FAQ

Does DVD Shrink Remove Copy Protection from DVD?

Yes, DVD Shrink can remove copy protection. However, it only works for old DVDs since the program was discontinued 16 years ago. The old DeCSS decryption algorithm it adopts does not work for Sony ARccOS movie DVDs and a few other recent protection forms.

What Is the Best Software for Removing the Copy Protection from DVD?

VideoProc Converter AI is the best tool on earth for removing the DVD copy protection, and for good reasons. It's capable of removing CSS, RCE, Disney 99-title, and all other kinds of copy protection from old and recent DVDs. The self-explained interface and the support of the level-3 hardware acceleration tech ensure a beginner can get everything done in minutes. Moreover, it's an all-in-one video processing program, allowing you to 1:1 copy DVD to ISO file, convert 420+ video and audio formats, and apply basic edits to videos, etc.

Disclaimer: We do not advocate copying authorized or protected DVDs for commercial use.