There is always a need for CDs, DVDs and Blu-ray discs. Whether for music and movies when you’re away from the network or for archiving important documents, the on disk is always available. Most devices do not have a built-in CD, DVD, or Blu-Ray drive. Fortunately, you can get one and Windows 10 and 11 can still write data to disks.
Windows Integrated Disc Burning Software
Microsoft has two disc burning tools built into the Windows operating system. Windows File Explorer can format discs for use as a flash drive or burn discs for use with a CD or DVD drive. You can also burn an ISO image file to disk. Windows Media Player can burn discs for use with CD or DVD players. Take a look at both and see which one is right for you.
To set a default recorder, you can choose the first time you insert a blank disc.
- Insert a blank CD or DVD into your PC. If this is your first time inserting a blank disc, a notification will ask what you want to happen to blank CDs. Click on the notification.
- choose any Burn audio CD use Windows Media Player or Burn files to disk to use File Explorer automatically the next time you insert a blank disk.
Burn CDs or DVDs to use as a USB drive with Windows Explorer
This method assumes that Windows is configured to automatically use File Explorer to burn discs. Otherwise, simply open File Explorer after inserting the blank disk and the utility will be available. You must use a CD-RW or DVD-RW format disc for this.
- When File Explorer Record a Disc window opens, enter a Album title: and select Like a USB drive and next.
File Explorer will format the drive to work as a USB drive. This process takes approximately one minute.
- File Explorer will open. It’s easier to open another File Explorer window, navigate to the files you want to add, select them, and drag and drop them into File Explorer that focuses on the disk.
The files are added to disk. Depending on the quantity and size, this may take a few seconds or minutes. However, it is not as fast as a USB flash drive.
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- You can delete, add or even change file names. After any changes, select training tools after Expel to remove the disk. To recover or add files later, insert the disc and Windows will recognize it as a rewritable disc.
Burn a CD or DVD for use with a CD or DVD drive with Windows Explorer
This method assumes that Windows is configured to use File Explorer to burn discs automatically. Otherwise, simply open File Explorer after inserting the blank disk and the utility will be available.
You can use any blank CD or DVD disc for this. If you are using a CD-RW or DVD-RW disc, it will no longer be rewritable. These discs will work on PCs, but not necessarily on all other CD or DVD players. CD-R and DVD-R discs are better for this and are also cheaper.
- When File Explorer Record a Disc window opens, enter a Album title: and select With CD/DVD reader and next.
- File Explorer will open with your training tools and the selected disk. It is easier to open another file explorer to select files from HDD or SSD to
Drag and drop to disk.
- After adding all the desired files to the disk, select training tools after finish burning.
Make sure the disc title is correct and choose a recording speed. Depending on the type of CD/DVD burner you have, it can range from 4x to 48x. That means it will write 4 to 48 times faster than the disk’s read speed. The higher the speed, the greater the chance of failing or creating a low-quality product, so choose wisely. If you are sure not to burn another copy, choose Close the wizard after writing the files.. then select next.
When disc burning is complete, choose Yes, burn these files to another disk if you want to make another copy. Otherwise, select finish to close the wizard.
Burn CDs and DVDs with Windows Media Player
You can use Microsoft’s built-in Windows Media Player application to burn audio CDs and data CDs and DVDs. Audio CDs will work on PCs and most CD players. Data CDs and DVDs can be used for data files or music and videos. Data discs containing music and video will play on computers and can be played on some CD and DVD players. Check with the manufacturer of your CD or DVD player to be sure.
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Burn Audio CDs with Windows Media Player
- With a blank CD on your PC, open Windows Media Player and navigate to the Music section of your library. Then select the Burn language. Near the top right, select the small options button. In the menu that opens, select Audio CD.
- Drag and drop songs from the main Windows Media Player window to the Burn list box.
- You can return to the list of options and make more choices about how the music is categorized, the disc name, and other options. Select More recording options to tune the disc.
For example in Choice window under the Burn can recording, apply volume leveling to tracks, remove spaces between songs, and add a list of burned files to the CD. The default values are fine for most people. Select okay to return to Windows Media Player.
- When you’re ready, select start recording. The disc will come out when recording is completed.
Burn data CDs and DVDs with Windows Media Player
This method burns raw data, music or video to CDs and DVDs. Music and video CDs and DVDs created this way may not play in all CD and DVD players, but they will work on any PC. It’s not the best way to make DVDs, but it works. Unfortunately, Microsoft stopped including Windows DVD Maker after Windows 7. For proper DVD creation with classic DVD menus, and more, check out the suggested DVD burning software applications in the Burn Blu-ray Disc section below.
- With a blank CD or DVD in the optical drive, open Windows Media Player and select the Burn language. Then select the Choice and make sure Data CD or DVD is selected. This is usually the default, but it’s good to be sure.
- Go to the part of the library that contains the data, music, or video you want to record. Then drag and drop the media into the recording list Region.
- Select start recording to burn the disk. When recording is finished, the disc recorder outputs the disc.
Burn ISO disk image to CD or DVD
ISO disk images tend to be for operating systems or larger applications and even games. The They allow you to store a large number of files in one while maintaining the directory structure. So when you mount the ISO everything will work as expected. It is also the preferred format for boot disks. This works on DVDs and CDs, but make sure the disc has enough capacity for the ISO file.
- Insert a blank disc into the disc burner. Then open Windows Explorer and navigate to the ISO you want to burn. In Windows 11, right-click the ISO file and select show more options, or select the file and press Gap + F10.
Then select burn disk image.
In Windows 10, right-click and select burn disk image.
- In the Windows Disc Image Burner window, you can select the disc burner you want to use or Check the disc after burning. This will be your main recorder by default and most of the time you don’t need to check the discs. Select Burn Continue.
When the recording is completed, the disc will be output. Select near to end the session.
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Burn Blu-ray discs in Windows 11/10
It turns out that there is nothing in the Windows operating system to burn Blu-ray discs. Additionally, most Windows PCs and laptops do not come with an optical disk drive or recorder of any kind. Then you need the Blu-ray burner and Blu-ray burning software. Also, make sure you have the correct type of Blu-ray Disc.
These three free apps have a good, long history and continue to perform well. You may recognize CDBurnerXP, ImgBurn, and Ashampoo Burning Studio Free from the heyday of torrenting in the late 90s and early 2000s.
seems dated, as the XP part of the name suggests. Still, it is a solid Blu-ray and DVD burning software. It is the only one of the three that has a portable application option so it can be run from a USB flash drive.
It may look like a Windows 7 app, but it works well for burning any type of disc, including Blu-ray. There’s also a powerful ImgBurn community forum with plenty of guides to help you do almost anything.
is another free app that has been around for a long time. However, it is up to date, as evidenced by the app design below. Ashampoo Burning Studio Free requires you to register with an email to use the software, unlike ImgBurn.
Burn baby burn
Whether you’re always using a CD player or prefer to watch a DVD or Blu-ray on Friday nights instead of Netflix and relax, you have all the tools and information at your fingertips to do just that. Or do you already have a favorite recording software? Please let us know in the comments.
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