Download makemkv for Windows (Latest Version)

makemkv Official Introduction

If you’ve got a stack of physical DVDs or Blu-rays you want to back up to digital files, MakeMKV from GuinpinSoft is basically the go-to tool for that job. It doesn’t try to be an all-in-one video editor or media suite — it does one very specific thing, and it does it really well: pull video, audio and subtitles straight off a disc and pack them into an MKV file, with zero quality loss along the way.

Here’s what makes it different from most video converters. It never re-encodes the video. Instead it just remuxes the raw streams off the disc into an MKV container, so you get an exact 1:1 copy of the original picture and sound. No compression, no blurred details, no downgraded audio. Every track stays intact: multiple language dubs, subtitle files, chapter markers, even lossless HD audio tracks like DTS-HD and Dolby TrueHD. It also shows you full details for every track before you rip — file size, runtime, codec, language — so you can pick exactly what you want to keep and skip the extra fluff you don’t need.

Decryption is another big reason people still swear by this tool after all these years. It bypasses almost all common disc copy protection schemes, including standard DVD CSS and newer Blu-ray systems like AACS and BD+. You don’t need to install extra codec packs or helper tools — everything is built right in. Pop a disc in, let it scan for a few seconds, and you’re ready to go. It works with standard DVDs, Blu-rays, and even ISO disc images you already have saved on your hard drive.

Using it is dead simple, even if you’re not super tech savvy. There’s no complicated setup or pages of settings to tweak. You slide the disc into your drive, wait for the app to scan and list all the available titles, check off the video and audio tracks you want to keep, pick an output folder, and hit the big Make MKV button. That’s the whole process. Speed depends almost entirely on how fast your optical drive reads discs, but since there’s no re-encoding happening, it’s way faster than full video converters that take hours to process a single movie. Most standard Blu-rays finish in 20 to 40 minutes on a decent drive.

One underrated feature a lot of people sleep on is local network streaming. You don’t have to wait for a full rip to finish watching something. The app can generate a local stream link so you can play the decrypted disc content directly on another device on your home network, through VLC or any other compatible player. It’s a small touch, but it’s really handy if you just want to watch a disc on another screen without copying the whole file over first.

It’s not without clear tradeoffs, obviously. For one thing, MKV is your only output option. If you want MP4, smaller compressed files, or device-specific formats, you’ll need to run the file through a second tool like HandBrake afterwards. The interface is extremely utilitarian and pretty dated looking — it’s built for function, not style. There’s also no built-in editing, trimming or filtering tools of any kind.

On the licensing side, DVD ripping is completely free and stays free forever. Blu-ray functionality is free during the ongoing beta period, though you do need to refresh the beta key every few months. A permanent paid license is available if you don’t want to deal with that.

makemkv Tips

If you’re firing it up for the first time, skip the random setting tweaks and stick to these three steps. You’ll get clean, working backups on your first try without wasting time or drive space.

Scan your disc with zero extra setup

You don’t need to download codec packs, install helper tools or mess with decryption settings. Pop your disc in the drive, open the app, and click the big optical drive icon at the top. It’ll scan the full disc in 30 to 60 seconds, automatically bypassing most common copy protection in the background. That’s it — no hoops to jump through, no extra steps.

Pick only the tracks you actually need

Here’s the rookie mistake almost everyone makes their first time: checking every single title and track. The main movie is almost always the largest, longest file on the list. Every other entry is usually bonus features, ads, trailers or alternate cuts you probably don’t care about. Each track lists its size, runtime, codec and language right there in the menu, so you can pick exactly which audio dubs and subtitle tracks you want to keep. Skip the rest and you’ll save a ton of storage space.

Hit the button and walk away

Once you’ve picked your tracks and selected an output folder, just click the big Make MKV button on the right. There’s no confusing compression sliders or quality settings to mess with, because the tool never re-encodes the video. It just repackages the original raw streams into an MKV container. Speed depends entirely on how fast your disc drive reads data, but it’s way faster than full video converters that take hours to reprocess a single movie.