How to Free Convert DVD to MKV with Lossless or High Quality

With the popularity of streaming services, DVDs are fading from everyday use. To preserve your favorite movies, gain easy access and declutter physical space, digitizing DVDs is a smart and practical move. If you want to keep all the content of DVD if possible, converting DVD to MKV is always the top choice. Why is that? Simply put, MKV can encapsulate videos, multiple audio tracks and multi-lingual subtitles into one single file while keeping the quality almost intact to that of DVDs. Besides, MKV provides better compatibility than some other formats like ISO image or DVD VIDEO_TS folder.

To convert a DVD to MKV files, you'll need a DVD ripper that supports MKV output. There are many programs out there that can get the job done—some handling protected discs, others not—you may be confused about choosing a suitable one. To save your time, we tested a variety of DVD to MKV converters and handpicked the five best ones that you can try with confidence. This list includes both 100% free tools and paid options, so you can choose based on your needs, not just your budget.

Why Convert DVD to MKV Files

There are three big reasons why converting DVD to MKV format might be a good idea.

First, it can help you protect your favorite movies from getting scratched or damaged. Physical discs require specific conditions to prevent damage. Optimal storage involves a cool, dry, and dark environment, ideally, vertical on shelves to avoid warping from pressure.

Sencodly, MKV is able to contain all detailed chapter information, sub-chapters, titles, multiple audio and video streams, subtitles, attachments and custom metadata. If you have ever encoded DVD movies into MP4, AVI, or MPEG format, and been slightly frustrated with the loss of DVD extra elements, then you can switch to MKV as the DVD backup format.

Thirdly, MKV is a file format as universal as MP4. It also works across TVs, laptops, and streaming boxes without worrying about region codes or physical media.

These advantages make MKV a practical choice for archiving and playback. Next, let's look at reliable DVD to MKV tools and how to use them.

Method 1. Convert DVD to MKV with DumboFab Blu-ray Ripper

Best for both lossless and compressed conversion, with flexible subtitle and audio configuration. It can handle 99-title DVD or any other copy-protected DVDs.

OS: Windows 11/7/8/earlier, macOS Tahoe and earlier.

DumboFab Blu-ray Ripper is a professional program that's specially designed for decrypting and ripping Blu-ray discs. But it can also rip any DVD to MKV, MP4, MOV and any other formats. For MKV output, it supports both lossless and re-encoded compression. The lossless MKV file can store all original subtitles and audio tracks (incl. HD audio) and preserve the chapter structure of the source movie, so you may select your wanted chapters to play with your media players at will. The encoded MKV file produces a smller file with good quality-size balance.

With leading decryption algorithm, DumboFab can cope with almost all the DVDs that you have -new releases, 99-title, regional DVDs, Japanese DVDs, workout DVDs and even scratched DVDs. Besides digital formats, this ideal DVD to MKV converter also 200+ optimized presets for iPad, iPhone, Android, TV, YouTube, Facebook, etc. Moreover, you can adjust resolution, bitrate, codec, etc. to produce the result video with good balance between file size and image quality. It also allows you to flexibily select the subtitle/audio tracks, add subtitles, crop, trim, and edit the MKV video.

After downloading and installing the DVD to MKV converter, follow the steps below to rip DVD to MKV.

Step 1. Add the source DVD disc/folder.

Open the DVD to MKV ripper and click "Load Disc" button to locate and select the source disc. DVD Folder and ISO image are also well accepted. This program supports advanced encryptions, like navigation algorithms used in multiple titles. It will easily detect the correct title hidden in DVDs from Disney, Sony, Paramount, etc.

Step 2. Choose a MKV profile and customize the video.

Dumbofab Blu-ray Ripper offers a series of presets in MKV formats, such as multi-track MKV (lossless and encoded), 3D MKV, MKV H.265, or high-quality 4K MKV.

① For multi-track MKV outputs, click "Format" bar, move mouse cursor to "Multi-track video" category and then select "Lossless/encoded Multi-track MKV" as the output format. By default, all orginal audio and subtitle tracks in the DVD are checked for being remuxed into a MKV file. If there are some tracks you don't like, you can click "Settings" button and go to Multi-task Settings window to uncheck and remove them under Audio tab and Subtitle tab. You can also tick off "Encode" option if you want to compress the audio tracks.

② For MKV H.265 and 4K MKV, simply go to "HD/4K Video" category and select the corresponding profile.

③ For 3D MKV, go to "3D Video" category, you can select 3D MKV profile with SBS anaglyph and top-bottom effect.

If you're not sure which format will play best on your device, click corresponding device category to choose an output preset designed specifically for phones, tablets, TVs, and other playback devices.

Step 3. Start the DVD to MKV conversion.

Click "Browse" button to select a destination folder in the dialog box that opens, and click OK. If you do not have other advanced and personalized settings, just hit "Convert" to beging converting DVD to MKV with lossless or high quality.

Method 2. Convert DVD to MKV Free with MakeMKV

Best for converting protected Blu-ray/DVD discs to MKV with intact quality.

OS: Windows XP or later, Mac OS X 10.7 or later, Linux.

MakeMKV is a popular DVD to MKV ripper, frequently mentioned in online forums. With it, users can convert protected Blu-ray and DVD discs into MKV files for free during its BETA phase. Since it comes without many customizable settings, the conversion of DVD to MKV can be finished in just one click. Notably, the conversion process preserves the original quality without any compression, ensuring that users receive a digital copy identical to the original.

Note that MakeMKV is free to use in beta and users are required to upgrade to new versions or input a registration key when new updates are released.

Step 1. Insert the DVD disc you want to convert into your computer optical disk drive. MakeMKV supports both DVDs and Blu-ray discs.

Step 2. Launch MakeMKV and select the drive in its source tab. Click on the big disc button in the center of the main UI, and it will scan the disc immediately.

Step 3. MakeMKV will present all titles of the DVD after reading the disc. However, it comes without a preview feature, so you have to be well aware of which title is the right one in advance. Typically, the one in the biggest file size contains all chapters and metadata.

Step 4. Choose an output folder. Finally, click the Make MKV button and wait for the output.

MakeMKV keeps all videos, audios, subtitles, and chapter info in the converted file, which results in an extremely large file size. A two-hour movie DVD turns out to take up 5+ GB local storage (and converted Blu-ray video are even much larger, 30-40 GB), and let alone how much time it will take to complete the conversion.

Method 3. Convert DVD to MKV Free with Handbrake

Best for advanced users in need of an open-source unprotected DVD to MKV ripper.

OS: Windows, macOS, Linux

Handbrake is an open source and free video converter and transcoder that has a large number of loyal fans. Besides video encoding, It also can convert DVDs to MKV and MP4 in HD 720P, 480P, and 576P.

HandBrake itself can't rip commercially copy-protected DVDs. If you want to use HandBrake to rip encrypted DVDs (actually, almost all store-bought DVDs are copyright-protected), you should firstly download libdvdcss. libdvdcss is a part of VideoLAN project capable of reading and decrypting DVDs locked by region codes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and CSS. For more details, you and refer to this article - "How to use Handbrake to rip copy-protected DVDs" to learn more.

※ Note: Even with libdvdcss being installed, HandBrake can rip CSS-encrypted DVDs only. To rip DVDs with other DVD copy protections, you need a more powerful alternative like DumboFab Blu-ray Ripper.

Below are the simple steps on how to convert DVD to MKV with Handbrake:

Step 1. Open HandBrake and click the Open Source tab to add your DVD file to it. Or you can just drag and drop the file to the UI.

Step 2. You can tell from the duration that which title holds the entire movie, then choose it in the Title tab. Next, select MKV in the Format drop-down menu.

Step 3. Click Dimensions to adjust the resolution that matches the source video. Then choose a hardware-accelerated encoder (NVIDIA NVENC encoder) in the Video tab. If your system does not support it, this option will be grayed out. Alternatively, go to Presets which provides MKV videos of different codecs, resolutions, and frame rates.

Step 4. Click the Browse button on the lower side to select a new destination path and file name to save the MKV video.

Step 5. Hit the Start Encode button. HandBrake now begins to convert your DVD to an MKV file.

Method 4. Convert DVD to MKV Free with Vidcoder

Best for users who encounter difficulties with HandBrake. Note that VidCoder cannot deal with copy-protected DVDs.

OS: Windows 11, 10, 8, 8.1, 7, Vista

VidCoder is a free, open-source DVD to MKV converter that utilizes HandBrake as its encoding engine. This means it offers many of the same functionalities as HandBrake, including the ability to convert DVDs to MKV and MP4. While HandBrake is often preferred, some users encounter issues with its performance. In such cases, VidCoder serves as a reliable alternative.

Note that VidCoder is tailored exclusively for Windows users, while HandBrake extends its reach to a broader audience, catering to Windows, Mac, and Linux users. Below are the steps to convert DVD to MKV with Vidcoder.

• 1. Download and install VidCoder on your Windows computer. If you are required to install .NET 6.0.2 Desktop Runtime (x64), just do it. The installation process may take quite a long time.
• 2. Insert the DVD you want to convert into your computer's DVD drive.
• 3. Open VidCoder and select the "Open Source" button to load your DVD.
• 4. Select the title you want to rip from DVD.
• 5. Configure your output settings, including the format, quality, and destination folder.
• 6. Click the "Encode" button to start the conversion process. VidCoder will handle the rest.

The DVD to MKV conversion process can be resource-intensive, particularly for large or complex DVDs. VidCoder may place a considerable strain on the hardware resources, resulting in elevated temperatures and increased fan speeds.

Method 5. Convert DVD to MKV with Freemake DVD Ripper

Best for beginners to free convert DVD to MKV.

OS: Windows 11, 10, 8, 8.1, 7, Vista

Freemake DVD Ripper is voted as the 5th of the best DVD to MKV converter. It features a large library of 50+ preprogrammed profiles, which means you can not only convert DVD to MKV, MP4, WMV, and AVI video files but also format your DVDs to play on phones, tablets, smart TVs, gaming systems, and more anywhere.

Although advised for free, Freemake is not free. In addition to not being able to decrypt discs, you have to pay for a license key to access the advanced features and enhancements, such as URL conversion, DVD burner, video conversion speed and watermark removal. In version 4.1.9.44, Freemake directly added a huge watermark inside the video. If you can live with that, it's one of the most convenient DVD to MKV rippers around.

Step 1. Insert the DVD disc into the DVD drive. Launch Freemake video converter and find the "+DVD" button at the top row and click it. Select your DVD drive with the disc, and then a VIDEO_TS folder. You may find this folder in your disc C in "My Videos". Choose the biggest VOB (.vob) file from the list for ripping.

Step 2. Move your mouse cursor to Format bar, then find and click "To MKV" option. Here you can choose a location folder where to save the video in a new output format. You can also click "Settings" button to adjust codec, frame size, bitrate, etc.

Step 3. After everything is OK, simply click "Convert" button to start DVD to MKV conversion using Freemake.

Comparison of the 5 Best DVD to MKV Converters

If you've read the reviews above, this chart offers a side-by-side look at key factors of the top DVD to MKV converters like supported DVD types, output formats, conversion speed, and pricing. Click any tool name to read the full review and find the best fit for your needs.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Is converting DVDs to MKV legal?

While the DMCA in the U.S. prohibits circumventing copy protection, many countries allow for a 'fair use' policy for personal, non-commercial backup of legally purchased discs. Always check your local copyright laws before proceeding.

2. Is it possible to rip DVD to MKV on Windows or Mac with the built-in apps?

No, there's no default DVD ripping program. Why?

For one thing, DVD copy protections of various kinds sit nearly on all DVDs of movies, TV series, and fitness currently. So it's quite a complicated process to kick them to one side and digitize DVD to MKV or other formats on the computer.

For another and also the most decisive thing, decrypting commercial DVDs by circumventing copy protections for profitable usage is prohibited officially by DMCA. As a result, no OS developer would get itself into the DVD ripping stuff.

3. Can VLC convert a DVD to MKV?

Yes. VLC offers the ability to convert DVDs to MKV and various other formats. However, there are things you need to know when ripping DVDs to MKV using VLC. VLC doesn't support DVDs with copy protections, though it has no problem playing them. You don't have many options to control the outputp quality or settings.

4. Is it possible to rip DVD to MKV online for free?

Technically, you cannot create MKV from DVD directly. First of all, online DVD converters normally read DVD VOB files instead of DVDs, they cannot rip a physical disc because a browser cannot access your DVD drive. Secondly, you cannot upload a DVD video file since common DVD video files range from 4.7GB to 8.5GB in size, while online free video converters generally accept media files less than 500MB or even smaller.

What's worse, it takes a long time to transfer DVD to MKV since a network connection is heavily required. So we still recommend using desktop software such as Dumbofab or Handbrake to convert DVD files to MKV.

Conclusion

Converting DVD to MKV is a practical way to back up DVD movies while keeping multiple audio tracks, subtitles, and chapters in a single file. The free DVD converters go to the open source software undoubtedly. However, they are not competent to either convert copy-protected DVDs or convert files in a fast manner. Taking the most concerning factors into account, the running system, ease of use, supported DVDs, the conversion speed, and the price, DumboFab Blu-ray Ripper is actually the best option for you to convert DVDs to lossless or encoded MKV and any other formats without any fuss. And don't forget it can do far more than this.