How to Convert Blu-ray to MKV Free and Lossless on Mac/Windows

Physical Blu-ray discs require specialized hardware and are not easily preserved, therefore more and more people choose to convert Blu-ray to MP4 for backup and easier access. However, if you want to rip all videos, audio tracks, subtitles, etc. contained in a Blu-ray and also maintain 1:1 original quality, you'd better rip Blu-ray to MKV.

In this post, we will share with you 4 verified Blu-ray to MKV converters that you can try with confidence. Below, we'll review these tools and show you how to use them to rip a Blu-ray to an MKV file with lossless quality or good quality-size balance.

What "MKV" Do You Need?

Before converting Blu-ray to MKV, you should make it clear that what "MKV" you need. You'd better ask yourself one core question: Is your goal for "archival backup" or for "multi-device playback"? Your answer determines what kind of software you need. Generally, there are two types of MKV files:

1. MKV (Passthrough) — 100% original picture and sound quality, but huge file size.

This isn't "conversion"; it's "re-packaging." It takes the original video stream and audio streams from the Blu-ray 1:1, without any changes, and places them inside the MKV "container." It's extremely fast (often just a few minutes) and preserves all audio tracks and subtitles.

Overall, MKV (Passthrough) is the top choice for movie collectors who want to back up your Blu-ray library losslessly, as fast as possible, and hard drive space is cheap. However, the file size is large, nearly identical to the original Blu-ray's files (approx. 25-40 GB for standard 1080p Blu-rays, and 50GB to 80GB+ for 4K UHD discs).

2. MKV (Re-encoding) — A massive reduction in file size but requires more CPU processing time.

This is true "conversion." It decodes the Blu-ray's video stream and then re-encodes it into a more modern, efficient format like H.264 or H.265 (HEVC), before packaging it as an MKV. This way can help you compress a large Blu-ray file down to 2GB-3GB with little to no perceptible loss in quality. Overall, Blu-ray to MKV re-encoding is the best choice for most users who want to save storage space and watch their movies on a phone or tablet.

4 Best Blu-ray to MKV Converter Software in 2026

To save your time, we tested a variety of Blu-ray to MKV converters and handpicked the four popular ones: Dumbofab Blu-ray Ripper, MakeMKV, HandBrake and VLC. In this section, we will conduct a comprehensive comparison of these tools, helping you determine which tool is best suited for your specific needs.

All Blu-ray to MKV converters covered in the preceding section have their own strengths and limitations. To move beyond feature lists, we conducted hands-on testing of Reddit's top three picks for Blu-ray-to-MKV tools (DumboFab, MakeMKV, and HandBrake) under identical conditions, focusing on key metrics such as ripping speed, output file size, and quality.

💡Test Environment and Movie Information

• ● Operating System: Windows 10 X64, Intel i7-6700 CPU, NVIDIA RTX 4060 Ti 8GB
• ● Source Movie: 2012 (2h36m, 33.43GB source)

⭐Key Takeaways

Speed for Passthrough: Both DumboFab Blu-ray Ripper and MakeMKV finished in under 5 minutes, with nearly identical speed.

Speed for Re-encoding: DumboFab Blu-ray Ripper completed the task in just 15 minutes and 55 seconds, which is 23 faster than HandBrake. This high performance is thanks to its GPU-accelerated encoding technology.

Flexibility: Unlike MakeMKV, DumboFab Blu-ray Ripper also supports full re-encoding, allowing conversion to MP4 and 500+ formats with adjustable profiles.

#1. DumboFab Blu-ray Ripper - Rip Any Blu-ray to MKV with Lossless or High Quality

Compatible OS: Windows 7 - Windows 11; Mac OS X 10.6 - macOS Tahoe

DumboFab Blu-ray Ripper is a comprehensive tool that can rip Blu-ray to MKV, MP4, MOV and hundreds of other digital formats. For MKV output, it supports both lossless passthrough and re-encode compression. Whether your goal is high-quality MKV playback on a home theater or smaller files for phones during flights, DumboFab Blu-ray Ripper fits the task. Equipped with leading decryption algorithm, the best Blu-ray to MKV converter can handle almost all Blu-ray and DVD movies regardless of copy protection and region restriction. Moreover, it allows users users to freely to select titles, audio tracks, subtitles and chapters.

Who it's for: DumboFab Blu-ray Ripper is a professional Blu-ray to MKV converter that supports both lossless and compressed conversion, with flexible subtitle and audio configuration. Strong MKV compatibility, GPU acceleration, batch conversion, and an easy workflow make it a top pick for movie collectors who want to digitize their Blu-ray and DVD collection.

Free download DumboFab Blu-ray Ripper to rip Blu-ray to MKV without quality loss. You can also use it to rip Blu-ray to MP4 and other digital formats.

Pros:

• ● Supports the latest-released encrypted Blu-ray discs, ISOs and folders.
• ● Rip Blu-ray to MKV in 3D, Passthrough, 4K, H265, 10/12 bit.
• ● Select the titles, chapters, audio tracks and subtitles you want to rip.
• ● Convert Blu-ray to 500+ video/audio formats and 200+ preset devices.
• ● Multi-task mode and GPU acceleration ensure fast performance.
• ● Trim and crop video, set brightness, and add watermarks via a built-in editor.

Cons:

• ● Unavailable to users of the Linux operating system.
• ● The free version only support 3-minute Blu-ray ripping.

Steps to Rip Blu-ray to MKV without Quality Loss

Here we take the DumboFab Blu-ray Ripper Windows version for an example. The Mac version shares the same process. A Blu-ray drive is necessary for ripping Blu-ray discs.

Step 1. Open up DumboFab Blu-ray Ripper and add Blu-ray content.

Insert your Blu-ray discs into your BD dirve. Then open the Blu-ray to MKV converter. Click Load disc button to load the source disc. BDMV Folder, Video_TS Folder and ISO image are also well accepted. The Blu-ray ripper supports advanced encryptions and it can easily detect the correct title hidden in Blu-ray.

Step 2. Choose MKV as Target Format

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 Blu-ray to MKV ripping

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 Blu-ray to MKV ripping with lossless or high quality.

#2. MakeMKV - Repack Blu-ray to MKV Easily and Fast

Compatible OS: Windows, Mac, and Linux

MakeMKV is a free Blu-ray ripping software that enables you to convert DVDs and Blu-rays to MKV files only. MakeMKV primarily remuxes (repackages existing video and audio into a new container without re-encoding), you get high-quality MKV files that preserve all audio tracks, subtitles, chapters, and metadata. Remuxing is typically quick compared with transcoding, but file sizes remain close to the original Blu-ray since streams aren't compressed. It is highly effective at bypassing protections. The latest v1.18.3 update specifically refreshed the LibreDrive and AACS runtime, ensuring it can communicate with modern firmware-locked drives and decrypt newer discs that older versions might reject.

Just a head up, MakeMKV can be used free while in beta with a periodically updated beta key, though updates may not always be immediate. If you need a more trusted tool that can decrypt new releases, DumboFab Blu-ray Ripper is a reliable alternative.

Who it's for: MakeMKV features a simple and user-friendly interface, making it an excellent option for beginners who may be new to DVD and Blu-ray ripping. Its straightforward navigation system ensures that users can easily navigate through the software without encountering any complexities.

Pros:

• ● Removes AACS and BD+ protections from Blu-ray discs.
• ● Cross-platform availability with frequent beta updates.
• ● Simple, one-click operation makes it easy for novices.
• ● Keeps the original video, audio tracks, and chapter markers without re-encoding.

Cons:

• ● Support MKV format only.
• ● Output is uncompressed. Large file size.
• ● Lack editing options.
• ● Users are required to upgrade to new versions or input a registration key when new updates are released.

Steps to Remux Blu-ray to MKV using MakeMKV

Step 1. Insert target Blu-ray into your BD drive. Launch MakeMKV and click the Blu-ray to hard drive button to import the Blu-ray.

Step 2. Select the titles, audios, and subtitles you want to preserve.

Step 3. Specify an output folder to store the resulting MKV file.

Step 4. Hit Make MKV button to begin ripping Blu-ray to MKV.

#3. HandBrake - Convert Unprotected Blu-rays to MKV for Free

Compatible OS: Windows, Mac, and Linux

Handbrake is a popular yet free video/DVD transcoder and it can also be used to rip Blu-ray to MKV free on Windows, Mac, and Linux. HandBrake offers advanced video and audio settings and batch conversion. It also supports presets based on your computer's supported GPU and your playback device, making it suitable for most viewing scenarios.

Of course, you're required to make sure that your Blu-ray is not copyright protected, for HandBrake converts neither encrypted physical Blu-ray Disc nor decrypted commercial Blu-ray movies in BDMV file structure. And there is no third-party library out there that support protection decrypting.

Who it's for: HandBrake is a goode choice for converting non-protected Blu-ray to MKV, MP4 and WebM formats. If you have some homemade or burned Blu-ray discs, you can use Handbrake to convert them to MKV or MP4 format. For commercial Blu-ray discs, you'll probably need a Blu-ray decrypter to remove the copy protection first.

Pros:

• ● Totally free.
• ● Provide dozens of output presets.
• ● Rich settings.

Cons:

• ● Can't bypass Blu-ray copy protections.
• ● The interface can feel overwhelming for new users.
• ● It offers only three output formats.
• ● No merge option.

Steps to Convert Unprotected Blu-ray to MKV with HandBrake

Step 1. Download and install HandBrake. Launch it when you finish installation.

Step 2. Insert the non-protected Blu-ray disc to your Blu-ray drive and then click "Open Source" to load the Blu-ray content. The main title will be selected for homemade Blu-rays by default. If not, you can manually select the right title from the Title dropdown box.

Step 3. Click Preset > Matroska, and then choose a MKV format.

Step 4. Hit Start Encode button to begin ripping Blu-ray to MKV. Note: HandBrake will decode the Blu-ray and re-encode the video into MKV in H264, H265, or other codecs, during which quality loss will happen.

#4. VLC - Convert Some Encrypted Blu-rays to MKV Free with External Libraries

Compatible OS: Windows, Mac, and Linux

Can VLC rip Blu-ray? Yes. The famous media player VLC also offers the ability to convert Blu-rays to MKV and various other formats. However, there are things you need to know when ripping Blu-rays to MKV using VLC. VLC doesn't support Blu-ray with copy protections. Fortunately, you can add some files to change the configuration of VLC media player so that it helps you play and rip some protected Blu-ray discs. This may be a bit complicated and requires users to download additional files to add to VLC directory. The full guide will be introduced in detail to help you convert Blu-ray to MKV with VLC.

Pros:

• ● It is free of charge and has no ads in the interface.
• ● Cross-platform and wide-format compatibility.
• ● Capable of subtitle synchronization, audio track switching, screen recording, etc.
• ● Support manual selection of bit rate, codec and other parameters.

Cons:

• ● No native support for commercial Blu-ray's protections.
• ● Lack of lossless output or multi-track preservation.
• ● Some functions are not intuitive enough for novices.

Steps to Convert Blu-ray to MKV with VLC

Step 1: Go to videolan.org, download, install and run the latest version of VLC for your Windows or Mac system. Please note that you will need to download the VLC Windows 64bit version if it is a 64-bit Windows computer.

Then go to: http://vlc-bluray.whoknowsmy.name/ to download the KEYS DATABASE(KEYDB.cfg) and AACS DYNAMIC LIBRARY(libaacs.dll for Windows or libaacs.dylib for Mac). Then follow the instruction steps of the following screenshot to put them on the right place according to your computer system. Please notice that there are two different files of AACS dynamic library available at a Windows-based computer, and you should download the 32bit file for VLC 32bit, and 64bit file for VLC 64bit.

Step 2: Open VLC and insert your Blu-ray disc into Blu-ray Drive. Click Media on menu bar and a drop-down list appears. Select Convert / Save… to access to Open Media dialogue box. Besides Blu-ray disc, VLC also enables you to import DVD disc, ISO Image or VIDEO_TS folder which stores DVD contents as source for ripping to MKV, MP4, WebM, TS, etc.

Step3: Click Disc tab and check Blu-ray option and browse to import Blu-ray source to VLC. Next, set title (main title in general) and chapter you wish to rip. If you don't know which is the correct title, play the Blu-ray with VLC to find the correct title. Then click Convert / Save button.

Step 4: Click the Convert/Save button and then you'll need to select the output profile. Open the Profile dropdown menu and check if there is an MKV profile. By default, VLC will choose to rip DVDs to "Video - H.264 + MP3 (MP4)". If there is no MKV option, click the gear button next to it and under Encapsulation, choose MKV and save it.

Step 5: Choose an output destination folder and then click Start. VLC will then begin ripping Blu-rays to MKV.

Note: You can encounter many errors when you try to rip Blu-ray discs with VLC. This is because not all the commercial Blu-ray discs are supported by VLC media player so that you might encounter the problem from time to time. VLC can only deal with discs which its library has the corresponding AACS keys, yet the AACS and BD+ DRM libraries and keys won't ship with the Blu-ray discs, as their publishers seem to take everyone as a pirate, even you already spend money just for personnel movie enjoyment. And that's why the professional Blu-ray rippers exist on the market.

FAQs about Ripping Blu-ray to MKV

1. Why Rip Blu-ray to MKV?

There are four main reasons for ripping Blu-ray to MKV:

• 1. It can help you protect your favorite movies from getting scratched or damaged.
• 2. It can help remove Blu-ray copy protection and make movies more protable to watch the Blu-ray content on computer, mobiles, or other devices.
• 3. Ripping Blu-ray to MKV can copy all Blu-ray information including all titles, audio and video and subtitle tracks, chapter information metadata, etc.
• 4. MKV adopts higher resolution codecs than normal formats like MP4, so it is often used for HD movies or Bluray sources.

2. Is it legal to rip a Blu-ray to MKV?

Legality depends on your jurisdiction and local copyright laws. In many regions, bypassing DRM protection is technically restricted. However, the concept of Fair Use often applies to creating a backup copy of media you have legally purchased for non-commercial use. DumboFab does not support or encourage piracy; our tools are designed strictly for personal archiving and playback flexibility.

3. Is MakeMKV Still Free?

Yes, MakeMKV is still free—DVD ripping is always free, while Blu-ray ripping remains free during the beta phase using a regularly updated beta key. Although the official website went down temporarily from June 16 to June 20, 2025, it has since been restored and is fully operational.

Conclusion

The range of abilities of these Blu-ray to MKV converters is fairly broad. On the unsurpassable decryption end you find DumboFab Blu-ray Ripper, which goes beyond all the rivals in our test when loading Blu-rays and DVDs, either old or new.

If you want to keep the full quality when ripping Blu-ray to MKV for free, then MakeMKV is the best choice for you. If you also want to encode protected Blu-ray discs to MP4, MOV, AVI, etc. and looking for other functions, then DumboFab Blu-ray Ripper will be your final best choice.