Does a Macbook Play Blu-ray? [Solved!]

Wondering do Macs play Blu-ray? Apple computers cannot play Blu-ray discs out of the box. This is because Macs lack the necessary Blu-ray software decoders to read the discs. While Apple has resisted adopting Blu-ray support, there are still methods to get Blu-ray playback working on a Mac.

In this article, we'll explain what's needed to play Blu-ray discs and videos on Macs in 2024. With the right software and an external USB Blu-ray drive, you can enjoy Blu-ray movies on your Macbook Pro, Air, iMac, or Mac Mini. Read on to learn your Blu-ray on Mac options.

Part 1: Does Macs Play Blu-ray?

Mac computers are not capable of playing Blu-ray discs out of the box. This is because Apple has not adopted Blu-ray disc playback into its macOS operating system.

Blu-ray movies use advanced DRM protection and compression encoding methods that require specific software decryption keys and codecs to read. Macs lack the proper pre-installed software to decrypt, decode, and play Blu-ray movie files.

So what do you need to play Blu-ray on Mac? There are two main requirements:

• Compatible Third-Party Software: You need to install additional Blu-ray playback software that is designed to enable Blu-ray support on macOS. Popular options include MacGo Blu-ray Player, Aurora Blu-ray Media Player, Leawo Blu-ray Player, etc. These provide the missing Blu-ray codecs.
• External USB Blu-ray Drive: Since Macbooks and iMacs don't have internal Blu-ray drives, you need an external third-party Blu-ray drive plugged in via USB to read the Blu-ray discs. Look for a drive that specifies macOS support.

With both the decoding software and external drive, you can unlock Blu-ray functionality on a Mac. We'll cover recommended software and drives next.

Part 2: How to Play Blu-ray on Mac with Blu-ray Player

1. VLC Media Player

VLC is a popular, free, and open-source media player for Mac. With some additional setup, VLC can also play Blu-ray movies on Macs. Here's how to play Blu-ray on Mac using VLC Media Player:

• 1.Download and install the latest version of the VLC media player for Mac from Videolan.org. Make sure to get the Mac OS X version of VLC.
• 2.Go to vlc-bluray.whoknowsmy.name and download the KEYS database file and AACS dynamic library file. These provide the DRM keys needed for Blu-ray decryption.

• 3.Put the KEYDB.cfg file in ~/Library/Preferences/aacs/ (create the folder if needed). Then right-click the VLC app, choose "Show Package Contents," and put the libaacs.dylib file in Contents/MacOS/lib/ (create the folder if needed).

  
• 4.Launch the VLC player and insert your Blu-ray disc into the connected external Blu-ray drive. Open the Blu-ray folder with VLC; it should start playing the Blu-ray movie!

The advantage of using VLC is that it's free. However, the decryption files need to be periodically updated as Blu-ray encryption keys change. So, it may not always work reliably. Next, we'll look at dedicated Blu-ray player apps.

2. Leawo Blu-ray Player

Leawo Blu-ray Player is a premium Blu-ray playback app for Mac. Here are the steps to use it:

• 1.Download and install the Leawo Blu-ray Player on your Mac. Launch the app after installing.

  

• 2.To play back video files, click "Open File" and browse to the video file. To play a Blu-ray disc, insert it into your external USB Blu-ray drive connected to the Mac. Leawo will detect it automatically.

  

Note: To play Blu-ray discs, you need a compatible external Blu-ray drive plugged into your Mac via USB. The Leawo app itself does not include an internal drive.

Once you've selected your Blu-ray disc or video file, Leawo will play it back with its built-in media codecs. You can enjoy full HD 1080p Blu-ray movies on your Mac screen. Leawo also includes useful playback tools like screenshot capture, video converter, and more.

3. Macgo Mac Blu-ray Player

Macgo Blu-ray Player is another paid Blu-ray playback app for Mac. Follow these steps to use it:

• 1.Go to Macgo's official website and download the free trial version of Macgo Blu-ray Player Pro. Install it on your Mac.

• 2.Launch the Macgo Blu-ray Player app from your Applications folder or Launchpad.

  

• 3.Connect your external USB Blu-ray drive to your Mac and insert the Blu-ray disc you want to play.

  

• 4.Macgo will automatically load the Blu-ray movie. Use the on-screen menu to control playback. You can select scenes, adjust settings, and press Play to start enjoying the Blu-ray film in full HD quality.

  

Macgo has similar capabilities to Leawo Player for Blu-ray playback on Mac. It can also rip and convert Blu-rays.

Part 3: Convert Blu-ray to Digital and Play on Mac

Another option for watching Blu-rays on Mac is to rip and convert the Blu-ray to a digital video format. This allows you to play the Blu-ray movie like any other digital video on your Mac.

A good tool for converting Blu-rays is the HitPaw Video Converter for Mac. Still wondering, does a MacBook Pro play Blu-ray? Yes, you can do so with the help of the HitPaw Video Converter. Converting to digital formats lets you store and play Blu-ray movies on Mac just like regular media files. You can also copy them to iOS devices. Most importantly, the quality remains intact.

Here are its key features for Blu-ray conversion:

• Directly rip and convert Blu-ray discs to MP4, MOV, MKV, and other digital formats supported by Mac.
• Retain 100% original video quality when converting Blu-rays to digital. No quality loss from the ripping process.
• Fast GPU-accelerated conversion speeds up to 120X faster than real-time.
• Advanced encoding technology delivers optimal file sizes when converting Blu-rays.

Here are the steps for converting a Blu-ray disc to MP4 on Mac with HitPaw Video Converter:

• Step 1: Download and install the HitPaw Video Converter on your Mac.

  
  

• Step 2: Insert your Blu-ray disc into the external USB Blu-ray drive connected to your Mac. Open the HitPaw Video Converter and click "Add Blu-ray" to import the Blu-ray source.

  

• Step 3: Preview and edit the file name or title of your Blu-ray.

  

• Step 4: Go to the output format options and select MP4 video. Adjust resolution if needed.

  

• Step 5: Enable the "GPU Acceleration." It will allow you to convert your Blu-ray DVD file faster.

  

• Step 6: Once the conversion finishes, you can find the MP4 file in the Converted tab. Play the MP4 video on your Mac like any other digital movie file.

  

FAQs about Playing Blu-ray on Mac

1. Can I watch Blu-ray on my Mac?

Yes, you can play Blu-rays on Mac, but some additional software and hardware are required. Macs lack the default ability to play Blu-ray discs and videos. To enable Blu-ray playback on Mac, you need compatible third-party Blu-ray player software as well as an external USB Blu-ray drive.

2. Can VLC play Blu-ray on Mac?

VLC media player can play Blu-rays on Mac but requires some additional configuration. You need to download VLC for Mac and then install the KEYDB.cfg decryption key file and libaacs.dylib library file to add Blu-ray support. These extra files allow VLC to read the Blu-ray encryption and play the videos properly through an external drive. With the proper setup, VLC provides free Blu-ray playback capabilities on Mac.

Conclusion

While Macs don't support Blu-ray playback out of the box, you have a few good options for watching Blu-rays on Mac in 2024. Using software Blu-ray players like VLC, Leawo, or Macgo combined with an external USB Blu-ray drive enables Blu-ray movie playback on your Macbook, iMac, or other Apple computer.

Another approach is to rip your Blu-ray to digital video formats like MP4 using a tool like HitPaw Video Converter for Mac. This converts Blu-rays to digital files playable on any Mac, just like normal movies.