What is the best external CD DVD drive for Mac?
James Olson
Updated on February 16, 2026
Apple USB Superdrive
Also question is, can you use any external CD drive on a Mac?
If your Mac doesn't have a built-in optical drive and you need to use a CD or DVD, you can connect an external drive like the Apple USB SuperDrive. Blu-ray or DVD movies. Copy protected discs (such as some game discs) Recordable CDs or DVDs that you want to burn or erase.
Additionally, how do I use an external DVD drive on a Mac? Use an External Optical Drive Once you've attached your external drive to your Mac, you can use it in exactly the same way as a built-in optical drive: simply insert the DVD or CD into the SuperDrive, and the relevant media-playing app should launch automatically.
Correspondingly, what is the best external CD DVD drive to buy?
The Top External DVD and CD Drives
- LG Electronics 8X USB 2.0 Super Ultra Slim Portable DVD Writer Drive GP65NB60.
- Dell DW316 External USB Slim DVD R/W Optical Drive.
- Cocopa USB 3.0 External CD/DVD-RW Drive, Superdrive For High Speed Data Transfer for Laptop Notebook PC Desktop.
What is the best external DVD RW drive?
10 Best External Dvd Drives - February 2020 Results are Based on 4,724 reviews scanned
| 1 | External CD DVD Drive, Blingco USB 2.0 Slim Protable External CD-RW Drive DVD-RW By Blingco 9.7 View Product |
|---|---|
| 10 | Updated Version External CD DVD Drive USB 3.0 Ultra Slim CD DVD Rewriter 7.1 View Product |
Related Question Answers
What external DVD drives work with Mac?
- #1. Apple USB SuperDrive. Apple claims that its USB SuperDrive has everything you need in an optical drive.
- #2. VersionTECH. VersionTECH is one of the leading brands in manufacturing high-quality CD/DVD drives for Mac.
- #3. LG.
- #4. Cocopa.
- #5. Gipow.
- #6. Rioddas.
- #7. ISKE.
- #8. Botee.
When did Apple stop putting DVD drives in iMac?
The last Apple Mac to ship with an optical CD or DVD drive was a 13in MacBook Pro, originally released in June 2012, but on sale until October 2016, when Apple discontinued that model, more information about the last Mac to ship with a SuperDrive below.Where is the CD drive on a Mac desktop?
Locate the optical drive on the right edge of your iMac. Insert the disk into the optical drive, gently pushing it all the way in. The disk loads and an icon of the disk appears on the desktop of your iMac. Double-click the icon of the disk to open it and view its contents.How do you play a CD on a Mac?
Play CDs in Music on Mac- In the Music app on your Mac, choose Music > Preferences, click General, then click the “When a CD is inserted” pop-up menu and choose Play CD.
- Insert an audio CD into your computer's CD or DVD drive, or into an external drive that's connected to your computer. The CD begins to play.
How do I burn DVD on Mac?
Burn CDs and DVDs on Mac- Insert a blank disc into your optical drive. If you see a dialog, click the pop-up menu, then choose Open Finder.
- Double-click the disc to open its window, then drag the files and folders you want to burn to the window.
- Arrange and rename the files.
- Choose File > Burn [disc], then follow the instructions.
How do I install a program from a CD on a Mac?
Open the "Apple" menu on the Mac with the optical drive, and then select "System Preferences" to open the System Preferences window. Select "Sharing" in the Internet and Wireless section to open the Sharing window. Select the "DVD or CD Sharing" check box and then insert the installation disc into the optical drive.What is the difference between an optical drive and a DVD drive?
An Optical Drive refers to a computer system that allows users to use DVDs, CDs and Blu-ray optical drives. DVDs have a storage capacity of 4.7GB and can be used to store data for various uses. For you to write content/data to a disc, you will need a blank recordable DVD disc.What should I look for in an external CD DVD drive?
Factors to consider in choosing a DVD writer include:- Compatible formats. But most DVD drives on the market are compatible with most, if not all, DVD and CD formats.
- Write speeds.
- Operating system compatibility in DVD drives.
- Power source of DVD drive.
- Size and weight of DVD Drives.
- Buffer memory.
How can I play a DVD on my laptop without a DVD drive?
Step One: Buy an External DVD Drive—They're Cheap! Just plug it into your USB drive, pop in whatever CD or DVD you need, and you're good to go. You can rip CDs to iTunes, play DVDs in your favorite DVD player, and even boot from the drive if you need to run Linux or reinstall Windows.How do I play movies on my external DVD drive?
To play a CD or DVD Insert the disc you want to play into the drive. Typically, the disc will start playing automatically. If it doesn't play, or if you want to play a disc that is already inserted, open Windows Media Player, and then, in the Player Library, select the disc name in the navigation pane.How can I play an external DVD on my laptop?
DVD Player for Computer- Connect the included USB or FireWire and power cables to the back of the external DVD player.
- Plug the other end of the power cable into a wall outlet.
- Connect the other end of the USB or FireWire cable to an unused USB or FireWire port on your computer.
Will an external DVD drive play CDs?
The external disc drive plugs directly into your USB port so you can access your CDs and DVDs again. (RIP laptop disc drives.) It's compatible with most modern operating systems, so even your newest computer can still read discs.How do I connect an external CD player to my laptop?
You can use an external CD drive on both your desktop and laptop. Insert one end of the USB cable into the external CD drive. Plug the other end of the cable into your computer's USB port. Allow the computer to install the drivers for your external CD drive.Can an external DVD drive work on a TV?
If you mean a computer DVD drive that hooks up to a computer over USB, then it is very likely that will not work with a TV, even a smart TV. What you would want instead would be a DVD player that hooks up to the TV via HDMI or a similar video/audio connection instead of over USB (a data connection).Do I need USB 3 for external DVD drive?
Yes, some USB 3 devices need 20V of power from USB 3 port, so they are not backward compatible with 2.0, but they are very uncommon just because of that.Why can't I play a DVD on my Mac?
If a movie stops playing: If a movie suddenly stops playing and you see a disc error message, the problem could be a damaged disc, the connections to your audio devices, or your sound preferences. If you can't use the pointer or your mouse or trackpad to select DVD menu items: Press the arrow keys on the keyboard.What is the best external optical drive for Mac?
The Best External USB Drive for Mac One more representative of the best CD and DVD drives is Apple USB Superdrive. Its portable design is great for mobile workstation. Having this external drive you will be able to play and burn CDs as well as DVDs, create backup discs and install program software.How do you open a DVD on a Mac?
If you have DVD media stored on your Mac:- Use Spotlight to find and open DVD Player.
- From the DVD Player menu bar, choose File > Open DVD Media.
- Select the VIDEO_TS folder that contains the video you want to play, then click Open.
How do you burn a DVD on a Mac?
Here's how to burn a data CD or DVD in Mac OS X:- Insert a blank CD or DVD into your Mac's drive.
- From the Action menu, select Open Finder.
- Click OK.
- Open a new Finder window.
- Drag and drop files and folders onto the CD or DVD.
- When you're ready to create the disc, click Burn as shown above.
How can I play a DVD on my Mac without a DVD drive?
Free Mac Media Player Just insert the DVD into the internal/external drive, and click "Open Disc" to open the DVD disc on your Mac. If you try to play ISO file, you need to select "Open File" button to navigate the file location and press Play button to start playing.Do any new laptops have CD drives?
They're getting rarer every day, but there are also a few laptops on the market that still come with built-in DVD drives. All of the drives on these computers are capable of reading and writing both DVDs and CDs.How do I use an external CD drive on my MacBook air?
Into the Mac with the media drive, insert a data CD or DVD. On your MacBook Air, within the Remote Disc window, double-click on the name of the Mac that has the media drive. You'll see an icon for the disc. Double-click on that icon and you should be able to see the contents of the disc.How do I change the DVD region on my Mac?
- Insert the DVD into the optical drive on your MacBook Pro.
- Consult the DVD package to verify which region code to use.
- Click the “Change Drive Region to” drop-down menu, and then click the region code.
- Click “Set Drive Region.”
- Click on the "Lock" icon to save your settings.
Will any external DVD drive work with Mac?
If your Mac doesn't have a built-in optical drive and you need to use a CD or DVD, you can connect an external drive like the Apple USB SuperDrive. Blu-ray or DVD movies. Copy protected discs (such as some game discs) Recordable CDs or DVDs that you want to burn or erase.Are external Blu Ray drives worth it?
Blu Ray drives on their own are totally fine and worth having, but the software used to play Blu Ray movies is intentionally crippled on PCs. It has DRM that doesn't work. Legal movies will fail to install patches in the few allowed movie players, and if your drive is too old, you flat out can't play some new movies.What is a USB 3.0 port?
USB 3.0 is a Universal Serial Bus (USB) standard, released in November 2008. Most new computers and devices being manufactured today support USB 3.0. It's often referred to as SuperSpeed USB. Devices that adhere to the USB 3.0 standard can theoretically transmit data at a maximum rate of 5 Gbps, or 5,120 Mbps.What is the best external DVD drive for laptop?
Best External DVD Drives for Laptops- ASUS ZenDrive U7M. The ASUS ZenDrive U7M is an ultra-slim DVD drive that comes included with an impressive amount of features.
- SEA TECH External DVD Drive.
- ASUS BW-12D1S-U.
- LG GE24NU40.
- LG BE16NU50.
- Pioneer BDR-XD05.
