Rob ParsonsUpdated April 15, 2022 4:25 p.m
If you want some program to play region-locked Blu-ray disc on the go, here are the best region-locked Blu-ray player apps available.
It may be hard to believe, but for the past decade, physical media sales have been declining and people are turning to online services for their favorite movies or TV shows. Blu-ray discs are still available nowadays. In fact, numerous popular movies appear on Blu-ray, such as The Irishman and Blackbird. However, the vast majority of BD discs contain region coding and cannot be played in other regions/countries, for example, you cannot play Region A locked Blu-ray titles in Ireland (Region B).
"If only there was a way to easily play all my region-restricted Blu-rays," you murmur. The good news is that there are some programs commonly known as region free Blu-ray player software that you can use to do just that.
What is Region Free Blu-ray Player?
Although about 70% of Blu-rays are not region-locked, region-free Blu-ray players can be effective when you want to play a bunch of BD discs from other regions. For example, you can use them to watch BD movies from the UK that didn't make it to your country; You can play Blu-rays of popular international TV shows, not only in your region. And you don't need to download any extra codes to play region-locked Blu-rays.
What are Blu-ray region codes?
Blu-ray region codes are an additional layer of protection built into the Blu-ray Disc (BD) to prevent loss by publishers and distributors. They divide the world into three main geographical regions where the BD can be played, namely Region A, Region B and Region C.
Region A: North America, South America, US Territories, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and other areas of Southeast Asia.
Region B: Europe, Africa, Middle East, Australia and New Zealand.
Region C: Central and South Asia, Mongolia, Russia.
Region ABC: A version is not restricted to a region that can be classified as region 0 or region-free. Region free discs have no code or three codes on the disc jacket.
Tip: Ultra HD Blu-rays are not region locked. However, if you have a lot of Ultra HD Blu-ray discs and other BD discs, it's better to choose an all-region Blu-ray player tool for Blu-ray (Ultra HD) playback.
How do I remove region codes from a BD disc?
To bypass Blu-ray region code and play your Blu-rays on your computer freely, here are two ways for you:
- UseBlu-ray-Converter: The alternative is to digitize your Blu-ray disc. The converter ignores the copyright protection of a BD disc and converts it to some formats that can be played on your favorite device.
- Using Region Free Blu-ray Player: This is the easiest way. The player will automatically remove the region coding and play your BD without any problems.
Finding the best region free Blu-ray player solution might seem like a daunting task, but we're here to help. Below is a list of top 5 best BD players to play your region coded Blu-rays.
Best Multi-Region Blu-ray Player Software
Play Blu-ray Aiseesoft
With a coveted feature set, compatibility with Blu-rays and DVDs, and the ability to play video and audio and control playback,Play Blu-ray Aiseesoftis probably the most powerful region-less Blu-ray playback utility. And it is our first choice.
Don't let the simple user interface fool you. It is truly versatile and offers the ability to freely play physical Blu-ray discs in any region other than the geographic area where it was released. Besides, you can play standard BD disc, Blu-ray file and Blu-ray ISO image. Besides, it only takes 5 seconds to load your Blu-ray (Fastest starting Blu-ray player software).
Download now!
for Windows|for macOS
It includes audio format DTS and Dolby Atmos, giving you the best surround sound quality. Also, the beauty of the robust all-region Blu-ray playback solution is that it supports the source menu system. This means you can freely play a specific title or chapter (BD) and select additional content to play.
Download speed is fast and setup is easy. To play Blu-ray discs restricted to their regions with Region Free Blu-ray Player tool, there are no complicated controls:
- Insert your BD disc and run the software.
- Clickopen discand double clickopen folder...
- Locate the disc you want to play.
So, if you are looking for a feature-rich multi-region Blu-ray player to play your Blu-ray without stuttering, just try Aiseesoft Blu-ray Player.
Leawo Blu-ray-Player
Leawo Blu-ray-Playeris an option for everyone who wants to watch region-coded Blu-ray videos and movies without paying a dime. Though it cannot be considered as a region perfect Blu-ray player tool, it is an easy-to-use Blu-ray player and can be used to play various media files reliably.
With Leawo Blu-ray Player, there are many features available for you. This includes the ability to play Blu-ray discs (1080p), standard DVDs and rewritable discs, as well as playing video, audio and ISO files. Multi-region Blu-ray player software also includes playback settings that allow you to adjust volume, adjust subtitles, fast forward, rewind or stop your video during playback.
Some annoying freeware errors: It's ad-supported; sometimes freezes when playing Blu-ray movies; You cannot resume a video from where you left off. However, Leawo Blu-ray Player is still useful as it is a free Blu-ray player app for all regions, compatible with Windows PC and Mac.
Macgo Blu-ray-Player
Macgo Blu-ray-Playeris also a solid region-free BD playback option for Windows and Mac users, offering a variety of essential features in a simple and intuitive interface. It can play region encoded shared Blu-ray disc, regular BD disc, Blu-ray Folder (BDMV) and BD ISO file. And it supports many other media formats including MKV, FLV, MPEG, WMV, MP4, AAC and more.
The Region Free Blu-ray Player application has two versions: Macgo Blu-ray Player and Macgo Blu-ray Player Pro. Various features (including BD-Live online feature, Blu-ray menu support and virtual remote control control) are only available for the Pro version. If you want an improved experience, you can upgrade to Macgo Blu-ray Player Pro.
It's easy to get familiar with Macgo all regions Blu-ray player like Aiseesoft Blu-ray player, just insert a Blu-ray disc and clickopen disc>open folder...Play region locked BD discs.
Free Blu-ray Player for Mac
If you're looking for another robust Blu-ray player for commercially produced Bu-ray movies, look no further.Free Blu-ray Player. It is a region-free Blu-ray player application that only works on Mac computers.
Under the hood, it supports playback of region-coded Blu-rays, Blu-ray folders, and Blu-ray ISO image files. But that is not all. It allows you to play 4K/HD/SD videos and supports a large number of digital video file formats like M4V, MP4, MOV, WMV, etc. The multi-region free Blu-ray player also includes audio playback. Function that allows you to play video files such as FLAC, MP3, WMA, AC3 and M4A. Unlike Aiseesoft Blu-ray Player, the video (BD) reading speed is not fast.
The app allows you to change the subtitles, customize the audio/video track, or customize the playback options to create a more enjoyable viewing experience. And you can take still images from a video and save them in the required format: JPEG, BMP or PNG.
Aurora Blu-ray-Player
Although not as good as other Blu-ray playback solutions for all regions on the list,Aurora Blu-ray-PlayerIt's usable enough for basic Blu-ray playback. It can be used to play Blu-rays containing the contents of BD discs, Blu-ray folders, and region-coded or region-free ISO files. In addition, you can view multimedia files (videos, audios and images).
The main advantages of using the regional free Blu-ray Player tool is that it doesn't have a flashy interface and it is highly customizable. It includes some features that allow you to adjust audio and video settings, change subtitle color, font and size, as well as share your current feelings about the movie you are watching on social media platforms, Facebook or Twitter. .
The problem is that Aurora Blu-ray Player doesn't support lossless audio playback, although that may be the least of your worries if you don't care about the sound quality.
bottom line
Are you a movie fan who is looking for a multi-region Blu-ray playback utility to watch BD discs you bought in other regions? Don't stress! Any of the above BD playback solutions would be good choices for region-free playback.
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FAQs
What is the best free player for Blu-ray? ›
Answer: The Best Blu-ray Ripping Software is VLC Media Player, which is the popular media player frequently used by users. VLC Media Player is the free player that allows users to play an unprotected Blu-ray disk or to play Blu-ray iOS files on your computer.
How do you unlock a Blu-ray player region-free? ›- Power ON the Blu-ray/DVD player with no disc.
- Wait for the “No Disc” message to show.
- Press PAUSE on the remote control.
- Enter 3, 1, 4, 1, 5, 9 on the remote control (CODE or FF appears on the TV)
- Enter 0 on the Remote (0 = All Regions)
LG 4KUHD Region Free Blu Ray Player
The LG 4K Smart Blu ray player is also a region-free Blu-ray player that allows Blu ray discs from region A, B, and C as well as DVDs from 0 to 8 region numbers. Thus, you can get this all-in-one device to play all of your Blu-ray discs, DVDs, CDs, and 3D movies.
The first best way to remove region code is to rip the Blu-ray disc with region codes to a common video file such as an MP4 video. During the ripping process, the region code will be broken and the converted video file will be saved without region code, so people can play it back directly.
What is the best basic Blu-ray player? ›- Sony UBP-X700M. The best overall Blu-ray player. Jump to details. ...
- Sony UBP-X800M2. The best Blu-ray player for music. Jump to details. ...
- Panasonic UB820. The best Blu-ray player for HDR. ...
- LG UBK90. The best for Dolby Atmos. ...
- Microsoft Xbox Series X. The most fun Blu-ray player. ...
- LG BP175. The best Blu-ray player on a budget.
As with DVDs, many Blu-rays are encoded region 0 (region free), making them suitable for players worldwide.
How can I make my Sony BDP s3700 Blu-ray player region-free? ›For Sony models, press Yellow for Region A, Blue for Region B, Red for Region C. For LG models, press 1 for Region A, press 2 for Region B and press 3 for region C. When you do that, the player will turn ON. And it will be ready to play the disc.
How do I make my laser Blu-ray player region-free? ›Here's how to set up region free: Click “Setting” in the homepage or press the “Setting” button on the remote control; then press “8520” to enter the region setting page Change the “BD Region Code"Region A: press “1”;Region B: press “2”;Region C: press “4”;Exit the page when finished.
Does Sony make a region-free Blu-ray player? ›Sony Region Free UBP-X800M2 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Player UHD Multi Region Blu-ray DVD, Region Free Player 110-240 Volts, HDMI Cable & Dynastar Plug Adapter Package. Amazon's Choice highlights highly rated, well-priced products available to ship immediately.
Does region-free work in the US? ›Yes it will play in the USA. Region Code 0 means a Standard DVD will play in any region word-wide and is sometimes referred to as "region-free".
Are all Panasonic Blu Ray players region-free? ›
Our Panasonic DVD & Blu Ray products are region encoded for DVD Region 4 out of the box, but can be multi-zoned to play DVD's from all regions. Your DVD unit or Blu-Ray unit can be multi-zoned by any of our Service Agents free of charge and some models of DVD Player are able to be multizoned by the customer.
How do I unlock my Sony Blu-ray player? ›- Using the supplied remote control, press and hold the STOP, HOME and TOP MENU buttons.
- When LOCKED or UNLOCKED appears on the display of the Blu-ray Disc player, release the buttons.
1. Lionel Messi (PSG)
Is VLC the best player? ›As for our recommendation, if you are looking for a simple and convenient media player, we recommend you to go with the popular choice, which is none other than VLC Media Player. It is also arguably the best video player for Windows 10.
What is better than VLC? ›No 1.
QuickTime player, the best VLC alternative Mac, is the most familiar media players for Mac users. As the default movie player as Mac, QuickTime player is capable of supporting various formats of videos, music, images, and other media files.
Far from being obsolete, Blu-ray discs still have an important part to play in storage, as long as solid-state drive (SSD) technology remains small and expensive, and internet connection speeds are so much slower than installing something from a disc.
Is there a player that plays both DVD and Blu-ray? ›All Blu-ray players can play commercial Blu-ray discs and standard DVDs. But you'll need an Ultra HD Blu-ray player to play 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray discs. Both types of Blu-ray players can play commercially released CDs and may play CDs burned with MP3 files.
Is there anything better than Blu-ray? ›You might have heard a lot about blue-ray digital optical discs. But 4K Blu-rays are way ahead of them. 4K Blu-rays use a new video codec, HEVC (High-Efficiency Video Coding), which provides better compression than its predecessor. In short, they're the next generation of high-definition Blu-ray discs.
What is the Blu-ray region code for USA? ›Blu-ray discs: Region A/1: North America, Central America, South America, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Southeast Asia. Region B/2: Europe, Greenland, French territories, Middle East, Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.
Why is Blu-ray region locked? ›Blu-ray region codes were introduced by the movie studios to regulate the market and protect their interests.
Are Shout Factory Blu Rays region-free? ›
Yes, our releases are region locked. We're working on getting partners for other regions.
Is BDP BX370 region-free? ›Sony BDP-BX370 / BDP-S3700 Region Free Blu-ray Player, Multi Region Smart WiFi 110-240 Volts, 6FT HDMI Cable & Dynastar Plug Adapter Bundle Package.
Is Sony UBP x700m region-free? ›Offering more than just an amazing picture, the UBP-X700 we sell is a region-free model. This allows it to work with any TV, any voltage (110 to 240 volts) and to play discs from any region in the world.
Is Sony BDP S3200 region-free? ›Our BDP-S3200 is Region-Free and has been professionally modified to offer beneficial features and capabilities allowing it to play Blu-ray and DVD discs from any region of the world.
Can VLC play Blu-ray region-free? ›You can try another DVD drive or get a muti-region/region-free DVD drive. VLC will play DVDs from any region when the firmware on the drive is unlocked to region free. #2 Change the Region of your drive.
Can you make a DVD region-free? ›If you want to play DVD with region codes, the most convenient way is to find a reliable DVD to MP4 converter to rip or convert them into region-free digital formats. This also makes sense on blu ray discs with region codes. You can choose a useful blu ray ripper from 8 Best Blu-ray Ripping Software for Windows / Mac.
Is it worth buying a Blu-ray player? ›A Blu-ray player ensures movie nights won't be thwarted by problems with your network or service provider. Picture quality - Standard Blu-ray players deliver Blu-ray discs in 1080p resolution. Since they don't require compression, discs can deliver a better picture than standard HD streaming services.
Are there Blu-ray players that don't play DVDs? ›DVD player can play DVDs and CDs, but cannot play Blu-ray or Ultra HD Blu-ray Discs. Blu-ray Disc player can play CDs, DVDs, and Blu-ray discs, but cannot play UHD Blu-ray discs. UHD Blu-ray disc player s can play CDs, DVDs, Blu-rays, and UHD Blu-ray discs.
Is Blu-ray Pro Free? ›Blu-ray PRO for Windows - Download it from Uptodown for free.
How many years do Blu Rays last? ›Blu-ray discs are intended to last longer than DVDs (typically more than 20 years compared with about 10 years for DVDs). However, the big unknown is whether Blu-ray readers will be available in decades to come.
Do Blu-ray discs last forever? ›
Research studies, anecdotal information and manufacturers' literature suggest that the lifetime of recordable optical discs can range from a couple of years to more than 200 years.
Why wont my Blu-ray player play regular DVDs? ›There are several reasons a disc may not play in the Blu-ray player. A dirty or scratched disc is the most obvious cause, but an incorrect region code or configuration of your home theater system can be the reason as well.
Do DVDs look better on a Blu-ray player? ›Do DVDs look better on a Blu-ray player? Most of the time. A Blu-ray player can actually improve the quality of a regular DVD, experts say. Gartner cautioned, however, that some older DVDs look more blurry on the newer machine.
What happens if you put a DVD in a Blu-ray player? ›Blu-ray Disc players can play Blu-ray discs, DVDs, CDs, and some can also play other types of discs, such as SACDs and DVD-Audio Discs. However, although you can play a DVD in a Blu-ray Disc player, you can't play a Blu-ray Disc in a DVD player.
Is PowerDVD better than VLC? ›PowerDVD is the best choice for a VLC Media Player alternative out of the five we reviewed. It supports an extensive range of audio and video formats, offers screencasting and Blu-ray support, and will play 3D and 360° videos.
Why wont my Blu-ray play on VLC? ›Actually, the VLC media player can't offer this function until the launch of libbluray, which makes it available to play Blu-ray. Therefore, before using VLC, you need to download Blu-ray video library file for VLC on your computer.
Will VLC play Blu-ray? ›VLC supports playing Blu-ray movies on your Windows computer or laptop if you do some extra operations. Note that 2.0 or later version of VLC is a must, so please upgrade your VLC if you are using an old version. Below is the way to use VLC to play Blu-ray movies.