How to Use DVD Shrink: A Step by Step Tutorial
DVD Shrink is famous for being easy to use, but if you have never backed up a disc before, a clear walkthrough helps. This step by step tutorial shows you exactly how to use DVD Shrink to copy and shrink a DVD, from opening the disc to saving your finished backup. Whether you want a full copy or just the main movie in top quality, by the end of this guide you will know how to do it with confidence.
Before you start
You will need three things. First, DVD Shrink installed on your PC, which you can get from our download page. Second, the DVD you want to back up, which should be a disc you own. Third, enough free space on your hard drive to hold the backup, around 4.7 GB for a single layer copy or up to 8.5 GB for a full dual layer copy. If you also want to write the result to a blank disc afterwards, have a DVD writer and a burning program ready.
Step 1: Open your disc
Insert your DVD into your drive and launch DVD Shrink. At the top left you will see two buttons, Open Disc and Open Files. Click Open Disc, then choose your DVD drive from the list. DVD Shrink will begin reading the disc. This first pass, called analysis, lets the software understand the structure of the DVD, and it takes a minute or two depending on your drive.
Step 2: Understand what you are looking at
Once analysis finishes, DVD Shrink shows the contents of the disc in a panel on the left. You will see the main movie, usually the largest title, along with menus, trailers and any bonus features. Each item shows its size. At the top of the window there is a compression bar that tells you whether the disc currently fits your target size. If the bar is green, it fits. If DVD Shrink needs to compress, it will do so automatically.
Step 3: Choose Full Disc or Re-author
Now decide how you want to copy the disc. There are two modes.
Full Disc keeps everything, including menus and extras. Choose this if you want a backup that behaves exactly like the original disc, menus and all.
Re-author lets you build a custom backup from only the parts you want. Click the Re-author button, then drag the main movie title from the right hand browser into the left panel. Add only the audio track and subtitles you actually use. Because you are leaving out the extras, DVD Shrink can keep the movie at higher quality. For most people who just want the film, this is the better option.
Step 4: Set your quality and options
Select the main title and look at the compression settings. DVD Shrink automatically works out how much to shrink, but you can fine tune it. If you want the smoothest possible result when heavy compression is needed, open the options and enable the deep analysis pass. This makes DVD Shrink study the video more carefully before encoding, which reduces blocky artefacts and keeps detail where it counts. You can also choose which audio and subtitle streams to keep, dropping the ones you do not need to save space.
Step 5: Start the backup
When you are happy with your choices, click the Backup button at the top. DVD Shrink will ask where to save the result and in what form. You can choose an ISO image, which is a single file copy of the disc, or a VIDEO_TS folder, which holds the playable files. Pick a location on your hard drive with enough free space, then confirm. DVD Shrink now processes the disc, compressing and writing your backup. A progress bar keeps you informed, and the whole job usually takes a few minutes on a modern PC.
Step 6: Check and burn your backup
Once it finishes, find your backup on your hard drive and test that it plays. You can open a VIDEO_TS folder in most media players, or mount an ISO and play it that way. If everything looks good and you want a physical copy, use a burning program to write the ISO or folder to a blank DVD. Always test the backup before burning, so you never waste a blank disc on a copy that did not turn out the way you wanted.
Tips for better backups
A few habits make a real difference. Use re-author mode when quality matters, since dropping extras leaves more room for the movie. Keep only the audio and subtitle tracks you use. Enable deep analysis for heavy compression jobs. Always work from your hard drive first and check the result before burning. And keep DVD Shrink updated by downloading the latest official version, so you always have the best compatibility with your version of Windows.
Why use the official DVD Shrink
It is worth repeating that this site hosts the original and official DVD Shrink. Many clones and copycat downloads exist, and they are not always safe or up to date. The official version is the genuine software, the best maintained on the market, and free of the bundled extras that unofficial copies sometimes carry. Using the real thing means fewer problems and better results.
You are ready to go
That is all there is to using DVD Shrink. Open the disc, choose your mode, set your quality, click Backup and save the result. It really is that simple, which is exactly why DVD Shrink has stayed a favourite for so long. If you have not installed it yet, download DVD Shrink now, and read what DVD Shrink is for more background. Any questions? Our support centre is here to help.
Getting to know the DVD Shrink interface
Spending a minute on the layout makes everything else easier. The toolbar across the top holds the buttons you use most: Open Disc, Open Files, Full Disc, Re-author, and Backup. Below it, the window splits into panels. On the left you see the contents of the disc you have opened, arranged as titles. On the right, in re-author mode, a DVD browser lets you drag pieces into your custom backup. Along the top sits the compression bar, a simple gauge that turns green when your selection fits the target size. Once you recognise these parts, the whole program feels obvious.
Advanced re-author techniques
Re-author mode is where DVD Shrink really shines for anyone who cares about quality. Instead of copying the whole disc, you build a backup from only the pieces you want. Drag the main movie into the left panel, then expand it to choose exactly which audio track and which subtitle streams to keep. Dropping a commentary track and three languages you never use frees up a surprising amount of space, and DVD Shrink hands that space back to the movie as higher quality. You can even combine titles, so an episode disc can become a single smooth playback of just the episodes you want.
Using the preview window
Before you commit to a backup, DVD Shrink lets you preview any title. Click a title and the preview pane plays a short sample, so you can confirm you have picked the right movie and the right audio track. This small step saves a lot of wasted time, especially on discs where the titles have unhelpful names. Always preview the main title before you start a long backup.
ISO image or VIDEO_TS folder?
When you click Backup, DVD Shrink asks how to save the result, and the two main choices confuse newcomers. An ISO image is a single file that is an exact image of a disc. It is tidy, easy to store, and simple to burn later or mount for playback. A VIDEO_TS folder is the unpacked set of DVD files, which some media players and older burning tools prefer. If you are unsure, choose ISO for storage and VIDEO_TS if you want to play the backup straight from the folder. Both hold the same movie at the same quality.
Burning your backup to a disc
If you want a physical copy, burning is the last step. The activated edition of DVD Shrink includes a built in burning engine, so you can send your backup straight to a blank disc without another program. Choose a good blank, burn at a moderate speed rather than the maximum, and you will get a reliable, long lasting copy. Always test a backup from your hard drive before burning, so you never waste a blank on a copy that did not come out right.
Repeating and batching backups
Once you have done one backup, the rest feel like second nature. DVD Shrink remembers your preferences between jobs, so if you always re-author and always enable deep analysis, your workflow stays consistent. For a large collection, settle on a routine: open, re-author, pick tracks, deep analysis on, backup to ISO, test, then move to the next disc. A steady rhythm turns a shelf of DVDs into a safe digital library over a few evenings.
Common mistakes to avoid
A few simple errors trip people up. Do not burn straight to disc before testing the backup on your hard drive. Do not keep every audio and subtitle track if you want the best picture, since that wastes space. Do not download DVD Shrink from a random mirror, because unofficial copies can be outdated or bundled with junk. And do not forget that DVD Shrink is for discs you own. Avoid these and your backups will be smooth every time.
Why so many people still choose DVD Shrink
After all these years, DVD Shrink remains a favourite for a reason. It is free, it is simple, and its deep analysis engine produces backups that look better than those from many newer tools. It runs on everything from Windows XP to Windows 11, and it does exactly what it promises without fuss. When you use the original and official version from this site, you get the genuine article, the best maintained on the market, with none of the problems that plague the copycat downloads. That combination of quality, simplicity and trust is why DVD Shrink has lasted.
Troubleshooting a backup that will not finish
Occasionally a backup stalls or fails, and a calm approach clears it up. If DVD Shrink stops partway with a read error, the most likely cause is a dirty or scratched disc. Eject it, wipe it gently from the centre outward with a soft cloth, and try again. If the software struggles to open a newer disc, make sure you are running the latest official version, since older copies do not always recognise recent discs. If your hard drive runs out of room mid job, free up space or choose a smaller target size before you restart. And if a particular title looks wrong in preview, you may have picked a decoy title, so try the largest one instead. Working through these checks in order solves the vast majority of problems, and none of them require any technical skill.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I use DVD Shrink for the first time?
Insert your DVD, click Open Disc, choose Full Disc or Re-author, set the compression, then click Backup and save the result to your hard drive as an ISO or VIDEO_TS folder.
What is the difference between Full Disc and Re-author?
Full Disc copies everything including menus and extras. Re-author lets you keep only the main movie and the tracks you want, which frees up space for better quality.
How long does DVD Shrink take?
On a modern PC a backup takes a few minutes. Older computers take longer, but the software works steadily in the background while it processes the disc.
Where does DVD Shrink save the backup?
You choose the destination when you click Backup. DVD Shrink saves either an ISO image or a VIDEO_TS folder in the location you select on your hard drive.
Do I need other software with DVD Shrink?
To write the backup to a blank disc you need a separate burning program. To play it, most media players open a VIDEO_TS folder or a mounted ISO directly.
