3 Best Blu-ray to MP4 Converters for Mac & Windows [2023 Updated]

Summary: Ripping a Blu-ray to MP4 means you can digitize Blu-rays and make movies more easier to access and playback. This article will show you how to convert Blu-ray to MP4 format quickly and easily on Windows (11/10/8/7)/macOS (Ventura and lower) with EaseFab Blu-ray Ripper, Handbrake and VLC.

Nowadays video entertainment has gradually shifted from disc to digital. And there are very few ways to watch your Blu-ray collection on your computer without shelling out cash for the privilege, even if you already own a Blu-Ray drive and bought your movies. In another aspect, when Steve Jobs set off the Mobile Revolution, the mainstream multimedia device falls on smartphones and tablets, which propels the increasing prevalence of the MP4 format.

Therefore, the demand for Blu-ray to MP4 conversion is doomed to rise. This way, you don't need to swap discs, you can play our movies in any app you want and you can even stream them to our other devices. Moreover, you can prevent your cherished movie library from physical damage. In this article, we will share 3 best Blu-ray to MP4 converters to help you convert Blu-ray to MP4 format so that you can stream and view your movies on NAS, Plex, TV, hard drive, mobiles, and other devices.

Way 1. Convert Blu-ray to MP4 with EaseFab Blu-ray Ripper [Recommended]

Best for backing up any type of copy-protected Blu-rays and DVDs with the best balance in quality, speed and size.

EaseFab Blu-ray Ripper has harvested an overwhelming number of loyal users throughout its 16-year-long journeys in the Blu-ray and DVD ripping industry. It can can backup and rip a full Blu-ray movie to MP4 HEVC/H.264) in 10 minutes with the best balance in quality & size. Below are the specific features that add a ton of value.

[Tutorial] How Can I Convert Blu-rays to MP4 with Quality, Size, and Speed Well Balanced?

To begin with, you need to download and install EaseFab Blu-ray Ripper Windows or Mac version on your computer. The guide below takes the Windows version for an example. Mac version has the same process. Please not that a Blu-ray drive is necessary for ripping Blu-ray discs.

Step 1. Load Blu-ray movies

Insert the Blu-ray disc to the BD drive and then click the Load Disc button to have Blu-ray movies uploaded to EaseFab Blu-ray Ripper. A few seconds later, the full title list of Blu-ray with the auto-checked main title are presented. Besides Blu-ray disc, BDMV Folder, ISO image and VIDEO_TS folder can also be taken as source for decoding.

Step 2. Select MP4 as Output

Click Profile bar and select the format you want from the drop-down list. Move your mose cursor to Common Video category and select MP4 (codec: h264+aac) as the output format. If you need to convert a Blu-ray for iPhone, Android device, YouTube, web services, you can also find a profile from the corresponding device category.

Step 3. Convert Blu-ray from 30~50 GBs to MP4 in less than 3GBs

To get a good balance between image quality and file size, you need to click Settings button customize the parameter settings. Flexible options are offered to further reduce the size of the ripped MP4 video. A slew of other variables such the video/audio codecs, pixel dimensions, frame rate, bit rate, audio sampel rate, etc. will help convert a Blu-ray at 40GB to a MP4 file smaller than 3GB.

Step 4. Start the Blu-ray to MP4 conversion.

Just below Profile is Output, here you can click the small Folder icon to browse your computer for a better destination folder to save the result Blu-ray rips.

After everything is ready, you can click the big blue Convert button to start converting. The Blu-ray to MP4 rip will go from about 150fps to 350fps based on the computer you have (higher configuration, faster speed).

Way 2. Convert Blu-ray to MP4 Free with VLC

Best for both Blu-ray conversion and playing. Need to use some extra files.

VLC proves itself a solid choice with its simplified interface and powerful Blu-ray decoder feature. Can VLC convert Blu-ray to MP4? Yes. Besides a full-fledged media player that supports a pretty extensive list of video and audio formats, it can also help transcode Blu-ray to MP4 with some extra operations.

Actually, the default VLC media player will prompt errors due to Digital Rights Management like AACS when users try to play or rip copy-protected Blu-ray discs. But 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 MP4 with VLC.

[Tutorial] How to Convert Blu-ray to MP4 with VLC?

Step 1. Download and Install VLC

To begin with, you should complete the setup of VLC. Please make sure that your VLC media player is up to date with the latest version, or it may cause some unexpected errors.

There are two important files required to enable your VLC to play and rip encrypted Blu-ray, respectively, keys database and AACS dynamic library. Please follow the next steps to download these two files onto your desktop.

Step 2. Add Keys Database Files

Download a supported Java JRE (JDK is NOT needed) and extract it manually into a 'java' folder in the VLC directory.

Next, please download libaacs libraries and copy it into VLC directory root folder (not into a subdirectory). Please note that the file 'aacs_info.exe' is not required.

Download keys databse file manually and unzip the keydb.cfg file, which can be used for Blu-ray playback. After extracting the file, there's a 'FindVUK - Synchronize.bat' that can be used for a simple synchronization of the keydb.cfg file. Now, put this file in the related folder.

● Windows: put it in C:\ProgramData\aacs\
● Mac OS X: put it in ~/Library/Preferences/aacs/ (open a new folder if it doesn't exist.)
● Linux: put it in ~/.config/aacs/
● Linux SNAP: put it in ~/snap/vlc/current/.config/aacs/

Step 3. Add AACS Dynamic Library

Also, you need to download AACS Dynamic Library from the following link and put the file in your VLC directory root folder on Windows PC. If you're using MacBook/ MacBook Air/ MacBook Pro, put the file in /usr/local/lib/ directory. (create it if it does not exist.)

AACS Dynamic Library:

● For Windows 32-bit: Click here to download
● For Windows 64-bit: Click here to download
● Mac OS X: Click here to download
● Linux: install libaacs package using your distribution package manager.

Note that the links are verified safe and clear.

Step 4. Play and Rip Blu-ray to MP4 with VLC

It takes all the effort to the final step. Simply launch VLC media player on your computer, and insert the Blu-ray disc into the device. Now, turn to VLC interface and click Media - Convert / Save... option. (or use hotkey: Ctrl + R)

Next, 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-raywith VLC to find the correct title. Then click Convert / Save button.

Convert pop-up arrives. Move to Settings panel. Set an profile as MP4. If necessary, you can click the setting icon to adjust codec, bit rate, frame rate, resolution and subtitles. Then, click Browse button to give a destination for saving resulting video file. Don't forget to name it. Finally, click Start to make VLC rip Blu-ray to MP4.

What to look out for: VLC is a well-recognized media player with GPU-accelerated DVD/video decoding ability. But when it comes to Blu-ary and video encoding, VLC has a worse performance compared with professional Blu-ray ripper software. So if you value speed when converting Blu-ray to MP4, you can choose the other tools in our list.

Way 3. Convert Blu-ray to MP4 Free with Handbrake

Best for advanced users in need of open source unprotected Blu-ray to MP4 ripper.

HandBrake is an open source video transcoder that also functions as the best free Blu-ray to MP4 converter. For advanced users who prefer customize output settings, this software gives you maximum free to tweak on your Blu-ray videos – video encoding modes, resolution, bitrate, subtitle tracks, title/chapter selection, video dimensions, filters, etc. Besides, it has handy presets categorized by devices, web, Matroska, production, and general use.

However, HandBrake converts neither encrypted physical Blu-ray Disc nor decrypted commercial Blu-ray movies in BDMV file structure. This means you cannot use Handbrake to back up and rip protected Blu-rays, but you can still use Handbrake to convert homemade Blu-rays to MP4. Below are the simple steps.

[Tutorial] How to Convert Unprotected Blu-ray to MP4 with Handbrake

Step 1. Download, install and open Handbrake on your PC or Mac.

Step 2. Insert the unportected Blu-ray disc to your BD drive that connected to your computer.

Step 3. Click Open Source to load the Blu-ray content. Handbrake will take some time to scan the title.

HandBrake will scan all chapters in the Blu-ray and choose a main title by default. However, you can change this by typing in a new title.

Step 4. Click the quality presets drop-down menu, ranging from General, Web, Matroska, Hardware, etc. You can preferably choose Fast480p30 for the US or Fast576p25 for Europe. You can also choose HQ and Super HQ for better image quality, which may also result in slow Blu-ray encoding speed.

Step 5. Choose the format MP4 from the drop-down list in the Summary.

Step 6. Adjust the quality settings as per your needs. You can use the Picture, Video, Audio, Subtitles, and Chapters tabs further. Preferably, you can choose H.264 for MP4 video, set RF 18-22 for your Blu-ray movies, enable 2-pass encoding for better image quality, and more.

Step 7. Click the Browse button at the lower part and select a destination folder to save the resulting MP4 file. You can also use an external drive and store your Blu-ray movie on your HDD or SDD, a USB drive, a NAS, or in the cloud.

Step 8. Then click Start Encode on the above toolbar to begin to free convert Blu-ray to MP4 on Windows or Mac You can watch the conversion process. After the ripping, you can add the MP4 movie to your library in a movie library problem like Plex.

What to look out for: As a matter of fact, Handbrake can't handle encryption which means it doesn't work with most commercial Blu-ray discs. In this case, you'll need a more powerful Handbrake alternative like EaseFab Blu-ray Ripper, capable of processing various encryption schemes on all types of Blu-ray and DVD discs.

Common Blu-ray to MP4 Converting Errors You May Meet

When converting a Blu-ray, maybe you're worried that:

※ It takes tool long

Blu-ray video to MP4 ripping speed lies on both the performance of Blu-ray ripper and computer configuration. The faster processor the computer has, the faster the encoding will be. It's widely considered as fast to convert a Blu-ray movie to MP4 within 25 minutes, with an average speed of 25FPS+. A speed slower than that will require more patience. It's unacceptable when it takes hours to finish a Blu-ray copy. In fact, you can rip a Blu-ray in 10-15 minutes with a faster DVD ripper.

※ The output is not as good as the original Blu-ray

The Blu-ray rip to MP4 process will re-encode the videos and lose quality for that reason. But different codecs like MPEG4, H.264, and HEVC have different qualities (generally, HEVC > H.264 > MPEG4). To keep the the visually same quality (including Dolby digital sound), Blu-ray to MP4 x265 is the best choice. Besides, copy protections like AACS encryption, BD+, MKB technology, etc. can result in bad quality if the software fails to remove them. That means you need to install a third-party Blu-ray decrypter to handle encrypted Blu-rays.

※ The ripped MP4 is huge in size

A compelete Blu-ray is anywhere from 25-50GB and the rip size depends on how nice you want the quality. Simply put, Blu-ray = low compression and mp4 = high compression. Therefore, you can compress down to whatever size you want. The smaller size, the lower quality. Generally, for full length movies (1.5 - 2hrs) to h.264 codec, 1.2-1.8 gigs a movie will give good quality.

Summary: It's kinda a paradox to get the fast speed, optimal quality, and small size for the Blu-ray to MP4 encoded with h.264/mpeg-4 codec. However, a battle-tested Blu-ray converter like EaseFab Blu-ray Ripper can get the best possible results in a balanced way.

FAQs about Blu-ray to MP4 conversion

1. Can VLC convert Blu-ray to MP4?

In fact, VLC doesn't come with the ability to play encrypted Blu-ray discs, let alone rip them. You need to jump through some hoops to add the ability to play encrypted Blu-ray discs, and even then, you'll find that the ripping process is pretty slow and that VLC can't handle some Blu-ray menus.

But if you've made sure the Blu-ray disc you want to rip can be played in VLC without problem (See How to play a Blu-ray with VLC), you can try to convert Blu-ray to MP4 using VLC.

2. Is converting Blu-ray to MP4 legal?

It's not legal to crack a Blu-ray in United States. But it's widely considered that it's OK to make an "archival" copy of any Blu-ray content that you've legally purchased/acquired the rights to.

3. How to convert Blu-ray to MP4 on Mac?

There isn't any native way to digitize Blu-ray or DVD on Mac. To convert Blu-ray to MP4 on Mac, you need to resort to third-party software like EaseFab Blu-ray Ripper for Mac, LosslessCopy for Mac, MakeMKV + Handbrake for Mac or any other macos-based Blu-ray ripping apps.

4. How do I convert a protected Blu-ray to MP4?

You need to get a Blu-ray ripping program that supports copy protections. These are protected Blu-ray rippers that supports AACS encryption, BD+, MKVB, etc. Download the program, insert your Blu-ray, and it should be able to read and analyze the correct title of a protected Blu-ray. (Please note, before you convert a protected Blu-ray, make sure you legally own it.)

5. Why we choose MP4 format for converting Blu-ray to?

There are 3 main reasons fro converting Blu-rays to MP4 format:

● MP4 is widely supported.
MP4 is compatible with almost all devices, including computers and HD/4K TVs, phones, tablets, and game consoles from Apple, Samsung, Google, Microsoft, Sony, etc. It's accepted by media players, editors (e.g. iTunes, iDVD, iMovie) and web services (e.g. YouTube, Facebook, Vimeo). After converting Blu-ray file to MP4, you can watch MP4 copies on the train, airplane, bus, etc without taking along physical discs.

● MP4 well balances size and quality.
MP4 features a high compression rate and great output quality. Therefore, it delivers a smaller file size than other formats when setting as the same quality. Sometimes an MKV file at least doubles the size of an MP4.

● MP4 is easy to store but hard to be corrupted.
Due to its easier storage & management, MP4 is the best format to backup Blu-ray to. You can save it on computer hard drive, USB, flash drive, iPhone, Android, etc. You can categorize MP4 videos by genre, year, etc. as per your needs. It's easy to locate any file by searching. Unlike fragile Blu-ray disc, MP4 video file is difficult to be damaged during regular use. If corrupted, we have multiple ways to repair MP4 file.

For the above reasons, it is advisable to change the movie format from Blu-ray to MP4 with professional Blu-ray rippers. Click here and follow our detailed guide to convert Blu-ray to MP4 here >>