Best External CD/DVD Drive Burner Player for Windows 11/10 Laptops

The popularity of hard drive, cloud storage and streaming media has reduced the demand for DVD. As a result, fewer laptops come with internal CD/DVD drive to keep costs down and make laptops thinner and lighter. However, it will cause inconvenience if we have some DVDs to play, rip, or copy. Thankfully, it isn't a big deal as we can connect an external DVD drive to our laptop. When we choose an external DVD drive for our computer, make sure it is compatible with our operating system. If you work on Windows 11/10, look no further. This is because here we are going to introduce the best external CD DVD drive for Windows 11/10 computer in 2023.

Also see: 2023 best laptops with DVD drives

Part 1. 2023 Best External CD DVD Drive for Windows 11/10 Laptops

Browsing Amazon, we've found that the following external DVD drives are confirmed to be compatible with Windows 11. Actually, all of them below have a broad compatibility. Besides Windows 11, they can also be used on Windows 10, 8, 7, Mac, and more.

1. ROOFULL External CD DVD Drive USB 3.0 Type-C Portable CD ROM DVD +/-RW Optical Drive Burner Player (‎ECD819-SU3-BB)

• Price: $28.99
• Compatible Operating System: Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7/Vista/XP, Linux, Mac OS
• Compatible discs: CD-ROM, CD-R, CD +/-RW, DVD-ROM, DVD-R, DVD+/-RW, DVD-R DL, VCD-ROM
• Hardware Interface: USB 3.0 Type A, USB Type C, USB 3.0
• Optical Storage Write Speed: Max 24xCD / 8xDVD
• Optical Storage Read Speed: 8X/24X

Pros:

• Support a wide range of systems of Windows, Mac, and Linux.
• No extra driver required. Just plug this external DVD drive into your computer's USB port and then it will automatically install and be recognized by your computer.
• Support CD/DVD playing, burning, ripping, installing software/game, data backup and so on.
• Support faster USB 3.0 and USB-C adapter.
• Slim and portable.
• Provide a thick protective carrying case to protect our discs.

Cons:

• No accompanying DVD software. You need to download DVD player, DVD ripper, DVD burner youself.
• The data cable may be short for you.
• Do not support Blu-ray discs.

For more details, click here.

2. Guamar External DVD Drive 5 in 1 USB 3.0 USB C CD/DVD +/- RW Burner Writer

• Price: $39.99
• Compatible Operating System: Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7/Vista/XP, Mac OS
• Compatible discs: CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-ROM, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, DVD+R, DVD+R DL, DVD-R DL, DVD RAM
• Hardware Interface: USB 3.0 & Type-C
• Optical Storage Write Speed: CD-R 24X, DVD-R 8X
• Optical Storage Read Speed: CD24x, VCD 24x, DVD8x

Pros:

• It is a 5 in 1 external DVD drive with an SD Card reader, a TF card reader, and 2 USB 3.0 ports.
• Allow users to watch, burn, rip, copy DVDs, and install software/game.
• No extra drive needed. Just plug and then play.
• Compatible with USB3. 0/USB2. 0/USB1. 0.
• Light and easy to carry.

Cons:

• Do not provide CD/DVD player program.
• Do not support Blu-ray.
• SD card and TF card can’t be used simultaneously.

For more details, click here.

3. UHNDY External DVD Drive, USB 3.0 CD DVD Burner for Laptop

• Price: $29.99
• Compatible Operating System: Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7/Vista/XP, Linux, Mac OS 10.6 or above
• Compatible discs: CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-ROM, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, DVD+R, DVD+R DL, DVD-R DL, DVD RAM
• Hardware Interface: USB 3.0 Type A, USB 3.0 Type C
• Optical Storage Write Speed: Max 24x (CD)/ Max 8x (DVD)
• Optical Storage Read Speed: Max 24x (CD)/ Max 8x (DVD)

Pros:

• Wide compatibility.
• No additional driver required.
• It is not only an external CD DVD burner but also a 6-in-1 USB hub with 4 USB ports and 2 SD card slots.
• Come with good thermal design.
• Provide 2-in-1 USB plug.
• Ship with extra power supply cable.
• Slim and lightweight.

Cons:

• Don't come with CD/DVD player software.
• Do not support Blu-ray or game disc that over 8.5GB.
• SD card and TF card can't be used at the same time.

For more details, click here.

Well, above are some good external DVD burners/players for Windows 11/10 that we find on Amazon. Hope you can find a desired onfind a desired one. Click here to find more external DVD drives for laptop >>

Part 2. How to Connect External DVD Drive to Windows 11/10 Computer

It's easy to use external DVD drive on Windows 11/10. Here are steps to connect external DVD drive to your laptop or desktop.

Step 1. Turn on your computer.

Step 2. Insert one end of a USB cable into the external DVD drive and plug the other end into the USB port of your computer.

Then, the external CD/DVD drive usually will be recognized by your computer automatically. Or, you need to follow the on-screen instructions to install device driver.

Part 3. Why External DVD Drive for Laptop Windows 11/10 Not Working and How to Fix?

There are many reasons for external DVD drive not working/showing up/recognized. It could be a problem with your disc, external optical drive, firmware, and USB port. The common solutions include:

• Connect your external DVD drive to the direct USB C or USB port on your computer, instead of a USB hub or extension cord.
• Go to Windows Update and install the latest drivers.
• Go to Device Manager and reinstall/update driver.
• Go to Device Manager and reinstall IDE/ATAPI drivers.
• Check BIOS/UEFI settings and chipset drivers.
• Fix corrupted registry entries.

For more detailed explanation, check these articles:

• How to Fix DVD Drive Not Working or Not Detected on Windows 10/11
• [Solved] DVD Drive not Reading/Recognizing DVDs on Windows