Q&A: Playing DVD Movies in Windows 8 Does Windows 8 have a DVD player program for watching movies? If so, how do I find it? Windows 8 does not include a default video player for watching movies on DVD. In a company blog post last year, Microsoft representatives cited the decline in disc sales and licensing fees for DVD player software as factors in the decision. Windows 8 should be able to read data stored on DVD discs; if not, check with your hardware manufacturer for troubleshooting tips. The lack of built-in software should not stop you from playing DVD movies on your computer. If you have Windows 8 Pro, you can download and add on the Windows Media Center Pack software for $10 to get DVD playback capability; those with just Windows 8 need the $100 Windows Pro Pack to add a compatible version of Windows Media Center to their systems. Microsoft's site explains how to buy the software and has more information on playing DVDs for various editions of Windows. While you can find DVD player apps in the Windows Store, you may not have to go that far or spend any money. If you bought a new computer with both a DVD drive and Windows 8 preinstalled, see if the manufacturer included a program for handling DVDs. If not, VideoLAN's open-source software, VLC media player, can play DVD movies. The program can be downloaded free, but the developers include a link to make a small donation if you would like to help out.