If you own an older Mac with a built-in optical drive, or if you use an external USB Apple USB SuperDrive, macOS is configured to react instantly the moment you insert a disc. If the system detects a video format on the disc, it will automatically launch the native macOS DVD Player app and attempt to begin playback immediately.
While this was incredibly convenient in the early 2000s, it is often a nuisance today. If you are inserting a DVD specifically to rip the video file using a program like Handbrake or MakeMKV, having the native DVD Player violently launch into the foreground and seize control of the optical drive interrupts your workflow and forces you to manually quit the app before you can begin your rip.
You can configure macOS to simply mount the disc silently on your desktop, allowing you to choose exactly which application opens it.
How to Stop the DVD Player from Auto-Launching
You must adjust the specific optical media settings within System Preferences.
- Open the System Settings (or System Preferences) via the Apple Logo in the top-left menu bar.
- Scroll down the left sidebar and click on CDs & DVDs. (Note: This preferences pane will only appear if you currently have an optical drive connected to your Mac).
- Look for the dropdown menu labeled When you insert a video DVD.
- Click the dropdown menu and change the selection from “Open DVD Player” to Ignore.
- (Optional) You can also change the behavior for Audio CDs and Picture CDs to “Ignore” as well to completely silence all disc insertions.
The next time you insert a DVD into your drive, macOS will simply mount the disc icon on your desktop and in the Finder sidebar. It will patiently wait for you to open it with your preferred third-party application.