This article shows you how to burn a DVD using an ISO image. You can perform this procedure on both a Windows system and a Mac, directly using the tools built into the operating system. Burning an ISO file to disc allows you to access the content and run it as if it were a normal program, which is very useful if you need to create the installation disc of an operating system or a video game.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Windows systems
Step 1. Make sure your computer is equipped with a DVD burner
It is an indispensable device to be able to burn a DVD using an ISO file. Most modern Windows computers nowadays have an optical drive capable of burning both DVDs and regular CDs.
- If "DVD Recorder" or "RW DVD" is visible on the carriage of the optical drive, it means that it is capable of burning this type of optical media.
- If your system does not come with a DVD burner, you will need to purchase an external one.
Step 2. Insert a blank DVD into your computer drive
If the disc you are about to burn will become the installation media for an operating system or video game, make sure you are using a blank disc that has not been used before.
Step 3. Access the "Start" menu by clicking the icon
It features the Windows logo and is located at the bottom left of the desktop.
Step 4. Choose the "File Explorer" option marked with the icon
It is located at the bottom left of the "Start" menu.
Step 5. Navigate to the folder that contains the ISO file to burn
Select the icon of the directory where the file under examination is present using the tree menu located in the left sidebar of the "File Explorer" window.
For example, if the ISO image file to burn to disc is stored directly on your computer desktop, you will need to select the icon Desktop.
Step 6. Select the ISO file of your interest by clicking its icon
Step 7. Go to the Share tab
It is located in the upper left of the "File Explorer" window. This will bring up a new toolbar at the top of the toolbar.
Step 8. Press the Write to disc button
It is located within the "Send" group of the "File Explorer" window ribbon. A new dialog box will appear on the screen.
Step 9. Make sure the DVD drive is selected as the burner
If your computer has multiple optical drives, select the "CD Burner" drop-down menu and choose the drive you want to use to burn the DVD.
Step 10. Press the Burn button
It is located at the bottom of the dialog box that appears. In this way the computer will start the process of burning the ISO file to the DVD. After burning, the optical media will be automatically ejected from the player.
Burning the DVD will take a few minutes or several hours, depending on the size of the ISO file used
Method 2 of 2: Mac
Step 1. Insert a blank DVD into your Mac DVD player
Since most Macs do not have an optical drive, you will need to purchase an external CD / DVD drive in order to perform the procedure described in the article.
- You can buy an external burner directly from Apple's website for less than € 90.
- To connect the external DVD burner to your Mac, insert one end of the connection cable into one of the USB ports on your computer (in the case of a laptop the USB port is located along the left side of the case, while in the case of an iMac it is on the back monitor).
Step 2. Make sure you know the exact path where the ISO file is stored
The burning process is much simpler when the ISO image is contained in an easily accessible place, such as the desktop.
Step 3. Enter the Spotlight search field by clicking the icon
It features a small magnifying glass and is located at the top right of the screen. A search bar will appear.
Step 4. Type the keywords disk utility into the Spotlight text field
This will search the entire system using the specified criteria. The Disk Utility application is the tool that will allow you to burn the ISO file to disc.
Step 5. Select the Disk Utility icon
It features a small gray hard drive topped with a stethoscope. It should appear at the top of the search results list.
Step 6. Go to the Burn tab
It is characterized by the radioactivity symbol and is located in the upper right part of the "Disk Utility" window. A Finder window will appear.
Step 7. Select the ISO file to burn
Access the folder where it is stored (for example the Desktop) using the tree menu located inside the left sidebar of the Finder window, then click the icon of the ISO image you have chosen.
Step 8. Hit the Burn button
It is located in the lower right corner of the window. This will close the Finder window with which you chose the file to burn.
Step 9. When prompted, hit the Burn button
It is located in the lower right part of the newly appeared window which contains the settings for burning (write speed, test of the disc creation process, data verification, etc.). This will start the process of burning the data to disc.
Depending on the size of the ISO file, burning the disc can take anywhere from a few minutes to several hours
Step 10. When prompted, press the OK button
It is located in the lower right corner of the DVD creation completion notification window. The disc is now ready and can be used normally.
