[Solved] Wrong Region When Playing DVDs with DVD Player
What does wrong region mean on a DVD player? DVD players only play DVDs encoded to the same region. For example, if you play DVDs purchased from Australia (Region 4) in Canada (Region 1), you will receive such an error message. Sony DVD Player error - Playing of This Disc Prohibited by Area Limits is also such kind of region error.
You can find a DVD's region code on the back of its case near a globe icon or on the disc itself, while your DVD player's region code is typically listed in its settings menu or user manual. Here are several ways to get rid of the wrong region error on DVD players.
How to Fix Wrong Region Error on DVD Player
1. Change the region of the DVD player to the right region code of the DVD. But the DVD player will be locked to the last set region permanently after you reach the limit of region changes (usually 5).
2. Most DVD players produced by Sony, Toshiba, LG, Samsung, Philips, etc. are hackable. Hack your DVD player to make it region free for playing DVDs from any region. But it requires some time. Different models have different hacking methods and unlock codes.
3. Switch your DVD player to a region-free player or buy a DVD player that is the same region on the DVD. However, it is not recommended since there are other cheaper solutions.
4. Buy a different DVD version that is made from the same region of the DVD player.
5. Use an external USB DVD drive — but note, most of these also carry region restrictions, though they’re often easier to bypass via software.
6. Download a reliable DVD ripping program, WinX DVD Ripper Platinum, to convert region locked DVDs to region free. In this way, you can bypass DVDs from any region (1-6) and play DVDs without wrong region errors on DVD players any more. Moreover, DVDs will be digitized to MP4, MOV, AVI, etc. video format, allowing you to play any region DVDs conveniently without DVD players anywhere.
This top region code DVD ripper can automatically bypass region code and convert region code DVDs (1-6) to region free or region 0. Meanwhile, it digitizes DVDs to MP4, H264, HEVC, MOV, MKV, AVI, VOB, etc. modern formats acceptable by any mobile devices, TV, streaming services. Insert whatever you have into it, be it 99-title Disney DVD, bad sector Sony DVD, UOPs/CSS protected DVD or playlist obfuscation DVDs, and it can easily remove all DRM from your DVD and rip DVDs at GPU hardware accelerated 5X faster speed!
Please DO Not use WinX DVD Ripper to rip rental DVDs.
Use the following steps to turn your DVDs to region free quickly. No more DVD player, no more wrong region error.
Step 1. Insert your region coded DVDs into your DVD drive, and open the software. Click the Disc icon on the top and select the Disc to load. The DVD will be loaded immediately.
Step 2. The Output Profile window should appear. You can decrypt regional DVDs to region-free MP4 , AVI, MOV, etc. video format, or backup DVDs.
Step 3. Click the RUN button to start processing and ripping DVDs. The output file is region free and playback without a DVD player. Note that region code is not removed from the original DVD discs.
[YouTube Video Tutorial] How to Unlock DVD Region Code with WinX DVD Ripper Platinum
Disclaimer: Digiarty Software does not advocate removing region code from DVDs for any illegal purpose. You're suggested to refer to the DVD copyright laws in your country before doing so.
FAQs about Wrong Region on DVD Player
1. What does "Wrong Region" mean on a DVD player?
This message appears when a DVD's region code doesn't match the region code currently set on your DVD player or drive. DVD region codes are part of international content licensing agreements — for example, Region 1 covers the U.S., while Region 2 is for Europe.
2. Why do DVD region locks exist?
Region codes control movie distribution and licensing rights across global markets. This ensures studios can stagger release dates, enforce pricing models, and comply with local censorship laws. There are eight official regions, with the U.S. typically using Region 1 and Europe using Region 2.
3. How many times can I change my DVD drive’s region setting?
Most computer DVD drives allow up to 5 region changes. After the fifth change, the drive permanently locks to the last selected region. This is enforced by the drive’s hardware (known as RPC-2). Bypassing this limit requires either custom firmware (RPC-1 hack) or region-free playback software.
4. Can I make my DVD player or drive region-free?
Some standalone DVD players can be unlocked using hidden remote codes or manufacturer firmware updates. For computer drives, advanced users can flash custom RPC-1 firmware to disable region locking entirely. Alternatively, software solutions like VLC Media Player can bypass region checks during playback.
5. What software can bypass or remove region codes from DVDs?
Popular tools include MakeMKV (which rips DVDs to region-free MKV files), HandBrake (to compress/convert MKV to MP4), and WinX DVD Ripper. VLC Media Player can often play DVDs from any region without ripping, provided the drive itself recognizes the disc.
6. Can I remove the region code from the DVD itself?
No. DVD region codes are part of the disc's physical data structure and cannot be changed. However, you can create a region-free digital copy by ripping the DVD with tools like MakeMKV, removing region restrictions during the copy process. Note that legality varies by country.
7. Why does my computer DVD drive not detect certain discs?
This issue can occur due to scratched or unreadable discs, mismatched region settings between drive and disc, failing hardware, or incompatibility with the disc's video format (NTSC/PAL). Windows may refuse to recognize discs with conflicting region codes at the firmware level.
8. What’s the best long-term solution for handling region-locked DVDs?
Most users either invest in a region-free standalone DVD player, use VLC Media Player on their computer, or rip DVDs to digital files using Handbrake or WinX DVD Ripper. External USB DVD drives are another option, though they typically carry region restrictions, unless bypassed via software.
