How to Fix a DVD Disc That Skips and Freezes

Slightly dusty dual layer DVD disc, showing the gold data side

We have nearly three decades experience playing and caring for digital video discs (DVDs). Indeed, daily watching is a major time filler of our spare time. Since we buy many used DVDs which can have scratches, we often encounter skipping DVDs. So, the question of how to fix a DVD disc that skips and freezes became important for us to answer. We offer below the answers to it that we’ve found through experimentation below.

So we’ve experienced and stopped many DVDs from freezing and skipping while playing. We’ve found that neither DVD players, nor discs are safe from this pesky problem. Whether a home or car DVD player. Whether a cheap mobile or most high-end home theater player. All kinds of DVD players experience the freezing DVD.

No kind of DVD is free from this either. All optical discs, including DVDs will skip sooner or later. No matter who makes them, they will at times, skip, freeze. cut out, drop out, or pixilate. So knowing how to cure this is useful for movie buffs who buy many used DVDs as we do. So, we offer tips on how to stop a DVD from freezing. We hope you’ll get as much mileage out of these techniques as we have.

How to fix a DVD that skips and freezes. Slightly dusty dual layer DVD disc, showing the gold data side

How to Fix a DVD Disc That Skips and Freezes: Considerations

The DVD is Not Always Faulty

First, it may not be a disc problem at all. When you see a DVD skipping, don’t throw it out right away. It could be repairable. Often, even DVDs without visible scratches on the play side can freeze up. Sometimes, the DVD players themselves cause this. So with skipping DVDs, find the problem source. Thus you avoid wasting money on new players or tossing good DVDs.

The Skipping DVD Disc Could Have Scratches

The DVD itself may have manufacturing flaws. Or, it has scratches, dust, or dirt. It may be aging beyond its useful life. DVDs typically last roughly fifty years. Or it may be the victim of improper cleaning techniques.

The Disc Player Could be Defective

The player itself may be failing. Why? Because perhaps the laser that reads the data from discs has weakened. This happens due to age or extensive use. Also, dust can accumulate on the laser lens. Or maybe the player’s laser servos and the motor that spins the DVD are wearing out. Like DVD discs, the players themselves often develop defects over time. In fact, they wear out at a faster rate than the media itself. This can result in skippy playback.

Player and DVD Disc Incompatibilities Cause DVD Skipping and Freezing

Finally, not every DVD player can play every DVD disc without skipping, even when nothing is technically wrong with either. One manufacturer’s DVDs may not be compatible with a particular DVD player. Indeed, neither DVDs nor the players precisely adhere to the same standards exactly. With these tolerances, it’s no wonder that certain DVDs just won’t play in certain players without skipping.

How to fix a DVD Disc That Skips and Freezes: Clean Both Disc and Player

Try the Freezing DVD Disc in Another DVD Player

If it plays fine there, then consider the following. If the DVD player is more than several years old, then it’s probably time to replace it.

As mentioned, DVD players do indeed age. Their laser light output decreases over time. This eventually impairs the player’s ability to read the optical data on the discs. Now you can find decent sub one-hundred dollar players these days. Thus it’s senseless to put up with a skipping player that’s more than five years old.

Replace the DVD Player to Fix a DVD that Skips and Freezes

Perhaps the skipping, freezing player is simply following outdated standards. So you may notice that it’s picky when playing some discs. But they play well in other machines. In this case, that old player, though maybe not defective per se, lacks current technology to better handle disc tolerances. So just don’t watch that DVD in that player. Or, if it really bothers you, just replace the player.

Further, remember that some players are better at reading well through dirt and scratches than others. This is notably so of newer players. Recently made DVD players have more advanced error fixing circuits and tightly aimed lasers than the older DVD players. Now your 1999 vintage DVD player may still work well. But those older units just don’t play DVD discs as well as today’s models. A player upgrade you probably need if you have one of these old models.

Try cleaning the DVD Disc

We detail how to do this in our How to Clean a DVD Disc post. Cleaning oils, dust, and fingerprints from the disc is one sure way for how to stop a DVD from skipping. Avoid any chemicals harsher than dish soap and water.

Wet the DVD with a filtered water and soap solution.
Then gntly rub with smooth fingers.
Rinse with more filtered water.
Finally dry with a lint-free lens cleaning cloth.

The washing removes fingerprints, oils, and loose dirt. And the wiping dry not only removes the water from the DVD. But it also polishes out the microscopic scratches that often cause freezing and skipping.

How to Fix a DVD Disc That Skips and Freezes: Try Cleaning the DVD Player Inside

The player may become dirty inside, depending on its environment. They sell a laser lens cleaning CD, designed to clean both CD and DVD player lenses. We’ve never had good luck with these. But they may work for you, and could save you the cost of buying a new player. The cleaning disc has a small brush affixed to the play side. You put this disc into the player. Then when the player reads , the attached brush skims over the laser lens. This can indeed remove dust and dirt buildup.

Now cleaning the laser lens may not solve the skipping. So if you feel confident enough, remove the top cover from home players. Then blow out any dirt and lint; particularly from the laser rails. Avoid too much air though. A can of residue free air works well.

How to Fix a DVD Disc That Skips and Freezes: Handle them the Right Way Always

Keep your DVDs Clean, Before they Become Soiled

One stitch in time saves nine when maintaining these delicate video discs. To preserve peak performance, avoid ever dirtying the DVDs to begin with. Always store them in their cases when not viewing, and avoid exposing to weather and direct sunlight.

Never Touch the Data Surface on the DVD Disc

Furthermore, avoid getting fingerprints on the play side of the DVD. Instead, lift them by edges. Do not grab them via their flat surfaces. This limits the need to ever clean up skin oils from them.

Keep your DVD Player Clean and Cool

Avoid permanently setting up the player in dusty locations. Furthermore, keep it away from direct sunlight and heat sources.

Keep your DVD Discs Out of the Sun

Light and heat can trigger breakdown of the micro thin metallic surface of the DVD, increasing the likelihood of skipping. So, for longest lasting skip-free playback, avoid exposing your DVDs to light and heat; especially from sunshine. This is easy if you keep your discs in their opaque cases. Also store them away from windows and heat sources. E.g. Radiators, machines, audio amplifiers, and so on. A climate controlled environment is best for storing them.

Typical DVD discs.