How to Burn an Audio CD on a Blank DVD

CDs can store digital information in a variety of formats, but they don’t have the storage capacity to retain the amount of information necessary to hold videos. DVDs have far more storage capacity -- 4.7 GB versus only 700 MB available on CD -- making them optimal for larger video files. However, a DVD can still hold just an audio track and no video information. Burning an audio CD to a blank DVD isn’t the most efficient use of storage because of the amount of wasted space; however, if all you have is a blank DVD, you can make do with that.

Open the computer’s DVD-RW tray. Insert the CD, face up, in the tray and close it.

Open the CD’s contents in the CD/DVD-creation software. Burn the CD to the software by following your software’s specific instructions. Note that some software programs use the terms “Add Files” or “Create Playlists” instead of “Burn.”

Open the DVD-RW tray, and remove the CD. Insert a blank DVD-R or DVD-RW into the tray, and close the player.

Select all the files from the audio CD you wish to record to the DVD-R or DVD-RW by clicking on them with the mouse cursor and left mouse button. To select multiple files, hold down the “Ctrl” button on your keyboard while clicking on the files.

Right-click with your mouse on the selected files, and choose “Copy” from the drop-down menu that appears. Left-click the mouse cursor on the file representing the blank DVD-R or DVD-RW. Right-click in that file, and choose “Paste” to transfer the files into the DVD-R or DVD-RW folder.

Instruct your CD/DVD-creation software to burn -- or record or transfer -- the files to the actual DVD-R or DVD-RW disc. This procedure may vary depending on your software but usually involves a simple, intuitive menu selection found under the “Edit” or “Playlist” drop-down menu.

Wait until all the files have completely transferred to the DVD-R or DVD-RW. Follow your software’s specific instructions to finalize the disc.