How to Use Apple SuperDrive with Windows and PC
Macs no longer have internal DVD and CD-RW drives, but for Mac users who still need to use optical discs the Apple SuperDrive offers an external all-in-one USB solution that can read and write both CD and DVD discs, all you have to do is plug it into a USB port on the Mac and Mac OS will detect the SuperDrive. But that’s Mac OS, not Windows, and many Mac users also use Windows PC or Windows operating systems, so wouldn’t it be nice to use that Apple SuperDrive in Windows too?
But SuperDrive does not always work with Windows PC right away however, and sometimes the Apple SuperDrive either doesn’t function as expected, won’t accept a disc, or is not properly recognized in Windows, whether running natively on PC, or a Mac through Boot Camp, or a virtual machine either.
Whatever the scenario, if you’re trying to use an Apple SuperDrive with Windows and it’s not working as expected, try the steps below to get the SuperDrive functioning in Windows.
How to Use Apple SuperDrive in Windows
The steps below outline installing Apple SuperDrive drivers for Windows so that the SuperDrive will function as expected:
- Boot into Windows, or get on the Windows PC trying to use SuperDrive if you have not done so already
- Go here to to the Apple Support Downloads site and locate the latest version of “Boot Camp Support Software” (5.1.5722 or newer)
- Download the Boot Camp Support Software zip file and unzip it on the computer
- From the unzipped “Bootcamp5” folder, navigate to \Bootcamp\Drivers\Apple\ and locate “AppleODDInstaller64.exe”
- Run the AppleODDInstaller64.exe executable file to install the appropriate drivers for Apple SuperDrive in Windows
These steps are intended to be from taken from Windows, however you could download the Boot Camp Support Software on a Mac and then transfer the zip file to Windows through USB, networking, or your method of choice if need be, or you could just extract the “\Bootcamp\Drivers\Apple\ AppleODDInstaller64.exe” (note it will be labeled “AppleODDInstaller.exe” if it’s 32-bit version) file on a Mac and transfer that exe installer to Windows. You must be in Windows to run and install the actual Bootcamp Drivers for SuperDrive, however.
This should work to get an Apple SuperDrive working on any modern Windows version, including Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10. Note that if you’re on a notably older Windows release, you’d want to download an earlier version of Boot Camp drivers that contain the 32-bit exe rather than the 64-bit exe, and otherwise it should work the same as well.
Once the drivers are installed properly in Windows, the Apple SuperDrive should accept discs, read, write, and eject them as expected, just like it does on the Mac. Of course you could also just get a different external DVD-RW / CDRW drive too at less cost, as many of the other solutions either work immediately with plug-and-play in Windows and Mac OS, but the SuperDrive situation is helpful if you already have one from a Mac, or you want to stay consistent with Apple hardware. Why buy new hardware when you have something that already works, right? The same logic applies to using a Windows keyboard on a Mac, and many other common peripherals that are compatible with both a Mac and PC, even if they require some minor tinkering to get working as intended.
So I purchased the pop-up mobile external DVD/RW 3.0 USB. due to the limited space I was working in at the time and failed to notice that at the bottom of the instructions that were (micro) stating if you start it with the DVD in it the first time it wont work because it looses its super drive. that is how I ended up hear. I followed your instructions which took me two tries (my Fault) but when I put the DVD in this time it pulled up the Sony app. Great I was excited however when I try to click the play button nothing happens even though the arrow changes to the hand. its like that all across the top. but works fine on the exit button. What did I do wrong this time?
Dude you just saved my life.
And you didn’t even charge me for your expertise. Hope you make a good career out of this stuff, you deserve it.
THANK YOU SO MUCH BRO!
Man why do I have to download and install a 500mb package just to use a simple USB disc drive
Programs are always so large on windows! Minecraft for example is 430mb on mobile yet 1 gigabyte on my computer
I tried to follow these instructions but when installing the AppleODDInstaller64.exe from Boot Camp Support Software 5.1.5769, it said “Cannot Complete the Device Driver Installation Wizard” and the reason or status was “Install failed”. I have the Windows 10 Home Edition 64-bit. What could be the problem??
Excellent! Very useful and thanks so much!
Brilliant
Thank you, excellent solution!
This is absolutely wonderful. I had a disk part inserted in the drive and it wouldnt go in. As soon as its started installing it absorbed the disc and displayed contents. Yay!
worked well cheers matey
windows 10
mine is not installing. it says that my operating software is in S mode and it recommends that I don’t change the mode because I will get slower performance???
Please help
Thank you – this worked really well on my Windows 10. I’m having trouble ejecting my CD, though – in ‘This PC’ it is recognising the drive as a Portable Audio Player, not a CD drive, and there’s no eject option. Now my CD is stuck in the Superdrive! Any idea how to change this?
It´s done! Thanks.
This worked great on my Win10 machine. Was worried things would be out of date / have moved on since this was published but it worked a charm.
Worked beautifully! Thank you!
I downloaded the bootcamp software on my PC to get the Superdrive working and it looks like it downloaded properly but the CD won’t go fully in the driver. The driver shows up in “This PC” and I can click eject and the CD ejects, but it doesn’t sit fully in the slot so it can’t be played. I have Windows 10 and I downloaded the latest Bootcamp software. How can solve this problem?
I have same issue – how did you resolve?
TY in advacne
It’s a Miracle!
it works flawlessly, Thanks!!
Thanks!!!!!! I was about to throw out this drive and now it works like a charm! (win7 and win10)
How complicate it is, just to make a stupid odd work on a PC…
Thanks it really works!!
Even for someone as myself who understands few IT jargons and poorly-skilled in handling both SW and HW, the instructions were easy to follow to a T.
Thank you so much for helping to make my APple Superdrive work on my Windows laptop.
It Works!!!!
Thank you, it worked right away, i was about to trash my apple superdrive.
thank you
It works! Thank you very much for this. My USB Superdrive feels invincible now.
Thanks, works great! Good lookin’ out….
Worked like a charm on the first try with Windows 10! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
This worked for me on Windows 10. Thank you! :)
Thank you. This really helped and it’s working fantastic.
Thank you very much, it was very helpful and worked immediatelly. I was a bit worried after buying a new laptop I will have to also buy a new external drive but I don´t have to thanks to you. :)
i only was wondering if i took the dvd player out of my pc and put it in my 2007 imac would it be compatiable ?
Very helpful thanks!! Apple super drive now works on my Dell Inspiron!
Hi,
Thank you for this extremely helpful and well written instructions, it worked immediately without even a re-start.
For those needing the 32-bit version of the driver:
The latest Boot Camp version that still supports 32-bit Windows is v4.0.4326 (https://support.apple.com/kb/DL1636?locale=en_US)
I switched from cd / dvd to iTunes store for music and movies a few years ago. But Apple must have done something in the background or with their software updates, because movies that I was capable to watch a half year ago, sudenly don’t work anymore. Why? Because my display is too old. I’ve paid for movies that first worked and now suddenly Apple blocks it with their HDCP system. There’a name for this practice: scam.
It’s funny, Apple sells movies that don’t work on their own displays.
As far I experienced the online movie sales on iTunes is not trustworthy. My dvd’s that I bought 20 years ago still work. Films bought on iTunes always gave me trouble and Apple’s custom services don’t solve all this problems. That’s why I switched back to dvd. It’s a little bit older, but it keeps working. As long there’s no decent alternative there’s not other choise.
… and so cheap? Apple actually makes something reasonably priced?
The internal drive on my iMac failed, it will read but not burn, and bought the super drive, only to discover it won’t work with an iMac that has a drive. Nice of them to tell you that before you buy it.
Please see above, Wojtek’s post has the solution.
Absolutely one of the best Apple products ever made and so cheap, I have had mine for years and though seldom used it is a great piece of equipment to have for all kinds of eventualities.
I really felt my age when the poster asked what is a CD?
Cheap? Hardly, you can buy a Samsung superdrive for under $30 online that is totally compatible with both Windoze and OSX.
The almost $80 Apple superdrive is a massive marketing ripoff from Apple.
“the Apple SuperDrive offers an external all-in-one USB solution that can read and write both CD and DVD discs”
Compact Disc and Digital Video Disc discs?
What is a CD?
You must be a poor millennial…
CD stands for Compact Disk
Why do I get this message
saying
USB Accessory Not Supported
The “Apple USB SuperDrive” is not supported on this MAC
I am running 10.12.6
We could help you answer that question if you told us specifically which Mac you have. Historically, the only Macs that the SuperDrive supports are Macs that were made without an optical drive, such as a MacBook Air, Mac mini (starting in 2011), MacBook Pro with Retina Display, iMacs since 2012, etc.
To make any Mac SuperDrive compatible:
Open terminal
Type: sudo nvram boot-args=”mbasd=1″
Enter admin password on prompt
Reboot
Connect SuperDrive
Interesting, this is a great tip to get SuperDrive working in High Sierra for some Macs, thanks Wojtek!
Thank you, excellent solution!
Some Macs do not support SuperDrive without an added nvram command to enable the Superdrive. Not sure why the limit, since it is just DVDRW.
Wojtek below posted the command, it works!