How to Set Up Your Media Library in PowerDVD
Bring the videos, photos, movies, and music in your folders into one place to browse and play.
Updated Nov. 4, 2026 · 3 min read
In a hurry? Use the Media Library quick guide instead.
PowerDVD's Media Library collects the videos, photos, movies, and music in the folders you choose, so you can browse them in one place. It keeps watching those folders and adds new files on its own. Set it up once, and you won't have to dig through drives to find last summer's clips.
- Click Videos under Media Library, then click Add Now.
- On the Videos/Photos tab, click Add Video/Photo Folder and select a folder.
- Check the folder list and the size filters.
- On the Movies tab, click Add Movie Folder for your films.
- On the Music tab, click Add Music Folder, then click OK.
- Open Videos, Photos, Movies, or Music to browse your files.
Steps to Set Up Your Media Library
Step 1: Open the Media Library Settings
Under Media Library on the left, click Videos. While the library is empty, click Add Now in the middle of the window.
Already have folders in the library? Hover over Media Library, click the + that appears next to it, and select Add Folder to Media Library. The gear button at the top right has a Media Library item that does the same.
Step 2: Add a Video and Photo Folder
On the Videos/Photos tab, click Add Video/Photo Folder. Browse to the folder with your home videos and photos, then click Select Folder. The folder can be on your computer or on a connected network device.
Step 3: Check the Folder List and Size Filters
The folder now appears in the list. Repeat Step 2 for every other folder you want to add.
PowerDVD skips photos under 50KB and videos under 500KB, so thumbnails and tiny clips stay out. To change the limit, pick another size from the drop-down next to each option. If a file is missing from the library later, check these filters first.
Step 4: Add Movie Folders
Use the Movies tab for feature films. Click Add Movie Folder to add a folder of films. This tab skips videos under 40 minutes, so if a shorter film is missing, lower that number.
Step 5: Add Music Folders
On the Music tab, click Add Music Folder. When you're done, click OK, and PowerDVD starts scanning the folders.
Step 6: Browse Your Library
Click Videos again. Each folder you added shows up as a stack, and opening it lists its clips. Photos, Movies, and Music work the same way.
The first scan can take a few minutes if your folders are large. A spinning icon next to Media Library shows it's still working.
Next, group clips to play in a row with PowerDVD playlists.
We tested these steps in PowerDVD 365 version 24.0.1923 on Windows.
Don't have PowerDVD yet? Get your films, photos, and music into one library instead of a pile of folders.
Download PowerDVD Free →FAQ About the PowerDVD Media Library
No. PowerDVD keeps watching the folders in the library, so files you add to or remove from those folders show up or disappear on their own.
Open the Media Library settings, hover over the folder in the list, and click the trash icon. The files stay on your drive. If you shared that folder on your home network, PowerDVD stops sharing it too.
Yes. Click My Computer under Source and browse to the file on your drive.
