You have a CD you're allowed to copy, such as a software disc you made, a data archive, or a home recording, and you want a second disc that works like the first. The burn itself takes a few minutes. Most failed copies go wrong before that: the wrong copy method for the disc type, the wrong blank disc, or no check of the result. This guide walks through those decisions in order, then the copy and the check.
Step 1: Decide What Kind of Copy You Need
People say "copy a CD" for two different jobs, and each one needs a different method.
A full copy reproduces the whole source disc: an audio CD stays an audio CD with the same tracks, and a data CD keeps the same files and structure. A partial copy takes only some of the content, such as a few folders or a few songs, and builds a new disc from them.
Full copy | Partial copy | |
|---|---|---|
What you get | A duplicate of the whole disc | A new disc with the parts you picked |
Disc type of the copy | Same as the source | Your choice (data disc, audio CD, MP3 disc) |
Typical tool | A disc-copy function, such as Copy Entire CD in Nero Express | A data-disc or audio-CD project |
Most of this guide covers the full copy. If you only need some files or songs, skip to Copying only part of a CD.
Step 2: Identify Your Source CD
Put the source disc in your drive and open it in File Explorer. What you see tells you what kind of disc it is.
Data CD (CD-ROM): You see ordinary folders and files, such as documents, photos, installers, or MP3s. The disc works like a small read-only drive.
Audio CD (CD-DA): You see small files named Track01.cda, Track02.cda, and so on, each about 1 KB. These are only pointers to the tracks, not the songs, so copying them to another disc gives you nothing playable. You need software that reads the tracks themselves.
Mixed-mode or enhanced CD (CD Extra): Plays as music in a CD player, but on a PC it also shows a data part, such as videos, lyrics, or a program. Treat it as two discs in one, and check both parts after copying.
Multi-session disc: A disc that was burned several times. It may show only the files from the latest session. You can check the session layout with Nero Burning ROM's disc information view.
This matters for two reasons. First, the copy has to be the same disc type as the source. Nero's manual says the target disc must match the source type: an audio CD is copied as an audio CD, and a CD only to a CD. Second, the disc type affects which copy method you should use, as Step 4 explains.
Step 3: Check That the Disc Can Be Copied, and That You Have the Right Hardware
Is the disc copyable, legally and technically?
Only copy discs that you own the rights to, or that the copyright owner has allowed you to copy. Nero's own manual warns that copying a disc without that authorization breaks national and international law. Rules on personal backup copies differ from country to country, so check local law if you aren't sure.
Some commercial discs are also copy-protected. Nero states that copy-protected discs cannot be copied. This guide doesn't cover ways around copy protection. If your software reports that it can't read the disc, or the copy fails on a commercial disc that is in good condition, protection is a likely reason. In that case, stop.
What hardware do you need?
A drive that can write CDs. CD writers, DVD writers, and Blu-ray writers can all burn CD-R discs. Many laptops no longer have an optical drive, so you may need an external USB burner.
Optionally, a second drive for reading. One drive is enough. A second one lets you copy directly from disc to disc (see Step 4).
A blank disc with enough space. Use CD-R, not DVD. Standard CD-Rs hold 700 MB / 80 minutes. Older 650 MB / 74-minute discs won't hold a full 80-minute source, so check the source's size or running time first. Skip 90-minute / 800 MB discs: Nero detects them as 700 MB, and using the extra space requires overburning.
CD-R or CD-RW? CD-RW discs can be erased and reused, so they're handy for test copies. But some CD players can't play CD-RW discs, and Nero's manual recommends CD-R for audio CDs. If the copy will be played in a car stereo or an older CD player, use CD-R.
Hard-drive space if you use one drive. The temporary image is roughly the size of the disc, up to about 700 MB for a full data CD and somewhat more for a full audio CD.
Step 4: Choose a Copy Method: On the Fly or Image Copy
There are two ways to make a full copy, and the choice affects both speed and reliability.
On-the-fly copying reads the source disc and writes the blank disc at the same time. It's fast and doesn't use hard-drive space, but it needs at least two drives, one to read and one to burn. The reading drive has to keep data flowing to the burner. Nero's manual recommends a read speed at least twice the write speed (or a burner with buffer underrun protection), and a reading drive that can report the disc's sessions, or the copy may not be exact.
Image copying first saves the source disc as an image file on your hard drive, then burns that image to the blank disc. It takes longer, but it works with one drive and is more forgiving, because reading and writing happen separately.
Only one drive? Use image copying.
Copying an audio CD? Nero recommends image copying, because the quality of audio read on the fly can suffer, depending on the drive.
Source disc scratched, or read errors likely? Use image copying. Nero lists this case, and making several copies of the same disc, as good reasons to copy over an image.
Two drives and a clean data CD? On the fly is fine and saves time.
Step 5: Copy the CD with Nero Express
Nero Express is the guided, wizard-style version of Nero Burning ROM. It uses the same burning engine, and copying a whole disc is one of its built-in tasks, so you don't need to set up a project yourself.
Open Copy Entire CD. Start Nero Express. In the menu on the left, click Image, Project, Copy, then click Copy Entire CD.
Pick your drives. Choose the Source drive (with the original CD) and the Destination drive (with the blank CD-R). With only one drive, choose it for both, and Nero will make an image copy. If a verification option is available, turn it on.
Click Copy. With one drive, Nero reads the original first, then asks you to swap in the blank disc and burns the copy.
Already using Nero Burning ROM?
Nero Burning ROM can make the same copy and gives you more control over the read and copy settings. In the New Compilation window that opens at start, set the drop-down to CD, choose CD Copy, adjust the settings if needed (for example, turn On the fly off for an image copy), and click Copy.
Step 6: Check the Copy
Nero's verification option, if you used it, confirms the data was written correctly, but not that a particular player can read the disc. Test the copy the way it will actually be used, preferably on a different device.
For a data CD:
Open the copy in File Explorer and compare it with the original. Are the same folders there, and does the disc's total size (right-click the drive → Properties) roughly match?
Open a few files from different folders, including some near the end of the disc. Burn errors often show up near the end first.
For a software or installer disc, run the installer, or check that its autorun starts.
For an audio CD:
Check that the track count and total running time match the original.
Play the copy in a standalone CD player or car stereo, not only on the PC. Listen to the start of a few tracks and to the last track all the way through, listening for skips, clicks, or silence.
If the original showed album and track names on a CD-Text player, check that the copy does too.
For a mixed-mode CD: Test both parts. Play it as audio, then open the data part on a PC.
Check the disc itself. Nero Burning ROM can show disc information, such as type, sessions, and tracks. You can compare this information for the original and the copy.
If any check fails, don't make more copies from this one. Find the cause first (see below), then burn a new copy.
Copying Only Part of a CD
Some files from a data CD: You don't need a disc-copy tool for this. Copy the folders you need from the CD to a folder on your PC. Then burn that folder to a blank disc as a new data disc. You can use the Data option in Nero Express, or burn from File Explorer in Windows. Afterwards, open the new disc and check the files as in Step 6.
Some songs from an audio CD: This is a different job. You're creating a new music CD, not duplicating a disc. You'd normally rip the tracks you want to your PC first, then burn them as a new audio CD (for any CD player) or as an MP3 disc. Our guide How to Burn Music to an Audio CD with Nero Burning ROM covers that.
If the Copy Doesn't Work
Nero won't accept the blank disc: The blank disc probably isn't the right type for the source, for example a DVD in a CD copy, or it isn't actually blank. Insert an empty CD-R.
The copy is too big for the blank disc: The source is probably an 80-minute / 700 MB disc and the blank is a 74-minute / 650 MB disc. Use a 700 MB CD-R.
Read errors, or a scratched or old source disc: A copy can only be as good as what the drive can read. Clean the disc with a soft cloth, wiping from the center outward, use image copying, and try a different reading drive if you have one. Even if the burn completes, unreadable spots can leave gaps in the copy, so check it carefully. If errors continue on a commercial disc that looks undamaged, it may be copy-protected.
The audio copy plays on the PC but not in the car: Use a CD-R instead of a CD-RW, and burn at a lower speed.
The audio copy plays, but album and track names don't appear: CD-Text can only be written in disc-at-once mode. Check that the write method in the burn settings is disc-at-once, and make sure the original disc actually has CD-Text.
The data copy shows no files or only some of them: The source may be multi-session. Use the full disc-copy function instead of copying files, and check the session layout in the disc information view. With on-the-fly copying, the reading drive must be able to report the disc's sessions. If the copy still isn't complete, try image copying, or make the copy with your burner as the reading drive.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I copy a CD to another CD with only one drive?
Yes, with image copying: the source is saved to your hard drive first, then burned to the blank disc.
Can Windows copy a CD to another CD by itself?
Only partly. File Explorer can copy files from a data CD and burn them to a new data disc, but it can't duplicate a whole disc or an audio CD.
Will the copy sound or work worse than the original?
Not if the original reads cleanly. Scratches and read errors on the source can carry over, so test the copy.
Can I copy a CD to a DVD?
Not as a full copy, since the target must be the same disc type. You can copy the files from a data CD onto a DVD as a new data disc.
Can I copy a copy-protected CD?
No. Copy-protected discs can't be copied with Nero, and this guide doesn't cover them.
