Extending the shelf life of CDs and DVDs - the 3 best tips

We show you how to extend the shelf life of your CD and DVD collection so that it doesn't suddenly get scratched or becomes unplayable. With the following three tips, the round discs will remain with you for a long time.

Tip 1: Burning - extend the shelf life of your own CDs and DVDs

• When burning, the following applies: the slower the better. The maximum burning speed is usually set in burning programs for user-friendliness. If you are not quite as patient, you should opt for the middle way and choose a maximum of half the burning speed that is indicated on the blank.
• The slow burning speed not only increases the lifespan, but also has a positive effect on the sound and image quality.
• Also make sure that you do not overload your computer and do not start too many complex programs during the burning process. If your computer even hangs for a few seconds, the burning program also stops for a short time. The result on the blank can therefore deteriorate or be completely unusable.

Tip 2: External factors - increase the shelf life of CDs and DVDs

• The biggest enemies, both from home-made and from bought CDs and DVDs, are sun exposure and heat.
• Especially with self-burned blanks, the memory only consists of a wafer-thin layer of paint, which is very sensitive. Therefore, never leave a CD or DVD open for a long time.
• Two other big enemies of CDs and DVDs are scratches and fingerprints. The well-known greasy fingerprints can be easily avoided and wiped off if necessary. You can prevent scratches by storing them properly.

Tip 3: Storage - extend the shelf life of CDs and DVDs

• To keep your music, video or data collection as long as possible, it is always advisable to keep it in sleeves or DVD boxes. If you have a really large collection of CDs or DVDs you have burned yourself, not only do you bundle all your data in one place with a DVD box, but you also protect it from heat, sunlight and moisture.
• However, CDs and DVDs are not made to last. For example, if you buy a film on DVD, it has an optimistic life expectancy of up to 50 years. Even burned blanks can give up the ghost after only a few years.
• If the data is really important and you cannot easily retrieve it, you should back up the data. This can be done either via another CD or DVD or another storage medium such as an external hard drive or a USB stick.

This practical tip shows you how you can save your defective CDs and DVDs in the event of damage using both your computer and home remedies.