Burn any image as a visible picture onto the surface of a CD, DVD or Blu-ray disc.
Disc Image Studio is a free, open-source (GPL-3.0) utility that turns any image file into a visible picture burned directly onto the data surface of a CD, DVD or single-layer BD-R disc. Instead of printing a label, the app arranges the burned data pattern so the disc itself shows the image when held to the light.
The Windows version is a portable x64 application with the .NET runtime bundled: no installation, just download and run on Windows 10 (version 2004 or later) or Windows 11. A designer view lets you place the artwork, preview exactly how it will appear on the disc, and adjust the rendering before burning. Finished projects can be written straight to an optical drive or exported as ISO, RAW, or WAV+CUE images, the latter useful for burners that handle audio-CD images more reliably.
Linux and macOS are supported through an experimental command-line build, while the polished experience is the Windows GUI. Documentation is primarily in Chinese, with an English README covering setup and usage. The project is actively maintained: version 1.4.1 was released on November 5, 2026, one day after version 1.4.0.
Because the picture is physically part of the disc's data layer, it cannot peel, fade or smudge like a printed label, and it survives as long as the disc itself. Typical uses include personalized gifts, mixtape CDs with the cover art etched into the surface, archival keepsakes, demoscene releases, and art projects built around physical media. A CD, DVD or Blu-ray burner is required; any standard USB optical drive works.
Disc Image Studio is developed by JiaFeiMiao-K-Cat and has gathered around 6,500 stars on GitHub. Note that the Windows executable is not code-signed, so SmartScreen may warn on first launch; download only from the official GitHub releases page. Burning a visible image uses the disc's data capacity, so the result is a showpiece rather than a backup medium, and final quality depends on the burner and media used, so a test disc or two is a good idea.
Burns any image as a visible picture etched into the data surface of a CD, DVD or single-layer BD-R disc.
Position artwork and preview exactly how it will look on the disc before burning.
Burn directly to an optical drive or export projects as ISO, RAW or WAV+CUE images.
Portable Windows x64 app with .NET bundled; experimental command-line builds for Linux and macOS.
There are experimental command-line builds for Linux and macOS, but the full graphical experience is Windows only (Windows 10 2004+ / 11, x64).
The executable is not code-signed, which is common for small open-source projects. Download only from the official GitHub releases page and the warning is safe to bypass.
CD-R, DVD-R/DVD+R and single-layer BD-R media. Projects can be burned directly or exported as ISO, RAW or WAV+CUE images.