The development of digital technology is constantly changing the way people store and process information. For example, people first used VHS tapes to store and watch movies. Later, DVDs and Blu-ray discs appeared, and people began to use them to store more movies. Now, people can also use online cloud disks to store various information and materials. Of course, there are still a lot of people using VHS tapes, DVDs and Blu-ray discs. However, you should know that they all have a certain lifetime. So, how long do VHS tapes last? How long do DVDs last? And how long do Blu-rays last? Don't worry, this tutorial will tell you the answers.

Part 1: How Long Do VHS Tapes Last?
In general, the lifetime of a VHS tape is between 10 and 25 years. Between 10 and 25 years, a VHS tape will naturally degrade by 10% to 20%. In addition to the natural deterioration of the VHS tape itself, it is also affected by the environment. For example, if a VHS tape is stored in high temperature or humid conditions, the VHS tape will deteriorate faster. Therefore, the best condition for preserving VHS tapes is to store them in a cool and dry place with little climate change, which can slow down the deterioration of VHS tapes. In addition, if a VHS tape is played or rewound many times, its lifetime will be greatly shortened. Last but not least, the quality of VHS tapes will also affect its lifetime. If the quality of VHS tapes is low, then their lifetime will not be too long. At present, backing up the contents stored in VHS tapes is one of the best options for preserving VHS tapes.

Part 2: How Long Do DVDs, Blu-rays Last?
It is estimated that the lifetime of DVDs and Blu-ray discs can reach 200 years. Since discs have been sold since the 1980s, no one actually knows how long the maximum lifetime of DVDs and Blu-ray discs is. However, we know that the lifetime of DVDs and Blu-ray discs is at least 10 to 20 years. Of course, similar to VHS tapes, even if DVDs and Blu-ray discs are not used, they will gradually deteriorate and eventually break down. So, what factors determine the lifetime of DVDs and Blu-ray discs? According to the information I have collected, it turns out that one factor that determines the maximum lifetime of a disc is the type of its reflective layer. A disc is mainly composed of a reflective layer, a protective layer, and a dye layer. The reflective layer of a disc will slowly oxidize and corrode during storage. When the reflective layer of a disc is completely damaged, the disc will no longer be usable.

Part 3: The Reasons of DVDs, Blu-rays Rot or Deteriorate
There are many reasons why DVD and Blu-ray discs decay or deteriorate. Firstly, in the process of daily use, various scratches will inevitably appear on the surface of DVD and Blu-ray discs. When these scratches are too many or too severe, the device will not be able to read the information on the DVD and Blu-ray discs normally. In addition, the reflective layer of DVD and Blu-ray discs will be slowly oxidized or corroded. When the reflective layer of DVD and Blu-ray discs is oxidized or corroded to a certain extent, DVD and Blu-ray discs will be damaged and can no longer be read by the device. On the other hand, if DVD and Blu-ray discs are exposed to other contaminants during use, they are likely to react chemically with these contaminants, causing them to deteriorate or be damaged. Of course, even if we carefully store DVD and Blu-ray discs, they will still deteriorate naturally over time. Therefore, ripping and converting Blu-ray to MP4 to back up Blu-ray is a great way to solve the problem of Blu-ray disc deterioration or decay, and it also allows us to store the content in Blu-ray more conveniently.

Part 4: How to Check the Condition of DVDs and Blu-rays?
You can use the following methods to check the condition of your DVD and Blu-ray disc:

1. You can check your DVD and Blu-ray discs under a light. If you find that the light can penetrate through the small holes of the DVD and Blu-ray disc, it means that the reflective layer of your DVD or Blu-ray disc has been corroded and deteriorated.

2. Carefully check the surface of your DVD and Blu-ray discs, especially their edges. If they have changed color, it means that they have begun to deteriorate. In addition, you can also carefully check whether the different layers of your DVD or Blu-ray disc are still tightly together. If the different layers of the DVD or Blu-ray discs have begun to separate, it also means that these DVD or Blu-ray discs are deteriorating.

3. Carefully check the scratches on the surface of your DVD and Blu-ray disc. During the use process, the surface of DVD and Blu-ray discs will have scratches of varying degrees. Under normal circumstances, they will not affect the normal reading of data. However, once the scratches are too many or too serious, this is a warning signal to you. You'd better back up the data in the disc as soon as possible to avoid suddenly being unable to use it.

Part 5: Tips for Increasing Lifetime of DVDs and Blu-rays
The lifetime of DVDs and Blu-ray discs will gradually shorten during use. Therefore, the best way to extend the lifetime of DVDs and Blu-ray discs is to use them less frequently. In addition, in a hot or humid environment, the deterioration rate of DVDs and Blu-ray discs is greatly accelerated. Therefore, we also need to store them in a dry and temperature-appropriate environment. However, even if we do not use them but store them, DVDs and Blu-ray discs will gradually oxidize and deteriorate. Therefore, one day in the future, DVDs and Blu-ray discs will be damaged. So, we can change our thinking. Although DVDs and Blu-ray discs will eventually wear out, we can extend the lifetime of DVDs and Blu-ray discs by backing up the data in them.

If important data is stored in DVDs and Blu-ray discs, you'd better back up them. For example: If your favorite movie is stored in a Blu-ray disc, you can rip and convert the Blu-ray to MP4, and then save it to your mobile phone, computer, and hard drive. This method not only prevents you from never being able to watch your favorite movies again due to Blu-ray disc damage, but also makes it easier for you to store the data in the Blu-ray disc and saves space.

If you ask me how to back up Blu-ray, I will recommend you the best Blu-ray Ripper. Leawo Blu-ray Ripper is the most comprehensive Blu-ray decrypting and ripping software. It can convert videos and audio in Blu-ray to more than 180 different formats to save to various devices. First of all, Leawo Blu-ray Ripper is a perfect Blu-ray decryption software. No matter what kind of encryption technology the Blu-ray disc is protected by, such as AACS, BD+ and the latest MKB protector, Leawo Blu-ray Ripper can decrypt these Blu-ray discs with its advanced disc decryption and protection removal technology. Then, Leawo Blu-ray Ripper converts the videos and audio in Blu-ray to common media formats according to user needs. In addition, Leawo Blu-ray Ripper is an all-region Blu-ray ripping software. That is to say, when ripping Blu-ray, the Leawo Blu-ray Ripper can ignore the region where the Blu-ray is located and easily convert it to various video or audio formats. In addition to ripping Blu-ray discs directly, Leawo Blu-ray Ripper also supports converting Blu-ray folders and ISO files. What's more, you don't have to worry about the quality of the Blu-ray videos ripped by the Leawo Blu-ray Ripper being degraded, as it is able to 100% preserve the image elements in the source Blu-ray contents. All in all, Leawo Blu-ray Ripper will be your best helper to back up Blu-ray.

Conclusion
In life, some tools we use will inevitably be damaged. In most cases, we can replace them by purchasing new ones. However, as VHS tapes, DVDs and Blu-ray discs that store important information, they may cause serious consequences if damaged. Therefore, we not only need to keep track of their current status, but also back up the data stored in them in advance. For example: use Leawo Blu-ray Ripper to back up movies in DVD and Blu-ray discs. With the help of Leawo Blu-ray Ripper, we don't have to worry about the trouble caused by sudden damage of DVD and Blu-ray discs.