An optical drive is a hardware component in computers and other devices that reads and writes data from optical discs, such as CDs, DVDs, and Blu-ray discs. It uses laser technology to access the information stored on these discs, allowing users to play music, watch movies, or install software. Optical drives can be internal, built into the computer, or external, connected via USB. While their popularity has declined with the rise of digital downloads and streaming services, they are still useful for accessing physical media and backing up data.