Extract Files from .img Disk Images
Open a raw .img, a .vhd or a .qcow2 disk image, step into a partition and copy files out, with no loop device, no virtual machine and no root access.
How to get files out of a disk image without mounting it
- Drop the image file onto the box above, or click to choose it.
- If the image has a partition table, each partition is listed as an item. Use its open icon to go into the one you need.
- Browse the file system, preview files, and download single files or a selection.
Reading a disk image as a set of files
A disk image is a sector-by-sector copy of a drive: an SD card backup from a single-board computer, a dd dump of a USB stick, a cloud image from a Linux distribution, the virtual disk of a VM. To reach the files, you normally attach the image to a loop device or a virtual machine and mount the right partition, which needs Linux and root rights.
This tool does the parsing itself. It reads the partition table, shows the partitions, and when you open one it reads the file system inside and shows directories and files. The image is opened read-only and is never changed.
What was tested, and what was not
- Raw images (
.img) containing an ext2, ext3 or ext4 file system: tested. - Partitioned images with a GPT or MBR partition table: tested. Each partition appears as an item you can open.
- VHD: fixed-size images tested. Dynamically expanding VHDs were not tested.
- QCOW2: tested with a Linux cloud image.
FAT and NTFS volumes are read too. Do not rely on this page for .vmdk, .vdi, .vhdx or exFAT: those were not tested and are not claimed. Encrypted volumes, such as BitLocker or FileVault, are not supported.
Size, speed and privacy
Disk images are large, and that is where local processing pays off. The file is read from your disk in pieces, the listing appears before any file data is touched, and only the files you choose are copied out. There is no fixed size cap; what you extract needs free space in the browser’s temporary storage.
Because nothing is uploaded, a backup of a server disk or of a personal device can be inspected without its contents leaving your machine. Note that Unix permissions and symbolic links are not carried over into a repacked download.
Frequently asked questions
How do I open an .img file on Windows?
Drop it on this page in a current desktop browser. If the image holds ext2, ext3 or ext4 partitions, which Windows cannot read by itself, they are listed and can be browsed here.
Can I extract files from a QCOW2 image without QEMU?
Yes. QCOW2 images are read directly; this was tested with a Linux cloud image. Open the partition shown in the list to reach the files.
Does it open VMDK, VDI or VHDX virtual disks?
Do not count on it. Those formats were not tested. The virtual disk formats that were tested are fixed VHD and QCOW2.
Can it write files into the image or change it?
No. The image is opened read-only. The tool copies files out and cannot modify or resize an image.
Does it read encrypted disks?
No. Encrypted volumes such as BitLocker or FileVault cannot be read.