Extract .msi Files Online
Open a Windows Installer .msi package and take out a file without running setup. Files are listed under the installer’s internal names, not their installed names.
How to extract files from an MSI without installing it
- Drop the
.msifile onto the box above, or click to choose it. - Search the list for the file you are after. Sort by size if the names are not recognisable.
- Download it and, if needed, rename it to the name it should have.
Read this first: the names are internal
An MSI package does not store its files under the names and folders they get on your disk. It stores them under internal keys, and a database table inside the package maps each key to the real file name and target directory at install time.
This tool extracts the files under those internal keys. A file that would be installed as 7z.dll in the program folder may appear here as _7z.dll, and there is no Program Files folder structure. The content of each file is exact; the name and location are not what the installer would produce.
What that makes it good for
It is the right tool when you need one or a few things out of an installer: a DLL, a driver, a font, a default configuration file, an icon. It also works for inspecting a package before you allow it on a machine, since the installer never runs and you can preview files or view them as hex.
It is the wrong tool for reproducing an installation. If you need the full folder layout with the proper names, Windows can do that itself with an administrative install: msiexec /a package.msi /qb TARGETDIR=C:\extracted.
Works where msiexec does not exist
Because the package is parsed in the browser, you can open an MSI on macOS, Linux or ChromeOS, or on a Windows account without administrator rights. The package is handled entirely on your device, which matters for internal company installers that should not be passed to a third-party service.
Frequently asked questions
Why do the extracted files have strange names?
They are the installer’s internal file keys. The real names and folders live in a table inside the package and are only applied during installation. The file contents are correct; rename the file after downloading it if you need the original name.
Can I get the real folder structure of the installed program?
Not with this tool. On Windows, run msiexec /a package.msi /qb TARGETDIR=C:\extracted to unpack the package with its proper names and folders.
Does opening an MSI here install or run anything?
No. The package is read as data. No setup program runs, no registry entries are written and nothing changes on your system.
Can I open an MSI file on a Mac or on Linux?
Yes. The package is read in the browser, so the operating system does not matter. Use a current desktop browser.
Is the MSI uploaded to a server?
No. It is read locally by code running in your browser. The page works offline once it has loaded.