How to Open a VHD File in Windows 10 (Mount and Attach)

A VHD or VHDX file is a virtual hard disk: a single file that contains a whole drive, often created by Windows Backup’s system image, Hyper-V virtual machines, or disk imaging tools. Windows 10 can open (mount) these files natively, so the disk appears in File Explorer with its own drive letter and you can copy files out of it. This guide shows how to mount a VHD by double-clicking, through Disk Management and with PowerShell, plus how to detach it and fix common errors.

Quick Answer

Double-click the .vhd or .vhdx file, or right-click it and choose Mount. Windows attaches it and assigns a drive letter in File Explorer. When you’re done, right-click the new drive and choose Eject.

Method 1: Double-Click or Mount in File Explorer

1. Open File Explorer and find the VHD or VHDX file.
2. Double-click it, or right-click and choose Mount.
3. Open This PC. The virtual disk appears as a new drive (for example E:).
4. Browse and copy files as you would from any drive.

If the disk has several partitions, each one with a recognized file system gets its own drive letter.

Method 2: Disk Management (Read-Only Option)

1. Right-click Start and choose Disk Management.
2. Click Action > Attach VHD.
3. Click Browse, select the file and check Read-only if you only want to copy files without changing the disk.
4. Click OK. The disk appears in the list.
5. If a partition has no drive letter, right-click it and choose Change Drive Letter and Paths > Add.

Read-only mode is recommended for backups and system images, so you don’t accidentally modify them.

Method 3: PowerShell

Mount-DiskImage -ImagePath "D:\Backups\OldPC.vhdx" -Access ReadOnly
Dismount-DiskImage -ImagePath "D:\Backups\OldPC.vhdx"

Run PowerShell as administrator. On Windows 10 Pro with the Hyper-V module, Mount-VHD and Dismount-VHD also work.

Detach the Virtual Disk

• In File Explorer, right-click the drive and choose Eject.
• Or in Disk Management, right-click the disk (the left label, such as “Disk 2”) and choose Detach VHD.

Detach before moving or deleting the VHD file.

Open a VHD From a System Image Backup

Windows 7-style system images are stored in a WindowsImageBackup folder on your backup drive. Inside the dated “Backup” folder are one or more .vhdx files. Mount the largest one (your C: drive) read-only to recover individual files without restoring the whole image.

Run a VHD as a Virtual Machine

To start the operating system inside a VHD, use Hyper-V (Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise and Education) and create a new virtual machine that uses the existing virtual hard disk. VirtualBox and VMware can also use VHD files.

Troubleshooting

• “Couldn’t mount file. The disk image isn’t initialized, contains partitions that aren’t recognizable, or contains volumes that haven’t been assigned drive letters”: open Disk Management and assign a drive letter, or the disk may use a file system Windows can’t read (such as Linux ext4).
• “The file is in use”: close virtual machine software using the disk, or restart.
• “Sorry, there was a problem mounting the file”: the file may be compressed or encrypted with NTFS. Right-click > Properties > Advanced and uncheck Compress and Encrypt, or copy it to another drive first.
• VHD on a network share: copy it to a local drive before mounting.
• BitLocker-protected volume: you’ll be asked for its password or recovery key.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the difference between VHD and VHDX?

VHDX is newer, supports disks up to 64 TB (VHD is limited to about 2 TB), and is more resistant to corruption.

Can I open a VHD on Windows 10 Home?

Yes. Mounting works on all editions; only Hyper-V requires Pro or higher.

Can I create a VHD?

Yes. In Disk Management, choose Action > Create VHD.

Summary

1. Double-click the VHD or choose Mount.
2. Or use Disk Management > Action > Attach VHD (read-only for backups).
3. Copy files from the new drive letter.
4. Eject or Detach VHD when done.