How to Open a VMDK File in Windows 10

A VMDK file is a virtual hard disk used by VMware (and supported by VirtualBox), so Windows 10 can’t open it by double-clicking. To run the system inside it, attach it to a virtual machine in VirtualBox or VMware Workstation, both free for personal use. To just grab files from it, open the VMDK with 7-Zip and extract what you need. To browse it like a drive in File Explorer, convert it to VHDX and mount it, or use VMware’s Map Virtual Disks feature.

Here’s how to do each one, and which to pick.

Which method should you use?

Goal	Best method	Cost
Boot and use the operating system inside the VMDK	VirtualBox or VMware Workstation	Free for personal use
Copy a few files out	7-Zip	Free
Browse the disk as a drive letter	VMware Map Virtual Disks, or convert to VHDX and mount	Free
Use the disk in Hyper-V	Convert to VHDX	Free

Method 1: Open a VMDK in VirtualBox

1. Download and install Oracle VirtualBox from virtualbox.org.
2. Click New (or Machine > New).
3. Enter a name and choose the operating system type and version that’s on the VMDK, such as Windows 10 (64-bit) or Ubuntu (64-bit).
4. Set the memory and CPUs. Give it at least 2 GB of RAM for Linux, or 4 GB for Windows.
5. On the Hard Disk step, choose Use an Existing Virtual Hard Disk File, click the folder icon, click Add, and select your VMDK.
6. Click Next and Finish, then click Start.

If the VM came as a set of files with a .vmx or .ovf file, use File > Import Appliance for OVF/OVA files. For a VMware .vmx package, attaching the main VMDK as above usually works.

Method 2: Open a VMDK in VMware Workstation

1. Download VMware Workstation Pro, which Broadcom made free for personal use in 2024. You’ll need a Broadcom account to download it.
2. If you have the original .vmx file, click File > Open and select it.
3. If you only have the VMDK, click File > New Virtual Machine > Custom. On the disk step, choose Use an existing virtual disk and select the VMDK.
4. Power on the virtual machine.

Method 3: Extract files with 7-Zip

1. Install 7-Zip from 7-zip.org.
2. Right-click the VMDK and choose 7-Zip > Open archive. On Windows 11, choose Show more options first.
3. Open the partition, often named like 0.ntfs or 1.img, and browse to the files you want.
4. Select them and click Extract.

7-Zip works best with NTFS and FAT partitions. It may not open Linux ext4 partitions, encrypted disks, or split and snapshot VMDKs. For those, use a virtual machine.

Method 4: Map the VMDK to a drive letter with VMware

1. Install VMware Workstation (see Method 2).
2. Close any VM using the disk.
3. In Workstation, click File > Map Virtual Disks, click Map, and browse to the VMDK.
4. Keep Open file in read-only mode checked to avoid changes, choose a drive letter, and click OK.
5. Open the new drive in File Explorer. Disconnect it from the same menu when you’re done.

Method 5: Convert to VHDX and mount it in Windows

Windows can mount VHD and VHDX files natively, but not VMDK. Convert first with the free qemu-img tool from the QEMU project:

1. Download QEMU for Windows and install it.
2. Open Command Prompt in the QEMU folder and run:
   qemu-img convert -p -O vhdx yourdisk.vmdk yourdisk.vhdx
3. Double-click the new VHDX file, or right-click it and choose Mount. It appears as a new drive.
4. When finished, right-click the drive in File Explorer and choose Eject.

You can also use the VHDX in Hyper-V. Converting creates a full copy, so make sure you have enough free space.

Troubleshooting

• “The VMDK is only a few KB”: It’s a descriptor file that points to the real data in files like disk-flat.vmdk or disk-s001.vmdk. Keep all the files together in the same folder and open the small descriptor file.
• VM won’t boot: Try switching the firmware between BIOS and EFI in the VM’s settings, or change the disk controller type (SATA, SCSI, or NVMe) to match the original.
• Snapshot files (-000001.vmdk): Open the latest snapshot file to see the newest data, or consolidate snapshots in VMware first.
• Encrypted VMDK: You’ll need the password and VMware to open it.

Frequently asked questions

Can Windows 10 open a VMDK without extra software?

No. Windows only mounts VHD, VHDX, and ISO files natively. You’ll need one of the free tools above.

Is VMDK the same as VHD?

Both are virtual hard disk formats. VMDK is VMware’s format, and VHD/VHDX is Microsoft’s. Tools like qemu-img and VirtualBox can convert between them.

Is it safe to open a VMDK from someone else?

Running it in a virtual machine keeps it separate from your PC, but only open disks from sources you trust, and don’t share folders or the clipboard with an unknown VM.

Can I open a VMDK on Windows 11?

Yes. All of these methods work the same way on Windows 11.