An .img file is a disk image: an exact copy of a disc, USB drive, SD card or hard disk saved as one file. In Windows 10, right-click it and choose Mount (or double-click it), and it appears as a new drive in This PC. If Windows says the image is corrupted, the file is probably a disk or SD card image, such as a Raspberry Pi or Linux image; extract it with 7-Zip or write it to a drive with a tool like balenaEtcher or Rufus.
What Kind of IMG File Do You Have?
| Type | Examples | How to open |
|---|---|---|
| CD/DVD image | Software discs, old installers | Mount in Windows |
| Floppy image | Very old software | 7-Zip or a virtual machine |
| SD card or USB image | Raspberry Pi OS, router firmware, Linux | Write to a drive with balenaEtcher, Rufus or Raspberry Pi Imager |
| Hard disk image | Backups from imaging tools | Use the tool that created it, or 7-Zip to browse |
Method 1: Mount It in Windows
- Open File Explorer and find the IMG file.
- Right-click it and choose Mount, or double-click it.
- Open This PC; the image shows as a new DVD drive. Open it and copy files or run setup.
- When done, right-click the virtual drive and choose Eject.
If double-clicking opens another program, right-click > Open with > Windows Explorer.
Method 2: Extract Files With 7-Zip
- Install the free 7-Zip from its official website.
- Right-click the IMG and choose 7-Zip > Open archive or Extract to.
7-Zip can read many image formats that Windows can’t mount, including some with Linux file systems (it may list partitions as separate files).
Method 3: Write It to a USB Drive or SD Card
Raspberry Pi and Linux IMG files are meant to be written to a drive, not opened.
- Insert a USB drive or SD card. Everything on it will be erased.
- Open balenaEtcher, Rufus or Raspberry Pi Imager.
- Select the IMG file and the target drive, double-check you’ve picked the right drive, and click Flash or Start.
Windows may say the drive needs formatting afterward because it can’t read Linux partitions. Click Cancel; the drive is fine.
Method 4: Open It in a Virtual Machine
Old CD or floppy images for legacy software can be attached to a virtual machine in VirtualBox or Hyper-V as a virtual disc.
“Couldn’t Mount File. The Disc Image File Is Corrupted”
- The IMG uses a format or file system Windows can’t mount. Try 7-Zip or write it to a drive instead.
- The download may be incomplete. Download again and compare the checksum if the site provides one. See how to check an MD5 checksum on Windows 10.
- The file is marked as blocked: right-click > Properties, check Unblock, click OK.
- It’s on a network drive or inside a ZIP; copy it to your PC and extract it first.
- Sparse or compressed files: in Properties > Advanced, uncheck Compress contents to save disk space.
IMG vs ISO and Other Questions
Is an IMG the same as an ISO?
Similar. Both are disk images. ISO is the standard for optical discs; IMG is used for discs and many other media.
Can I rename .img to .iso?
Sometimes, for simple disc images. It won’t help for SD card or hard disk images. BIN files are the other common raw image format, and opening a BIN file on Windows 10 follows much the same route with a .cue file in the mix.
Does this work on Windows 11?
Yes. Windows 10 reached end of support on October 14, 2025.
Kermit Matthews runs Live2Tech from just outside Philadelphia. He is an IT specialist with over 20 years of experience, from a university help desk to small-business IT, IT management and his own consulting practice, and has written tech guides full time since 2020. Steps are checked against the current software on a real device or the maker’s official documentation. More about Kermit.