How to open a .img file
Quick, free ways to open IMG on any system.
A .img file is a Raw Disk Image. If double-clicking does nothing, your computer simply does not have an app that reads IMG yet. Here is how to fix that on each operating system, using free software wherever possible.
Open a .img file step by step
- Confirm the file really is a .img. Drop it into the WhatFileType file identifier, which reads its signature without uploading anything.
- On Windows, open it with balenaEtcher or Rufus.
- On Mac, use balenaEtcher or Disk Utility.
- On Linux, try balenaEtcher or dd.
- Still stuck? Convert the .img to iso, which opens more widely.
Best apps to open .img files
Windows
- balenaEtcher
- Rufus
- 7-Zip (some images)
macOS
- balenaEtcher
- Disk Utility
- dd
Linux
- balenaEtcher
- dd
- GNOME Disks
!
Before you open it: Caution when writing. Flashing an .img overwrites the entire target disk, so double-check the destination drive. Only flash images from sources you trust.
Frequently asked questions
Why can't I open my .img file?
Almost always because no installed app understands IMG. Install one of the apps above, or convert the file to a format your existing software already reads.
How do I open an .img file?
To write it to an SD card or USB, use balenaEtcher or Raspberry Pi Imager. To browse its files, mount it or open some images in 7-Zip.
What is the difference between IMG and ISO?
Both are disk images. ISO follows the optical-disc ISO 9660 standard; a raw .img is a plain byte copy of any disk, common for SD cards and drives.