What is a .vhdx file?
Hyper-V Virtual Hard Disk · Disk image · Microsoft · 2012
VHDX is the modern Hyper-V virtual hard disk format, replacing VHD. It supports disks up to 64 TB, resists corruption from unexpected power loss, and is the default for Windows virtual machines.
What is a .vhdx file used for?
A .vhdx file begins with the ASCII magic vhdxfile. It adds a logging structure that protects the disk's metadata if the host loses power mid-write, a weakness of the older VHD.
Windows mounts VHDX like VHD through Disk Management, and Hyper-V uses it as the default virtual disk.
What opens a .vhdx file?
The .vhdx format opens in the following apps, grouped by operating system. If one app does not work, try another from the same list.
Windows
- Hyper-V
- Disk Management (mount)
macOS
- qemu-img (convert)
Linux
- qemu / qemu-img
Open a .vhdx file step by step
- Confirm the file really is a .vhdx. Drop it into the WhatFileType identifier, which reads its signature in your browser without uploading anything.
- On Windows, open it with Hyper-V or Disk Management (mount).
- On Mac, use qemu-img (convert).
- On Linux, try qemu / qemu-img.
- Still stuck? Convert the .vhdx to vhd, which opens more widely.
Why can't I open my .vhdx file?
Almost always because no installed app understands VHDX. Install one of the apps above, or convert the file to a format your existing software already reads. If double-clicking opens the wrong program instead of nothing at all, the file association is set to the wrong app rather than the file being broken.
The other possibility is that the file is not really a .vhdx at all. Drop it into the file identifier to check it by its bytes instead of its name. Nothing is uploaded.
How to convert a .vhdx file
You can convert a .vhdx file to vhd, vmdk, img using a conversion tool or the export menu of an app that opens it.
What is the .vhdx file signature (magic bytes)?
A .vhdx file starts with the hex bytes 76 68 64 78 66 69 6C 65, which read as vhdxfile in ASCII. Programs identify VHDX by those bytes, not by the filename, so a renamed file still gives itself away.
These are the documented signatures for VHDX. For a full breakdown, see the VHDX (Hyper-V disk) file signature page.
| Hex signature | Offset | ASCII | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 76 68 64 78 66 69 6C 65 | 0 | vhdxfile | 'vhdxfile' |
See the full magic-numbers reference for every format.
Frequently asked questions
What is a .vhdx file?
VHDX is the modern Hyper-V virtual hard disk format, replacing VHD. It supports disks up to 64 TB, resists corruption from unexpected power loss, and is the default for Windows virtual machines.
How do I open a VHDX file?
On Windows, mount it with Disk Management (Attach VHD) or use it in Hyper-V. To convert it, use qemu-img.
Should I use VHD or VHDX?
VHDX for anything modern: it handles far larger disks and survives power loss better. Use VHD only for compatibility with older tools.
Can VirtualBox use VHDX?
Not directly in older versions. Convert it to VHD or VDI with qemu-img, or use Hyper-V, which is its native home.
Related formats
Sources
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