Drop any file to identify it
We read file headers, not extensions. Nothing gets uploaded.
Drop it!
Let go to identify this file.
Couldn't identify this file
What is it
ISO is a byte-for-byte disc image file — a complete replica of a CD, DVD, or Blu-ray captured in a single archive, named after the ISO 9660 filesystem standard. A CD frozen in time. The format outlived the medium it was designed for. Physical disc drives are vanishing from laptops, but ISOs are everywhere: Linux distributions ship as ISOs, Windows installers come as ISOs, game preservationists hoard ISOs. Both Windows and macOS can mount them natively now, turning the file into a virtual drive that behaves exactly like a disc in a tray. No burning required. The disc is the file.
Technical details
Safety
What opens it
Windows (mounts natively)
macOS (mounts natively)
7-Zip
FAQ
How do I mount an ISO file?
On Windows 8 and later, double-click the ISO and it mounts as a virtual drive in File Explorer. On macOS, double-click and it mounts in Finder. On Linux, use the ‘mount’ command or your file manager’s built-in mount option.
What is the difference between ISO and IMG?
ISO follows the ISO 9660 filesystem standard used by optical discs. IMG is a more generic disk-image format that can represent hard drives, floppies, or optical discs. For CD/DVD images, they’re often interchangeable. For other disk types, IMG is more flexible.
How do I create an ISO file?
On Windows, use free tools like ImgBurn or PowerISO. On macOS, use Disk Utility (File > New Image > Image from Folder). On Linux, use the ‘genisoimage’ or ‘mkisofs’ command. You can also create an ISO from a physical disc as a backup.
Related formats