Image
What is a .img file?
A .img file is a GEM Image. This is an image format — a picture, drawing or graphic. Confusingly, this extension has been used by 11 different formats over the years — they're all listed below.
This extension has been used by more than one format
11 different formats have claimed .img over the years, so two files with the same extension aren't necessarily the same kind of thing.
- GEM ImageNo version recorded · x-fmt/159
- VICAR (Video Image Communication and Retrieval) Planetary File FormatNo version recorded · fmt/383
- Apple Disk Copy ImageVersion 4.2 · fmt/625
- FAT Disk ImageNo version recorded · fmt/1087
- Hierarchical File SystemNo version recorded · fmt/1105
- Reduced Resolution DatasetNo version recorded · fmt/1215
- exFAT (Extensible File Allocation Table) Disc ImageNo version recorded · fmt/1609
- XIMG (Extended GEM Bit Image)No version recorded · fmt/1657
- Apple Partition Map Disk ImageNo version recorded · fmt/1740
- Hierarchical File System PlusNo version recorded · fmt/1742
- Macintosh File SystemNo version recorded · fmt/2068
How to open a .img file
- GIMP (free) and IrfanView open a very wide range of image formats, including obsolete ones.
- XnView MP is the best bet for unusual or legacy image types.
- Your operating system's built-in viewer may work for mainstream formats.
The registry records this extension against GEM Image, VICAR (Video Image Communication and Retrieval) Planetary File Format, Apple Disk Copy Image and others, so software from that family is the most likely match.
How to convert a .img file
- Open it in GIMP or XnView and export as .png (lossless) or .jpg (smaller).
The technical record
For archivists, developers and the merely curious: these are the PRONOM registry entries for .img.
| Format name | Version | MIME type | PUID |
|---|---|---|---|
| GEM Image | — | — | x-fmt/159 |
| VICAR (Video Image Communication and Retrieval) Planetary File Format | — | — | fmt/383 |
| Apple Disk Copy Image | 4.2 | — | fmt/625 |
| FAT Disk Image | — | — | fmt/1087 |
| Hierarchical File System | — | — | fmt/1105 |
| Reduced Resolution Dataset | — | — | fmt/1215 |
| exFAT (Extensible File Allocation Table) Disc Image | — | — | fmt/1609 |
| XIMG (Extended GEM Bit Image) | — | — | fmt/1657 |
| Apple Partition Map Disk Image | — | — | fmt/1740 |
| Hierarchical File System Plus | — | — | fmt/1742 |
| Macintosh File System | — | — | fmt/2068 |