Image
What is a .iso file?
An .iso file is a complete image of a disc — every file and the disc structure, in one file. It's how operating systems and big software installers get distributed.
This extension has been used by more than one format
6 different formats have claimed .iso over the years, so two files with the same extension aren't necessarily the same kind of thing.
- ISO 9660 Disk Image FileNo version recorded · fmt/468
- UDF Disc ImageNo version recorded · fmt/1738
- UDF-ISO 9660 Bridge DiscNo version recorded · fmt/1739
- Apple Partition Map Disk ImageNo version recorded · fmt/1740
- Apple Partition Map ISO 9660 HybridNo version recorded · fmt/1741
- Apple Partition Map - ISO 9660 - UDF Hybrid Disk ImageNo version recorded · fmt/1757
How to open a .iso file
- WindowsRight-click → Mount (built into Windows 10/11)
- Windows7-Zip to extract the contents
- MacDouble-click to mount it
- MacDisk Utility
- Linux`sudo mount -o loop file.iso /mnt`
How to convert a .iso file
- Write it to a USB stick with Rufus, balenaEtcher or Ventoy to make bootable media.
- Extract with 7-Zip if you only want the files inside.
The technical record
For archivists, developers and the merely curious: these are the PRONOM registry entries for .iso.
| Format name | Version | MIME type | PUID |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISO 9660 Disk Image File | — | — | fmt/468 |
| UDF Disc Image | — | — | fmt/1738 |
| UDF-ISO 9660 Bridge Disc | — | — | fmt/1739 |
| Apple Partition Map Disk Image | — | — | fmt/1740 |
| Apple Partition Map ISO 9660 Hybrid | — | — | fmt/1741 |
| Apple Partition Map - ISO 9660 - UDF Hybrid Disk Image | — | — | fmt/1757 |