How to Open an ISO File in Windows 10/11 Without Burning It

What is an ISO file?

An ISO file, also known as an ISO image, is an archive file format that represents a CD or DVD. Burning software can directly burn an ISO file to a CD that's ready for installation. Typically, ISO files have the ".iso" extension and follow the ISO9660 file format. ISO files are commonly used for backing up CDs, or distributing large programs or operating system files that can be mounted to a DVD or burned.

Many Linux downloads are in ISO format. Some downloadable operating systems, including Windows, are distributed as ISO images, too.

How to Open an ISO File in Windows 10 Without Burning It to a DVD

On Windows and Linux, you'll need to use a special tool to run and interact with ISO files. Some examples include WinISO, WinImage, Daemon Tools, and WinMount. If you just want to view the contents of an ISO file, you can open it for free with WinRAR.

WinRAR is a free tool that can open various file types, including ISO files. To open an ISO file in Windows 11 or Windows 10, follow these steps:

Step 1: Install the latest version of WinRAR x64 on your computer.

Step 2: Download and save the .iso file to your computer. If you downloaded it from a website, it might be in your "Downloads" folder.

Step 3: Right-click the ISO file you want to mount and select “Open with” from the drop-down menu.

4. Click “Extract to WinRAR archive.” This may take a few minutes to complete the extraction process.

You can also open an ISO by launching WinRAR and clicking “File” > “Open,” then finding your ISO file.

Step 5. You should now see all of your ISO files within the WinRAR window. If there is an installer within the ISO, you can double-click it to run.

See? It's easy to open ISO files with WinRAR for free. If you want to mount or burn ISO files on your Windows 10 or Windows 11 computer, here's how:

Steps to install from an ISO file:

Step 1: Right-click the ISO file and select Properties.

Step 2: Click on "General" then "Change."

Step 3: Select “Windows Explorer” to open the ISO file, then click “OK.”

Step 4. Right-click the ISO file and select “Mount.”

Steps to burn an ISO file:

Step 1. Find the ISO file. Right-click it and select "Burn disc image."

Step 2: Burn it to a DVD using the Windows Disc Image Burner.

Request for Help: How to Quickly and Easily Recover Lost ISO Files

As we all know, ISO images are usually large in size and take a long time to download, but they can also be reused. If you accidentally delete important ISO files, or lose ISO files when formatting a storage device, you can easily get them back with reliable Data Recovery Wizard tool.

Data Recovery Wizard Pro is a world-renowned data recovery tool that helps you recover deleted or lost files from various storage media like HDD, SSD, external hard drives, USB flash drives, USB sticks, SD cards, cameras, and more.

Salient features of the Tool Data Recovery Software:

- Recover deleted, formatted, and inaccessible data from various data loss scenarios - Repair corrupted Excel, MP4, MOV, GIF, JPEG, and JPG files during the data recovery process - Restore lost data on Windows 10/8.1/8/7/Vista/XP and Windows Server 2019 - 2003.

Download this professional data recovery software for free, and you can recover lost ISO files, documents, photos, or videos in just a few simple steps.

Step 1: Select the location to scan

Select the specific device or drive from where you had Shift deleted files or emptied Recycle Bin. Click on “Scan” to look for the lost files.

Second step: Check the results

The software will automatically start scanning all contents on the selected drive. Once the scan is complete, select the "Deleted Files" and "Other Lost Files" folders in the left panel. You can then use the "Filter" feature or click the "Search File or Folder" button to quickly locate the deleted file.

Step 3: Recover the deleted files

Select the deleted files you want to restore and click “Preview.” Then, hit “Recover” to save them to another secure location or device.

Select the files and click on “Recover”

I also get a lot of questions about how to open ISO files.

People often search online for more queries regarding the topic. Check out a brief answer on how to open an ISO file.

How do I open an ISO file on a Mac?

You can use a free tool called “The Unarchiver” on your Mac to open ISO files, as well as easily decompress formats like Zip, RAR, 7-zip, LH, or ARC.

1. Install The Unarchiver on your Mac. You can find this app in the App Store.

Step 2. Locate the ISO file you want to open.

Step 3: Click “File” in the top menu bar, then choose “Open With” > “The Unarchiver.app.”

Step 4: The extractor will then begin extracting the ISO file.

Step 5: Check and view the contents of your ISO file.

2. Can you run an ISO file from a USB drive?

You can use specific tools, such as Rufus, to create a bootable USB drive from the ISO file.

Step 1. Download and install the Rufus tool.

Step 2: Connect the USB cable to your computer.

Step 3. Open Rufus. Under Device, select the USB drive you want to burn the ISO file to.

Step 4. Select your ISO file and any custom settings, then click "Start" to "burn" the ISO to your USB drive.

How do I open an ISO file on Android?

There are two ways to open ISO files on Android: download and install an app like VLC for Android that supports the ISO format on your device, or convert the ISO file into a format that's compatible with Android.