Open VMDK files in your browser
The disk of VMware Workstation, Fusion and ESXi, and of most virtual machine exports. Open one right here, see its partitions and open the files you need. Nothing leaves your device.
Or drop it anywhere on this page
What you'll see
Your disk opens like a folder, each volume's files listed on the left, with a map of its partitions and what the disk holds beside them.
- A map of the disk • Every partition to scale
- Every volume as a folder • Files open at once
- Verify • SHA-256, SHA-1 or MD5
- Export • Save as ZIP or Extract all
About VMDK
VMware made the VMDK for its first Workstation in 1999, and it is still the disk of Workstation, Fusion and ESXi, which VirtualBox and most other tools read too. A VMDK is a small text descriptor naming one or more extents, the files that hold the disk.
A disk can be one sparse file that grows as it's written, a flat file of every byte, or split into 2 GB pieces named -s001.vmdk, -s002.vmdk and so on. Exports in OVA and OVF files carry stream optimized VMDKs, compressed to travel.
Filepeek reads it with 7-Zip compiled to WebAssembly and draws the disk as a map, each partition to scale with its file system and space used, its volumes as folders. Drop a descriptor with its extents and they open as one disk. Windows' own files stay out of the way until you choose Show hidden files.
VMware virtual disk
.vmdk
Format
- MIME type
- application/x-vmdk
- Made by
- VMware
- Released
- 1999
Inside the file
- Kinds
- Sparse, flat, split and stream optimized
- Descriptor
- Text, alone or inside the disk
- Inside
- MBR or GPT, NTFS, FAT, ext4, APFS
- Grains
- 64 KB, compressed in exports
Opens in every browser
No browser opens a VMDK: they download it. Filepeek opens it as a folder of its partitions in Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari.
- YouChromeOpens through Filepeek
- YouEdgeOpens through Filepeek
- YouFirefoxOpens through Filepeek
- YouSafariOpens through Filepeek
Questions
How do I open a VMDK without VMware?
Drop it on this page or choose Peek a VMDK. The disk shows as a map of its partitions, each volume as a folder, and the file you pick opens right away.
What about a disk split into pieces?
Pick or drop the small descriptor with all its pieces, like disk-s001.vmdk on, and they open as one disk.
Can it open a VMDK from an OVA export?
Yes. Open the OVA and its VMDK opens from inside it, with the machine's name, memory and processors on its card.
Which file systems open?
NTFS, FAT, exFAT, ext2 to ext4, HFS+ and APFS, plus Linux LVM volumes. A partition locked with BitLocker shows as locked.
Is my VMDK uploaded?
No. It opens inside your browser and never leaves your device, however big it is.