A qcow file extension is related to the QEMU Copy-On-Write file format used to store disk images.
Software that open qcow file
QCOW file extension - QEMU Copy-On-Write data
What is qcow file? How to open qcow files?
File type specification:
The qcow image format is one of the disk image formats supported by the QEMU processor emulator. It is a representation of a fixed size block device in a file. Benefits it offers over using raw dump representation include:
- Smaller file size, even on filesystems which don't support holes (i.e. sparse files)
- Copy-on-write support, where the image only represents changes made to an underlying disk image
- Snapshot support, where the image can contain multiple snapshots of the images history
- Optional zlib based compression
- Optional AES encryption
The default software associated to open qcow file:
Company or developer:
David T Reynolds
Qemu Manager, is an easy to use management tool for the QEMU emulator. It has a wealth of features for creating, managing and running multiple virtual machines.
Company or developer:
Fabrice Bellard
QEMU is a generic and open source machine emulator and virtualizer. When used as a machine emulator, QEMU can run OSes and programs made for one machine (e.g. an ARM board) on a different machine (e.g. your own PC). By using dynamic translation, it achieves very good performances.
List of software applications associated to the .qcow file extension
Recommended software programs are sorted by OS platform (Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android etc.)
and possible program actions that can be done with the file: like open qcow file, edit qcow file, convert qcow file, view qcow file, play qcow file etc. (if exist software for corresponding action in File-Extensions.org's database).
Hint:
Click on the tab below to simply browse between the application actions, to quickly get a list of recommended software, which is able to perform the specified software action, such as opening, editing or converting qcow files.
Software that open qcow file - QEMU Copy-On-Write data
Programs supporting the exension qcow on the main platforms Windows, Mac, Linux or mobile. Click on the link to get more information about listed programs for open qcow file action.
