VMDK file extension. How to open and convert files with VMDK file suffix

A vmdk file extension is used for default virtual disk format of VMware virtualization software. A vmdk file stores contents of virtual machine hard disk drive. There can be more vmdk files for each virtual machines, depending on the specified amount of virtual hard drive assigned to it. It also can store information about partitions virtual drive is able to access.

Detailed description

Software that open vmdk file

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VMDK file extension - VMware virtual disk

What is vmdk file? How to open vmdk files?

File type specification:

Virtual machine, virtualization software related file type

vmdk file icon:

The vmdk file extension is used for virtual disk files - virtual partition with data and installed operating system (Microsoft Windows, Linux, Mac OS X (macOS), MS-DOS etc.) created and used by VMware to run as a virtual machine (under host operating system).

VMDK virtual disk file stores the contents of the virtual machine's hard disk drive.

A virtual disk is made up of one or more vmdk files. If you have specified that the virtual disk should be split into 2GB chunks, the number of vmdk files depends on the size of the virtual disk.

As data is added to a virtual disk, the vmdk files grow in size, to a maximum of 2GB each. (If you specify that all space should be allocated when you create the disk, these files start at the maximum size and do not grow.) Almost all of a vmdk file's content is the virtual machine's data, with a small portion allotted to virtual machine overhead.

If the virtual machine is connected directly to a physical disk, rather than to a virtual disk, the vmdk file stores information about the partitions the virtual machine is allowed to access.

Earlier VMware products used the dsk file extension for virtual disk files.

-.vmdk - this is a redo-log file, created automatically when a virtual machine has one or more snapshots. This file stores changes made to a virtual disk while the virtual machine is running. There may be more than one such file. The ## indicates a unique suffix added automatically by VMware Workstation to avoid duplicate file names.

Updated: January 12, 2025

The default software associated to open vmdk file:

VMware Workstation

Company or developer:
VMware, Inc.

VMware Workstation is popular application used to create virtual computer machines in one desktop or laptop computer. It supports virtualization of many computer operating systems, such as Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, MS-DOS, FreeBSD etc.

VMware Workstation can convert an existing physical computer into VMware virtual machine. Each virtual machine represents a complete computer, including processor, memory, network connections etc. VMware Workstation is distributed for Microsoft Windows and Linux.

VMware Fusion

Company or developer:
VMware, Inc.

VMware Fusion is utility used to migrate Windows PC to Mac computer. It is able to run Windows applications on Mac at maximum speed without impacting the power of Mac. VMware Fusion can import partitions and virtual machines with few clicks.

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Help how to open:

The native application, that can open the *.vmdk files is software from VMware company like VMware Workstation or WMware Fusion on Mac platform. Another compatible virtualization applications are VirtualBox or Parallels Desktop.

How to convert:

Use the Parallels Transporter to convert the VMDK file to PVM file ( Parallels virtual machine file).

Use the VMDK2VHD utility to convert the VMDK to VHD file (Microsoft Virtual Hard Disk file).
Use Export command from VMware software to convert it to ovf - open virtualization format package. Use export tools from other virtualization software to export virtual disk file or entire virtual machine to VMware supported format.

Find conversions from vmdk file:

Find converter to vmdk file type:

File identification strings:

HEX code: 23 20 44 69 73 6B 20 44 65 73 63 72 69 70 74 6F 72
ASCII code: # Disk DescriptorFile

List of software applications associated to the .vmdk 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 vmdk file, edit vmdk file, convert vmdk file, view vmdk file, play vmdk 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 vmdk files.

Software that open vmdk file - VMware virtual disk

Programs supporting the exension vmdk on the main platforms Windows, Mac, Linux or mobile. Click on the link to get more information about listed programs for open vmdk file action.