Open VMDK file

VMDK files: what are they and how do I open them?

vmdk file icon Are you facing difficulties opening unknown files on your computer, or wondering exactly what this file is?
We've got the information and best software solutions for opening these files effortlessly.

VMware virtual disk

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.

Further details:

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.

Open file with:

VMware Workstation icon

VMware Workstation

VMware Workstation is application used to create computer virtual machines in one hosting operating system

VMware Fusion icon

VMware Fusion

Program used for migration of Windows PC to Mac

What is the meaning of a file extension?

File extensions are characters that appear after the dot in a computer file's name. For example, the file "unknown-file.vmdk" has the file extension "vmdk". This is used to identify which program should open the file or what file type it is.
File extensions help you organize and manage files. They provide a quick and easy way to identify and associate the file type with the appropriate software.

We can help you open your file

In our database, we have collected a huge number of different file extensions, detailed descriptions, and programs that can be used to open or otherwise work with the file extensions listed in our database.
This database is an invaluable resource for users who want to understand better file extensions and what they can do with them. It also allows users to know different file types with the same purpose.

Only verified software links are provided

We have verified every software listed in our database. The software listed in our database includes links to the developer's or software's website. These links should allow you to download the right program for each file type. Using verified software from reputable sources helps minimize the risk of malware and viruses infecting your computer.