IMG File Extension

What is the .IMG file type?

The .img extension is primarily associated with the Disk Image (IMG) format and file type, and is also used to denote files in that format. IMG is a binary format used to store raw images of optical (CD/DVD) or magnetic (FDD/HDD) disk volumes. A raw image is a verbatim, sector-by-sector, uncompressed and unprocessed dump copy of the disk's contents.

An .img file is a large binary file, containing a raw copy of a disk without regard to any filesystem therein. The size of an .img file should be exactly the same as the size of the original disk. Being a verbatim copy, an .img file does not contain any extra information, just the disk's data.

Most commonly, an .img file comes along with a .ccd file (CCD/IMG format), which contains all metadata related to the image. The IMG format is perfectly handled by the majority of CD/DVD emulation and authoring tools. IMG images can be converted into other image formats (like ISO).

IMG disk images are often used in various bootable 'live' CD's, DVD's and USB sticks.

In MacOS, the .img extension is one of those associated with the proprietary Apple Disk Image format. Out of the two sub-versions of it, the Universal Disk Image Format (UDIF) and the earlier New Disk Image Format (NDIF), the .img extension is normally bound up with the latter. An NDIF .img file is not a raw image, but is instead filesystem-based and supports compression. While officially supported only inside MacOS, NDIF .img files can be mounted and converted outside MacOS as well with several open cross-platform tools.

In the Grand Theft Auto (GTA) computer game, .img files contain various game data, including current status, weapons, car modifications etc. Different GTA versions use different format of .img files. GTA .img files can be modified ('modded') with third-party utilities to change the game behavior and experience.

In Garmin GPS navigation systems, the .img extension is used in files that store navigation maps in a container fashion, i.e. one .img file holds a series of maps within an internal filesystem, most commonly FAT.

Software to open or convert IMG files

DAEMON Tools Lite by Disc Soft Ltd

 

Nero Burning ROM

 

IrfanView by Irfan Skiljan

 

WinZip by WinZip Computing, S.L.

 

NeroExpress Starter

 

Free File Viewer Pro

Download