How to Open ISO File in Windows 10/11 Without Burning

What Is an ISO File

An ISO file also called an ISO image, is an archive file of the CD or DVD. The burning software can directly burn the ISO file into an installable system CD. ISO files generally take .iso as the extension, and the file format is ISO9660. ISO files are often used for backing up optical discs or for distributing large files of programs or operating systems that can be mounted or burned to DVD.

Most of the downloaded Linux installation files are in ISO format. And some downloadable operating systems, including windows, are also distributed as ISO images.

How to Open ISO file in Windows 10 Without Burning to DVD

In Windows and Linux, you need to use special tools to run and operate ISO files. For example, WinISO, WinImage, Daemon Tools, WinMount, and more. If you just want to view the contents of an ISO file, you can use WinRAR to open the ISO files for free.

WinRAR is a free tool that you can use to open many file types, including ISO files. Follow the steps below to open ISO files in Windows 11 and Windows 11.

Step 1. Install the latest WinRAR x64 (64 bit) version on your computer.

Step 2. Download and save the .iso file on your computer. If your zipped file is downloaded from a website, it may go to the Downloads folder.  

Step 3. Find the ISO file you want to open. Right-click it and choose "Open with" from the drop-down menu.

Step 4. Click "WinRAR archive". It may take a few minutes to fully extract the ISO file.

You can open the ISO files also by running WinRAR, clicking "File > Open" and finding your ISO file.

Step 5. Now, you should see all the ISO files in the WinRAR window. If there is a setup file of the ISO file, you can double-click to run.

See? It's easy to open the ISO file with WinRAR for free. If you want to mount or burn an ISO file on your Windows 10 or Windows 11 computer, here are the ways:

Steps for Mounting an ISO File:

Step 1. Go to find the ISO file, right-click it and select "Properties".

Step 2. Click "General" > "Change".

Step 3. Choose "Windows Explorer" to open the ISO file and click "OK.

Step 4. Right-click the ISO file and select "Mount".

Steps for Burning an ISO File:

Step 1. Navigate to the ISO file. Right-click on it and select "Burn disk image".

Step 2. Use the Windows Disc Image Burner to burn it to DVD.

Addition Help: How to Restore Lost ISO File Quickly and Easily

As we all know, an ISO file is usually large in size. It will take a long time to download and can be reused. If you accidentally delete a crucial ISO file or lose an ISO file by formatting your storage device, you can easily get it back via a reliable EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard tool.

EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard is a world-famous file recovery program that enables you to restore deleted or lost files in various storage media like HDD, SSD, external hard drive, USB flash drive, pen drive, SD card, camera, etc.

EaseUS data recovery software's highlights:

• Recover deleted, formatted, and inaccessible data in different data loss situations
• Repair corrupted Excel, MP4, MOV, GIF, JPEG, and JPG files during data recovery
• Restore lost data on Windows 10/8.1/8/7/Vista/XP and Windows Server 2019 - 2003.

Free download this professional data recovery software to retrieve your lost ISO files, documents, photos, or videos in simple clicks.

Step 1. Select the location to scan

Choose the specific device and drive where you have permanently deleted files using Shift delete or emptying recycle bin. Then, click the "Scan" button to find lost files.

Step 2. Check the results

The software will automatically start scanning all over the selected drive. When the scan completes, select the "Deleted Files" and "Other Lost Files" folders in the left panel. Then, apply the "Filter" feature or click the "Search files or folders" button to quickly find the deleted files.

Step 3. Recover deleted files

Select the deleted files and click "Preview". Next, click "Recover" to save them to another secure location or device.

People also Ask Questions About Opening an ISO File

There are more questions people commonly search for online. Check the brief answers to ISO file opening.

1. How to open an ISO file on Mac?

You can open ISO files on Mac with a free tool called The Unarchiver, which can easily unarchive formats such as Zip, RAR, 7-zip, LZH, or ARC.  

Step 1. Install The Unarchiver on your Mac. You can find the app in Mac's App Store.

Step 2. Find the ISO file you want to open.

Step3. Click "File" in the menu bar at the top of the screen. Choose "Open With > The Unarchiver.app".

Step 4. Then, the Unarchiver will begin extracting your ISO file.

Step 5. Check and view your ISO files' content.

2. Can you run an ISO file from a USB drive?

You can make a bootable USB drive with an ISO file using a specific tool like Rufus.

Step 1. Download and install the Rufus tool.

Step 2. Connect the USB to your computer.  

Step 3. Open Rufus. Under Device, choose the USB storage device you want to burn the ISO file to.

Step 4. Select your ISO files and customize the settings. Choose Start to start the "burning" of the ISO file to the USB drive.

3. How to open ISO file on Android

To open files on Android, you have two ways to do it: one is downloading and installing an app such as VLC for Android that supports ISO file format on your Android device, and the other is converting ISO to a file type that supported by Android.