VMDK.vmdk

How to Extract Files from a VMDK (VMware) Disk Image on macOS

VMDK (Virtual Machine Disk) is VMware's virtual disk format, used by VMware Fusion, Workstation, and ESXi. If you need to extract files from a VMware virtual machine without booting it, you'll need a tool that can read VMDK disk images.

The default way to open VMDK files on macOS

Tool: 7zz via Homebrew (third-party)

$ 7zz x disk.vmdk

Steps

  1. Install 7-Zip via Homebrew: brew install 7zip
  2. Run: 7zz x disk.vmdk
  3. For VMware Fusion users: you can also mount the VMDK through VMware.
Note: macOS cannot mount VMDK files natively. 7-Zip can extract filesystem contents. MacPacker provides visual browsing of VMDK images.

Extract individual files from a VMDK archive

The default macOS tools extract everything — there's no way to pick individual files. MacPacker lets you browse VMDK archive contents, preview files, and extract only what you need — without unpacking the entire archive.

A better way: open VMDK files with MacPacker

MacPacker is a free, open-source macOS archive manager that supports VMDK and 30+ other formats. Unlike the default tools, MacPacker lets you:

  • Browse archive contents like a folder
  • Preview files with Quick Look without extracting
  • Extract individual files via drag and drop
  • Navigate nested archives (archives within archives)
  • Enjoy a native SwiftUI interface that feels right at home on macOS

Get MacPacker

v0.15.1 · macOS 14+
$ brew install --cask macpacker
.dmg.zipApp StoreReleases

App Store updates may lag a few days behind direct downloads due to Apple review.

Frequently asked questions

How do I extract files from a VMDK on Mac?

Use MacPacker to browse VMDK contents and extract individual files without booting the virtual machine. Alternatively, install 7-Zip via Homebrew and run: 7zz x disk.vmdk

Can I open a VMDK file without VMware?

Yes. MacPacker can open and browse VMDK disk images directly — no VMware installation required. You can navigate the filesystem and extract files you need.

Related formats

VHD.vhd

VHD is Microsoft's virtual disk format used by Hyper-V and Azure. Contains a complete filesystem image.

VHDX.vhdx

VHDX is the newer version of Microsoft's VHD format with support for larger disks and improved resilience.

VDI.vdi

VDI is VirtualBox's native virtual disk format. Contains the filesystem of a VirtualBox virtual machine.

QCOW2.qcow2

QCOW2 is QEMU's disk image format with copy-on-write support, snapshots, and compression. Used in KVM/QEMU virtualization.