This article describes what a VHDX file is and how to use it. It also shows you how to open a VHDX file on your computer or convert it to another format, such as VHD, VDI, IMG, or VMDK.

A file with the VHDX file extension is a Windows Hard Drive Image file. It behaves like a real, physical hard drive, but is stored in a single file that resides on a physical disk, such as a hard drive. A file can be created from scratch in Windows, but some backup software, such as Disk2vhd, produces them as their storage format.

VHDX files can contain an entire operating system, for example for testing software or running older or newer software that is incompatible with the host operating system. It can also simply be used to store files as a kind of storage container.

As long as you're running a version of Windows newer than Windows 8 or Server 2012, you can open VHDX (and VHD) files without having to download any programs or tools. Simply right-click on the file and choose the Mount option, or double-click on it.