Last Updated on May 25, 2026
If you have ever installed Windows, Linux or another operating system on your computer, you most likely downloaded an ISO file to do so. An ISO file is a digital copy of an entire optical disc, such as a CD, DVD, or Blu-ray, stored in a single file. It preserves the disc’s structure and content, making it useful for distribution, backup, or creating bootable media.
Because ISO files bundle everything into a single package, they are especially convenient for sharing and storage, but that same structure can make them feel less accessible to everyday users. Instead of browsing files like you would in a normal folder, you are often limited to mounting or burning the image first, which isn’t always necessary for simple tasks. Knowing that you can open and work with an ISO’s contents directly gives you more flexibility, particularly when you only need specific files rather than the entire disc image.
Normally, you would burn the ISO file to a CD, DVD or flash drive using a program such as Rufus or Ventoy which can make the disk or drive bootable if needed. But if you want to extract the contents of an ISO image file to a folder to maybe view the files or install some software without creating a disk, you can do that as well. In this article, we will be showing you 2 methods you can use to extract the contents of an ISO image to a folder.
Common Uses for ISO Files
1. Software and OS Installation
These image files are heavily used to distribute operating systems and large software packages over the internet. You download a single massive file instead of thousands of small loose components. This guarantees file integrity during the long transfer process.
2. Backup and Archiving
You can easily create exact copies of physical optical discs for permanent storage. This prevents data loss from scratched physical media. You always have a perfect digital clone available for future use.
3. Virtual Drive Mounting
Windows allows you to mount the file directly as a virtual disk. You access the internal files without burning anything to a physical CD or DVD. The operating system treats it exactly like a real hardware drive.
4. Bootable Media Creation
You need these exact files to create bootable USB flash drives. IT professionals use them for system recovery or fresh operating system installations. Software tools like Rufus handle the heavy lifting to make the drive bootable.
Method 1: Use the Windows Mount Option
Newer versions of Windows have the option to mount ISO files as a virtual drive on your computer so you can view their contents. This comes in handy if you need to run the installation process for the software or copy a few files or folders to your computer. You can also use this method to copy the entire contents of the ISO file to another folder on your PC.
1. Mount the Target ISO File
To mount an ISO file on your computer, simply right click the file and choose Mount. A context menu appears with several system options. If you are missing the Mount option, check out this video for a possible solution to the problem.
(Image: Right Click mount ISO)
2. Access the Virtual DVD Drive
Once the ISO file is mounted, it will show up under This PC as a virtual DVD drive. Open File Explorer to see your newly connected devices. Windows assigns the virtual drive a dedicated drive letter automatically.
3. Copy the Required Files
Then you can open this virtual drive to see the contents of the ISO file. From there, you can do things such as open files, run the program’s installer if applicable, or copy the files to another folder on your computer. Highlight the files you want and drag them to a new desktop folder.
4. Unmount the Virtual Drive
When you are finished, you must unmount the ISO file properly. Right click on the virtual drive letter and choose Eject. Windows instantly drops the virtual connection and frees up local system resources.
Method 2: Use the 7-Zip App to Extract Files
The second method we will be discussing involves using the free 7-Zip archiving software to extract the contents of the ISO image file to a folder on your computer. 7-Zip can be used to create and extract zip files and many other types of files such as ZIP, RAR and TAR files. It can be downloaded for free from their website and then you would install it like you would any other application.
1. Access the 7-Zip Context Menu
Once you have 7-Zip installed, you will have a new right click context menu option for it. Then you can right click on your ISO file and hover over the 7-Zip entry. Choose one of the available options to extract the files from it directly to your local storage.
2. Choose the Extract Files Option
There are three main options you have for extracting the contents of an ISO image file to a folder. The Extract files option will give you the ability to choose exactly where to extract the files to. It will also let you create a brand new folder before the files are extracted from the ISO image.
3. Use the Extract Here Command
The Extract here option is much faster for quick extraction jobs. This will extract the files to the exact same directory where the ISO file currently resides. Be careful using this option if the ISO contains hundreds of loose files.
4. Select the Extract to Folder Option
The Extract to (file name) command is usually the safest and cleanest route. This will create a new folder with the exact same name as the ISO file itself. It then automatically dumps all the extracted files neatly inside that new directory.
5. Monitor the Extraction Progress
Once you choose your option, 7-Zip will begin to extract the files from the ISO image. You will be able to see the progress bar filling up in real time. You can also have it run in the background as well as pause and cancel the process if needed.
6. Verify the Extracted Data
Once the extraction is complete, you will have all the files that were part of the ISO image located in the folder where they were extracted to. File Explorer shows the standard yellow folder icon. Verify the folder size matches the original ISO file to ensure a clean copy.
7. Access Your Extracted Files
Then you can open that folder and take whatever actions you need on the extracted files and folders. You can run setup applications, modify config files, or copy the media to a network share. The files act exactly like normal Windows data now.
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