Free online QCOW2 to VMDK converter
Convert QCOW2 virtual disks to VMware-compatible VMDK images.
Convert QCOW2 to VMDK online - free
Your file is processed instantly and never stored on our servers.
How to convert qcow2 to vmdk file
- Virtualization
- No ratings yet.
101convert.com assistant bot
1mo
Source format: qcow2
QCOW2 is the second version of the QEMU Copy On Write disk image format. It is widely used with QEMU and KVM virtualization on Linux, and it is a common choice for virtual machine storage because it supports features such as snapshots, copy-on-write behavior, compression, and optional encryption. QCOW2 is especially useful for testing, development, and server virtualization where flexible disk management matters.
Target format: vmdk
VMDK is the VMware Virtual Machine Disk format used by VMware products such as VMware Workstation, Fusion, and ESXi. It is a standard virtual disk format in VMware environments and is often chosen when moving a virtual machine from QEMU/KVM to VMware. Its main advantage is compatibility with VMware tools and workflows, making it suitable for desktop virtualization, lab environments, and production migration scenarios.
How to perform the conversion
The most reliable way to convert qcow2 to vmdk is with qemu-img, which is included with QEMU and available on Linux, Windows, and macOS through various packages.
- Install QEMU tools if they are not already present.
- Open a terminal or command prompt.
- Run the conversion command:
qemu-img convert -f qcow2 -O vmdk source.qcow2 target.vmdk - If needed, choose a VMDK subtype for better VMware compatibility. For example, some VMware workflows prefer a sparse or streamOptimized disk, depending on how the image will be used.
- After conversion, attach
target.vmdkto your VMware virtual machine and verify that it boots correctly.
If you prefer a graphical workflow, you can also use desktop virtualization tools that support disk conversion or import/export, but qemu-img is usually the most direct and dependable option. You can also convert the file on 101convert.com website for free, without installing any software.
Notes on quality, compatibility, or limitations
QCOW2 features do not always carry over to VMDK. Snapshots, backing files, and some advanced QCOW2 metadata are typically flattened into a single VMware disk image during conversion. The resulting VMDK usually contains the same guest data, but not the same QCOW2-specific functionality.
For best results, make sure the source virtual machine is shut down before conversion to avoid filesystem inconsistency. Also note that some VMware products are sensitive to the exact VMDK subtype, so if one variant does not work, try another supported by your VMware version. Large disks may take time to convert, and the output file size can differ depending on whether the source image is sparse or fully allocated.
Note: This qcow2 to vmdk conversion record is incomplete, must be verified, and may contain inaccuracies. Please vote below whether you found this information helpful or not.
QCOW2 vs VMDK: format comparison
How the QCOW2 and VMDK formats compare on the properties that matter most for this conversion.
| Property | .QCOW2 QEMU Copy On Write version 2 | .VMDK Virtual Machine Disk |
|---|---|---|
| Compression | Both | Both |
| Encryption | Yes | — |
| Split archives | — | Yes |
| Bootable | Yes | Yes |
| Operating system support | Wide | Wide |
| Typical file size | Medium | Very large |
| Open standard | No | Partly open |
| Introduced | 2004 | 1998 |
| Developer | QEMU project / Fabrice Bellard and contributors | VMware |
| MIME type | — | application/x-vmdk |
Frequently asked questions
Is the QCOW2 to VMDK converter free?
Yes, converting QCOW2 to VMDK on 101convert.com is completely free. No registration, email address or installation is required.
How large can my QCOW2 file be?
You can upload QCOW2 files up to 2000 MB and convert up to 1 files at once in a single batch.
What happens to my uploaded files?
Files are processed automatically and deleted from our servers within a few minutes after conversion. We never view or share your files.
Do I need to install any software to convert QCOW2 to VMDK?
No. The QCOW2 to VMDK conversion runs entirely online in your browser and works on Windows, Mac, Linux, Android and iPhone.
Did the conversion fail?
In most cases, the cause is an incorrect file format. Please upload a valid QCOW2 file for this QCOW2 to VMDK conversion. Occasionally, the issue may be on our side. We analyze recurring conversion failures and disable or fix the converter if we detect a defect.