How to Mount a File in Windows 11?

Windows 11 allows you to easily mount certain types of files, primarily disk image files, treating them as virtual drives that you can access just like a physical CD, DVD, Blu-ray, or hard drive. The most common type of file you might want to mount is an ISO file.

Supported File Types for Mounting

Windows 11 natively supports mounting the following file types as virtual drives:

• ISO (.iso): Standard disc image files commonly used for distributing operating systems, software, or media.
• IMG (.img): Another type of disk image file, similar to ISO.
• VHD (.vhd): Virtual Hard Disk files used by virtual machines or for creating system backups.
• VHDX (.vhdx): An updated format for virtual hard disks, offering greater capacity and resilience compared to VHD.

How to Mount Disk Image Files in Windows 11

There are several straightforward methods to mount a supported disk image file in Windows 11:

Using the Right-Click Context Menu

This is one of the quickest ways and a method highlighted in the reference provided.

1. Locate the supported disk image file (e.g., an .iso file) in File Explorer.
2. Right-click the ISO file you want to mount.
3. From the list of options that appear in the context menu, click "Mount".

Once you click "Mount", Windows will instantly create a new virtual drive under "This PC" in File Explorer, and the contents of the image file will be accessible as if it were a physical drive inserted into your computer.

Using File Explorer Ribbon

Another way to mount a file is through the File Explorer ribbon interface.

1. Navigate to the folder containing your supported disk image file in File Explorer.
2. Click once on the file to select it.
3. In the File Explorer ribbon at the top, a contextual tab usually appears, often labeled "Disk Image Tools" or similar.
4. Within this tab, click the "Mount" button.

Double-Clicking the File

For many users, simply double-clicking the image file is the most intuitive method. By default, Windows 11 is often configured to "Mount" supported image files (like ISO, IMG, VHD, VHDX) when they are double-clicked.

1. Find the supported disk image file in File Explorer.
2. Double-click the file.

If "Mount" is set as the default action for that file type, it will mount the image as a virtual drive. If a different program opens the file (like a burning utility), you may need to use one of the other methods or change the default program associated with that file type in Windows settings.

How to Unmount a Virtual Drive

When you are finished accessing the contents of the mounted image file, you should unmount the virtual drive. This removes it from "This PC".

1. Open File Explorer and go to "This PC".
2. Locate the virtual drive that was created (it will typically have a drive letter and might show the volume label from the image file).
3. Right-click on the virtual drive.
4. From the context menu, click "Eject".

Alternatively, you can select the virtual drive in "This PC" and click the "Eject" button in the File Explorer ribbon under the "Drive Tools" tab.

Using these methods, you can easily access the content within disk image files in Windows 11 without needing third-party software or physical media.