.ISO File Extension

An ISO file is a common CD or DVD disc image format based on the ISO-9660 standard. It contains an exact duplicate of data from the original disc, which includes the data saved on the disc as well as the filesystem information, such as directory structures, file attributes, and boot code. ISO files are often used for making copies of CDs and DVDs.

ISO files are useful for duplicating or backing up CDs and DVDs because they copy every bit of data exactly from the disc. This is different than copying all files from a disc because the disc header information is lost in the copy process. An ISO file can be used to restore a disc exactly to the original version.

Windows 7 includes a utility called Windows Disc Image Burner that can burn ISO images to CDs and DVDs. The utility is located in the WindowsSystem32 directory and has the filename isoburn.exe.

NOTE: Some ISO files can be loaded by a Sony PSP using the Fast Loader utility.

CAD drawing created by Arbortext IsoDraw, a program used for creating 2D technical illustrations; often used for saving drawings for part catalogs, service manuals, and assembly instructions; can be used for flattening imported 3D drawings into a 2D format for printing and publishing.

Arbortext IsoDraw illustrations may also be saved to the .ISOZ compressed format to reduce the document size for sharing over email.

ROM file that contains a complete copy of data extracted from a PlayStation 2 game; often used for making backup copies of PS2 games; can be opened with a PlayStation 2 (PS2) emulator such as PCSX2.

To open an ISO file with PCSX2, you can simply drag and drop the file to the application without mounting the disk image. You can also select CDVD → Iso Selector → Browse, navigate to your file, and click Open. In order to use PCSX2, you must "dump" the Basic Input Output System (BIOS) files from your PS2 console. It is illegal to use BIOS data from other PS2 consoles.

NOTE: Because of their large file size, PS2 ISO game files may be compressed. Compressed ISO files may have a different file extension, such as .7Z, which indicates the type of compression used to reduce the file size.

An ISO file may also be a ROM that contains a complete copy of a Nintendo Wii or GameCube video game. It can be used to play a Wii or GameCube game on a PC using the Dolphin emulator. ISO files are also used to store backup copies of games.

Dolphin is a cross-platform Nintendo Wii and GameCube emulator that allows gamers to play Wii and GameCube games on their PCs. To play a game in Dolphin, gamers must first acquire that game's .GCM, .GCZ, or ISO file. This file contains an exact copy of the data stored on a physical Wii or GameCube disc.

ISO files that contain GameCube games are typically 1 to 1.4 GB in size, while those that store Wii games are typically about 4.7 GB. Because these files are so large in size, gamers often download and store ISO files as .ZIP or .7Z archives. If you receive an ISO file that is saved as a ZIP or 7Z file, you can use a decompression utility, such as 7-Zip, Corel WinZip, or Apple Archive Utility to extract the ISO file from the archive.

NOTE: It is illegal to download ISO files that contain Wii or GameCube games. You should create ISO files by dumping data from a game disc using a game dumping utility.

You can open a Wii or GameCube ISO file in Dolphin (cross-platform). To do so, select Open from Dolphin's menu bar and then navigate to and open your ISO file.

An ISO file may also be a ROM image of a PlayStation Portable (PSP) video game. It contains a complete copy of a PSP game, which has been copied from a game disc. Primarily, gamers use ISO files to play PSP games in PSP emulators, such as PPSSPP.

Various third-party utilities allow gamers to copy (or "dump") the game data stored on a PSP disc to an ISO file. They can then can open the ISO file with a PSP emulator to play the game on their computer or mobile device.

ISO files also serve as convenient backups of PSP games, which can be used to play a game on a PSP even in the event the original game disc is damaged or goes missing. Modders can use ISO decompression utilities (such as 7-Zip or The Unarchiver) to unpack a PSP game and examine or modify its assets.

You can open an ISO file and play the game it contains with several PSP emulators, including:

• PPSSPP (multiplatform)
• RetroArch (multiplatform)
• OpenEmu (Mac)