Disk images

IMG → qcow2

Convert your raw disk images (IMG) into QCOW2 format, making them compatible and efficient for use within QEMU/KVM virtualization environments. This conversion is essential for bringing static disk copies into a dynamic virtual machine infrastructure.

IMG files are direct, sector-by-sector copies of a disk, typically fixed in size and lacking advanced features. QCOW2, on the other hand, is a versatile disk image format for QEMU that supports copy-on-write, sparse allocation (growing only as data is written), optional compression, and snapshots. Converting from IMG to QCOW2 involves reading the raw data and packaging it into the QCOW2 structure, often resulting in a significantly smaller file size if the original IMG contained empty blocks, and unlocking powerful virtualization capabilities.

The conversion from IMG to QCOW2 is a lossless process regarding data integrity; all data from the original disk image is preserved accurately in the new format. The "quality" here refers to the fidelity of the disk contents, which remains identical.

Tips

Ensure your source IMG file is not corrupted before conversion to avoid issues in the QCOW2 output.
Consider the target storage for the QCOW2: while it can be sparse, it will grow, so plan for sufficient space on the VM host.
After conversion, it's good practice to boot the QCOW2 image in a VM to verify its functionality.
Leverage QCOW2's snapshot capabilities once converted for easier VM management and rollback points.

Common use cases

Migrating a physical server's exact disk clone (IMG) into a KVM virtual machine.
Converting a bootable IMG (like an embedded system OS image) to run and develop within a QEMU VM.
Archiving disk backups in a more space-efficient and feature-rich format suitable for virtualization.
Deploying a standardized raw disk image across multiple QEMU/KVM instances with less storage overhead.

Why ConvertX stays free — forever

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Many image, audio, and video conversions run entirely in your browser. Your files never leave your device for those jobs. When server processing is required for documents or specialized formats, uploads are handled securely and removed automatically — typically within one hour.

File formats: what to choose

A quick guide to strengths and trade-offs of popular formats — so you pick the right one before converting.

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Disk images

Virtual disks and raw drive images.

Common extensions: ISO, IMG, VHD, VMDK, QCOW2

Advantages

+ ISO is standard for installers and OS images
+ VM formats bundle entire systems
+ Preserves exact byte-level copies

Disadvantages

− Images are often several gigabytes
− Conversion between VM formats can be slow
− Boot sectors may break if format changes

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Images

Raster and vector graphics for web, print, and photography.

Common extensions: PNG, JPG, WebP, AVIF, GIF, SVG, HEIC, TIFF

Advantages

+ WebP and AVIF offer excellent compression for the web
+ PNG keeps transparency and sharp edges
+ SVG scales without quality loss

Disadvantages

− RAW and TIFF files are large and slow to share
− JPEG loses quality on every re-save
− Some formats are not supported in older browsers

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Documents

Office files, PDFs, ebooks, and plain text.

Common extensions: PDF, DOCX, XLSX, PPTX, ODT, EPUB, TXT

Advantages

+ PDF locks layout for printing and sharing
+ DOCX and ODT are easy to edit collaboratively
+ Plain text works on any device

Disadvantages

− PDF is hard to edit without special tools
− Complex layouts may shift after conversion
− Scanned PDFs need OCR for editable text

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Video

Clips, streams, screen recordings, and movies.

Common extensions: MP4, WebM, MOV, MKV, AVI, MPEG

Advantages

+ MP4 (H.264/H.265) plays almost everywhere
+ WebM is efficient for web embedding
+ MKV can hold multiple audio and subtitle tracks

Disadvantages

− High-resolution video needs lots of storage and bandwidth
− Re-encoding always takes time and may reduce quality
− Some codecs require licensing for commercial use

Frequently asked questions

Often, yes. If your IMG file contains a lot of unused or empty space, QCOW2's sparse allocation will typically result in a smaller file size that only stores the actual data.

Yes, provided the original IMG file was a bootable disk image (e.g., containing an operating system), the converted QCOW2 will also be bootable in a QEMU/KVM virtual machine.

QCOW2 offers several benefits including dynamic sizing (sparse), snapshots, optional compression, and encryption, which are absent in the static, raw IMG format.

The conversion requires reading the entire IMG file and writing it to the QCOW2 format, which can be I/O and CPU intensive depending on the size of the IMG and the speed of your storage.

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