Disk images

qcow2 → RAW

Convert your QCOW2 virtual disk images to RAW format seamlessly with ConvertX. This tool is essential for administrators moving virtual machines from QEMU/KVM environments to platforms that require raw block devices.

QCOW2 is a dynamic format that supports features like snapshots, copy-on-write, and compression, making it ideal for storage efficiency. In contrast, the RAW format is a direct, bit-for-bit representation of the disk data with no metadata headers or overhead. Converting QCOW2 to RAW flattens the image, removing all copy-on-write layers and snapshots, resulting in a fixed-size file that mirrors the actual virtual disk capacity.

The conversion preserves all data integrity. Since RAW is a bit-perfect copy of the virtual disk contents, no data loss occurs during the transformation.

Tips

Ensure your target storage has enough space, as RAW files do not support thin provisioning and will occupy the full virtual disk size.
Verify your partition table after conversion, as some legacy hypervisors may require manual alignment.
Remove all unnecessary snapshots from your QCOW2 file before starting to reduce the final file size.

Common use cases

Migrating virtual machines from KVM/QEMU to bare-metal hypervisors or cloud platforms like AWS/Azure that prefer raw images.
Preparing disk images for low-level data recovery or forensic analysis.
Converting images for direct deployment onto physical hard drives via dd commands.

Why ConvertX stays free — forever

We built this project so anyone can convert files without paywalls, accounts, or hidden limits. Here is what that promise means in practice.

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Free tools today — and always

Every converter on ConvertX is free to use: no trials, no premium tiers, and no credit packs. We will never put core conversion features behind a subscription. Whether you convert one photo or a hundred files a week, the price stays zero.

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Privacy-first processing

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

Yes, usually. Because RAW files do not use compression or thin provisioning, the resulting file will equal the full allocated capacity of the virtual disk.

No. The RAW format does not support snapshots. You will only get the current active state of the disk.

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