How to Convert IMG File to ISO File in Linux

In Linux, you often encounter files in the .ISO format. Most Linux distributions provide LiveCD downloads in the ISO format because it is easier to use on Linux. However, sometimes you encounter an IMG file and don't know what to do with it. This article will show you how to easily convert an IMG file to an ISO format.

 

Convert IMG to ISO

If you're comfortable with the command line, Linux offers a few simple ways to convert an IMG file to ISO format. Before converting, check what type of image you have with the following command:

file image.img

If the output file shows an ISO 9660 CD-ROM file system, your IMG file already follows the ISO structure. In that case, all you need to do is rename the file. Just open a terminal , navigate to the folder containing the file, and type:

mv input.img output.iso

And that's it! To confirm the conversion, try mounting or using the renamed file. If it mounts without any errors, you have a valid ISO file. This method works better than you might think, as many disk image creation tools are ISO compatible but save them with the .img extension.

If the output file shows data , x86 boot sector , or DOS/MBR , then you are dealing with a raw disk image and need to use one of the conversion methods below.

Method 1: Using ccd2iso tool

The primary tool for converting CloneCD-style images (IMG combined with CCD/SUB) to ISO format is ccd2iso. Although it is a command line tool, it is quite easy to use. To install ccd2iso on any Ubuntu-based distribution, use:

sudo apt install ccd2iso

 

Then, to convert any IMG file to ISO format, use:

ccd2iso source_file.img destination_file.iso

It's that simple!

After a short while, you will see the converted ISO file next to your original IMG file.

Method 2: Convert using iat

A new and more flexible tool, iat, can read IMG files and many other CD image formats, then convert them to ISO files or burn them directly to the drive.

To install, use:

sudo apt install iat

 

To start the conversion, use the following command:

iat input_file.img output_file.iso

Method 3: Using genisoimage tool

If your .img file isn't a simple disk clone, but a full filesystem image that you want to extract, edit, and rebuild into a clean ISO, that's where genisoimage (formerly known as mkisofs) comes in. Unlike simple renaming or copying methods, this tool doesn't just convert the image, it actually builds a completely new ISO from scratch using the files and folders you provide.

You typically use genisoimage when you want to create an ISO from a directory or from the contents of a mounted image. This tool is perfect for .img files formatted with file systems like ext4, FAT32, or other non-ISO types.

The process is pretty simple. First, mount the .img file so you can access its contents. Mounting essentially makes the image act like a mounted drive:

sudo mkdir /mnt/img_contents sudo mount -o loop /path/to/your_file.img /mnt/img_contents

If everything went well, you can open the '/mnt/img_contents' folder and browse the files from the image.

Before continuing, make sure you have genisoimage installed. On Debian or Ubuntu , use:

sudo apt install genisoimage

On Fedora, CentOS, or other Red Hat-based systems, run:

sudo dnf install genisoimage

Once installed, it's time to create your new ISO. The command below will take all the files from the mounted image and neatly package them into a new .iso file:

genisoimage -o /path/to/new_image.iso -R -J /mnt/img_contents

Where -o defines the output file name and location, -R adds the Rock Ridge extension so Linux retains the long file name and permissions, and -J also makes it compatible with Windows systems. Using both will give you a flexible ISO that will work across multiple platforms.

 

Once the ISO is created, you should unmount the original .img file for cleanup:

sudo umount /mnt/img_contents

Method 4: Using bchunk

Sometimes your .img file is actually part of a BIN/CUE pair, where the .img acts as a .bin file. In such cases, bchunk comes in handy. This tool specializes in converting BIN/CUE images to ISO format and can handle similarly structured .img files.

Install bchunk using your default package manager. On Ubuntu or Debian, run:

sudo apt install bchunk

Once installed, the conversion is simple with the following command:

bchunk input.img output.iso

If you have multiple .img files in the same folder, you can batch convert them as follows:

bchunk *.img output.iso

And if your .img file comes with a corresponding .cue file, use both together for a more precise conversion:

bchunk -v image.img image.cue output.iso

bchunk is really good at BIN/CUE conversions but also adapts well when you work with certain .img files, depending on how they were created.

GUI tool to convert IMG to ISO

If you prefer a graphical user interface (GUI), you should try acetoneiso. Install it with the following command:

sudo apt install acetoneiso

Continue by launching it and accepting the recommended settings. Don't try converting your IMG file to ISO with this tool right now - it won't work and the program will suggest you visit the PowerISO website and download the PowerISO Command Line Utility for Linux .

The example downloaded the file to the default Downloads folder. If you save the file elsewhere, remember to change the path.

Open terminal and move to the acetoneiso folder using the command:

cd ~/.acetoneiso

Extract PowerISO from the file you downloaded using the equivalent command:

tar xvf /home/USERNAME/Downloads/poweriso-X.X.tar.gz

Return to AcetoneISO and from the Image Conversion menu, select Convert Image to ISO . Select the original IMG file, enter a path and name for the converted file in the next step, and after a short wait, your ISO will be available.

You can also try the K3b disc utility. This is a full-featured, user-friendly tool for creating and burning CDs, DVDs, and Blu-ray discs. It comes pre-installed on the KDE Plasma desktop but works seamlessly in almost any Linux environment.

Finally, if everything you see here doesn't seem right, you might want to consider the possibility that your IMG file isn't a CD or DVD image. As mentioned at the beginning, an IMG file can be many things, such as hard drive backups and partitions.

A good clue that you're dealing with this type of IMG file is its size: If it's larger than 4.5 GB, it's probably not an optical disc backup. Dual-layer DVDs, which can hold twice as much data as standard DVDs, are still relatively rare in the entire optical media era, so files that are close in size or larger are probably partition backups. That's a whole other story!