OpenAnyFile
Works
Viewing, inspecting and verifying. You get a browsable listing of everything inside, decompressed in-browser by libarchive compiled to WebAssembly. File details, exact byte size and the detected signature are always shown.
How to open a .vmdk file
You have a VMDK file and nothing on your machine will touch it. Here is what the format actually is, and how to read one in about four seconds without installing anything.
What is a .vmdk file?
VMware Virtual Disk is an archive format developed by VMware, first appearing in 1999. It is normally produced by VMware Workstation, ESXi.
Often split into many extent files with a small text descriptor pointing at them — copying only the big file leaves an unusable disk.
| Full name | VMware Virtual Disk |
|---|---|
| File category | Archives |
| MIME type | application/x-vmdk |
| Magic bytes (file signature) | 4B 44 4D (KDM) |
| Developer | VMware |
| Introduced | 1999 |
| Usually created by | VMware Workstation, ESXi |
| OpenAnyFile engine | libarchive WASM engine |
| Opens without upload | Yes — parsed locally in your browser |
Open a .vmdk file in your browser
OpenAnyFile routes .vmdk to its libarchive WASM engine, which opens a browsable listing of everything inside, decompressed in-browser by libarchive compiled to WebAssembly.
- Open the OpenAnyFile opener in this browser — nothing to download or sign up for.
- Drag your .vmdk file onto the drop zone, click to browse for it, or paste it with Ctrl+V.
- The extension is detected and the file is handed to the libarchive WASM engine.
- Your VMDK opens on its own viewer page: a browsable listing of everything inside, decompressed in-browser by libarchive compiled to WebAssembly.
- Use fullscreen for a closer look, or download the file back out unchanged. Free, and free in the sense that there is no paid tier waiting behind step three.
What you can and cannot do with it here
Does not work
Editing and re-saving. OpenAnyFile is a reader, not an editor — for changes you still need special software or an equivalent.
Your {ext} file stays on your device
The entire pipeline — detection, decoding, rendering — runs client-side. Your browser hands the bytes to a decoder compiled to WebAssembly, the result is drawn to the page, and that is the whole journey. No account is created, no file is stored, and no analytics event carries your filename. This is also why there is no size limit imposed by a server: the only ceiling is your own available memory.
Frequently asked questions about VMDK files
Can I open a .vmdk file without installing special software?
Yes. OpenAnyFile's libarchive WASM engine runs in your browser, so you can read a VMDK file with nothing installed. You get a browsable listing of everything inside, decompressed in-browser by libarchive compiled to WebAssembly. For full editing you still need the original application — this is a viewer, not an editor.
How can I check a file really is a VMDK file?
Look at the first bytes rather than the extension. A genuine VMDK begins with 4B 44 4D (KDM). Opening the file in OpenAnyFile shows that signature in the file-details panel, so a file renamed to .vmdk by mistake is easy to spot.
Is it safe to open a VMDK file online?
With OpenAnyFile, yes, because nothing is uploaded. The file is read locally through your browser's File API and never leaves your device, so there is no server copy to leak, log or retain. That matters most for the kind of file people are least willing to hand to a random converter site.
What is a .vmdk file, exactly?
VMware Virtual Disk — an application/x-vmdk format created by VMware since 1999. Often split into many extent files with a small text descriptor pointing at them — copying only the big file leaves an unusable disk.
Does the same viewer handle formats related to VMDK?
Yes — the same engine also opens .7z, .iso, .rar, so you can compare related files without switching tools.
Related formats
These open with the same engine, so if you have one of these sitting next to your .vmdk file, it will open too: