When an ISO or BIN image needs to be opened without a physical disc, Virtual CloneDrive presents it as a drive in Windows. Double-clicking an image mounts it so its files and media can be accessed through the usual Windows tools.
Image mounting in Windows Explorer
Virtual CloneDrive adds image handling to Windows Explorer. Double-click a supported image file to load it into a virtual drive, or open the Explorer context menu for image-related commands. The mounted disc then appears in Windows like media inserted into a physical optical drive.
Images can be stored on the computer or on a network drive. The program supports common formats including ISO, BIN, IMG, UDF, DVD, and CCD, covering disc images with data, audio, or video content.
Virtual drive settings
The settings let you choose how many virtual drives to provide, up to a maximum of 15. Each mounted image occupies a drive, so several discs can remain available at the same time without swapping physical media.
A history of recently mounted images gives quick access to files used before. Virtual CloneDrive can also load the last image again automatically, and opening a drive's virtual tray with the eject command unmounts its image.
- Set the number of available virtual drives.
- Use recent-image history or enable automount for the last image.
- Eject a mounted image from its virtual drive.
CD, DVD, and Blu-ray emulation
Virtual CloneDrive presents mounted images as CD, DVD, or Blu-ray media. Programs that read discs can access the virtual drive in the same way they access a physical optical drive, which suits opening archived disc contents or running software distributed as an image.
The tool focuses on mounting and drive emulation; it does not provide disc-image creation or burning features.
Pros
- Mounts ISO, BIN, IMG, UDF, DVD, and CCD images
- Emulates CD, DVD, and Blu-ray drives
- Supports up to 15 virtual drives at once
- Provides recent-image history and last-image automount
Cons
- Does not create or burn disc images
System requirements: Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10, Windows 11 · 32-bit and 64-bit · 500 MHz processor · 256 MB RAM
How do you mount an image with Virtual CloneDrive?
Double-click a supported image file in Windows Explorer. Virtual CloneDrive loads it into a virtual drive, where Windows can access its contents.
Which disc-image formats does Virtual CloneDrive support?
It supports ISO, BIN, IMG, UDF, DVD, and CCD images, along with other common image formats.
Can Virtual CloneDrive keep several images mounted?
Yes. It supports up to 15 virtual drives at once, allowing multiple images to remain mounted.