How to Create an ISO File from a Folder

By / Computer Backups, Windows 10, Windows 11 / 4 minutes of reading

How to create an ISO image file from a folder. Creating an ISO file from a folder offers several key advantages, primarily centred around portability, organization, and preservation.

An ISO file, also known as an ISO image, is a single file that acts as a perfect digital replica of the data and file structure of an optical disk, such as a CD, DVD, or Blu-ray.
When you create an ISO from a folder, you are essentially packaging all the files and their original directory structure into a single, cohesive file.

This file can then by “mounted” as a virtual CD/DVD.

Table Of Contents
  1. How to Create an ISO Image File from a Folder
  2. How to Mount an ISO Image in Windows
  3. Summary

How to Create an ISO Image File from a Folder

First thing you’ll need is some software that’s capable of creating ISO files from folders. There’re lots of programs that can do it, so if you already have something, use that.

If not, then you can use program called ImgBurn. It’s free, lightweight and fairly easy to use.

Download it from here https://www.imgburn.com/index.php?act=download

Once ImgBurn is installed, open it and then click the Create Image File From Files/Folders option.

Creating an ISO file from a folder
Open ImgBurn and click “Create image file from files/folders”.

Source Folder

Now you’ll need to supply ImgBurn with the source folder that you want it to create an ISO file from.

Click the Browse To Folder icon. That’ll open an Explorer window allowing you to navigate to and select whichever folder you want to use.

Left click the folder once and then click the Select Folder button.

If you wanted to add more folders to the ISO you can by clicking the Browse To Folder icon again and selecting the other folders. But ideally you’d have already copied them all into just the one folder.

Browse button is indicated.
Click the Browse button.
Folder selected.
And select the folder that you want to use.

Note.

When choosing a source folder, note that everything inside that folder will be included in the subsequent ISO image file. That includes all sub folders and files.

Destination of ISO File

Next you’ll have to choose where the newly created ISO image file should be saved to. That could be into a different location or inside the source folder. It really doesn’t matter which.

For this example, I’ll be saving the ISO back into the source folder.

Click the Browse button beside the Destination window. Navigate to the folder that you want to save the ISO image into and click the Save button.

Browse button indicated to save the ISO file in to.
Click the Browse button to select a folder to save the ISO file in to.
Save location selected.
And select the folder you want to use.

Build ISO File from Folder

With both the source and destination folders set, click the Build button.

Source and destination are both set. The Build button is marked.
When you’ve set the source and destination, click the Build ISO button.
  1. You might see a notice informing you that “You’ve only selected 1 folder”. Just click the Yes button to proceed.
  2. Then you’ll see a confirmation of the volume label that the ISO image will have. Remember that this is going to be an image of a CD/DVD, which has to have a volume label. Click the Yes button to continue.
  3. Finally you’ll see a confirmation popup. Click the OK button.
Yes button is being clicked on.
Click the Yes button.
Default volume label accepted.
Click Yes to accept the default volume label.
OK button.
And finally click OK.

ImgBurn will create the ISO file and save it into the destination folder that you set earlier. How long it takes depends on the size of the file being created and the speed of your PC, but it shouldn’t take long.

Once it’s done you can close ImgBurn.

How to Mount an ISO Image in Windows

Now that you’ve created an ISO file from a folder, you can use it as you wish, but if you wanted to mount it as a virtual CD/DVD you can.

  1. Open the folder where you saved the ISO file in to.
  2. Right click on the file and on the options menu, hover over Open With. On the second menu, left click Windows Explorer.
  3. The ISO file will open and you’ll have access to its contents and if you open an Explorer window and click This PC, you’ll also see that a virtual CD/DVD drive has been added.
Windows ISO file is indicated.
ISO image file.
Mounting an ISO file in Windows
Mounting an ISO file.
Virtual CD/DVD drive in Windows Explorer.
Virtual CD/DVD drive.

Summary

While Windows doesn’t support the creation of ISO images, for that you’ll need third party software, it does support there use.

Mounting ISOs as virtual drives is easy, efficient and effective.

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