How to Convert a DMG to ISO on Mac, & Convert ISO to DMG on Mac

Sep 9, 2009 - 20 Comments

Terminal in macOS

Have you ever needed to convert a DMG file to ISO in Mac OS, or wanted to convert an ISO file to DMG on your Mac?

Converting image files on your Mac is easy thanks to a command line utility included in Mac OS X called hdiutil.

Simply launch the Terminal and use the commands below, replacing the path and image file with your own.

How to Convert a DMG file to ISO

hdiutil convert /path/imagefile.dmg -format UDTO -o /path/convertedimage.iso

Remember to replace /path/ with the path to the specific files and output ISO file as desired.

How to Convert an ISO file to DMG format

hdiutil convert /path/imagefile.iso -format UDRW -o /path/convertedimage.dmg

This is obviously for DMG and ISO, but other disk image file formats are supported too.

Interestingly, a CDR file is basically an ISO file that can simply have it’s file extension changed to .iso and it will work the same.

mac terminal icon

This tip is particularly useful if you have a CD/DVD or BluRay burner on a Mac (or Windows PC) and not a Windows PC (or Mac) and you need to burn a disk image using the other machine.

If you have any other tips or suggestions about converting disk image files, share in the comments!

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Posted by: Bill Ellis in Command Line, Mac OS, Tips & Tricks

20 Comments

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  1. bethy says:

    I corrected the spelling on the last error (hdutil instead of hdiutil) and now get this:

    hdiutil: convert: only a single input file can be specified
    Usage: hdiutil convert -format -o [options]
    hdiutil convert -help

  2. Arthur Robillard says:

    Hello,
    I’m trying to make 90-(or so)minute audio CD’s (787 MB). If I have toast create a “disk image” of the type “enhanced audio CD”, which is the only way to keep toast from splitting the content into 2 CD’s after 79 minute capacity or so, it creates, as usual, a sd2f format, a file format I’m very familiar with having used Sound Designer II and it’s regions and playlists way back in the day. Is this or is this not a proper “disc image” for audio CD’s? How do I take such a file and burn it to a CD using hdiutil? Do I keep that extension or do I have to change it? I get “image not recognized” errors and whatnot.
    -Arthur

  3. John Praveen says:

    Its working ISO—>DMG

  4. John Praveen says:

    Good !!!
    Thanks allot…!
    Converting to ISO to DMG is working…

  5. Eran says:

    I don’t understand this part of the article:

    This tip is particularly useful if you have a CD/DVD burner on a Mac (or PC) and not a PC (or Mac) and you need to burn a disk image using the other machine.

    – Maybe someone can clarify

    • bb great says:

      Imagine: Your PC has a DVD burner. Your Mac does not. You can make the ISO on the Mac from a DMG to burn on the PC. That’s what that means. Or vice versa, of course.

  6. Joe says:

    The short version to my question is I am trying from my dvd to get an iso to Createspace which no longer accepts the master DVD and the cdr is a 4 gb file which is a huge 90 hour upload? help help help… my skill ended at burning the dvd and I do have both a DMG and a CDR file now but that is where i am stuck

  7. Joe says:

    Ok… one simple question… when I open terminal it has last login info
    So how do I designate the DMG file I want to change to Iso or do I just add your command in the terminal?

  8. hdiutil convert /path/imagefile.dmg -format UDTO -o /path/convertedima

    https://osxdaily.com/2009/09/09/convert-a-dmg-to-iso-and-convert-iso-to-dmg-on-mac/

    These are windows commands or MAC??? Plz confirm..

  9. senetrip says:

    awesome.thank you

  10. shiriajin says:

    thanks a lot bro. worked!

  11. AnnaMolly says:

    Worked great, but my code looked more like

    hdiutil convert “/path/imagefile.iso” -format UDRW -o “/path/convertedimage.dmg”

    other wise it gave me an error “only a single input file can be selected”

  12. ancgate says:

    Great ans easy solutions. Don’t need to buy a software for that. Thanks for posting it.

  13. ilovemac says:

    gr8 solution

  14. Anai says:

    AWESOME! I love easy solutions. Thanks for posting this :)

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