[Stepwise] How to Mount VHD Files in Windows 10 and 11?

What are VHD and VHDX files?

VHD and VHDX are virtual hard disk file formats that store everything a real hard drive contains, but inside a single file. When you mount them in Windows 10, they appear as normal disks, so you can open or use them just like a physical drive. These formats can hold files, partitions, system data, and even a full operating system.

People often use VHD/VHDX files for backups, virtual machines, testing systems, or moving large amounts of data without relying on actual hardware. They work as convenient containers that make it easy to carry or manage an entire storage environment in one place.

VHD is the original format, and VHDX is the updated version designed to be more reliable and flexible. Both are native to Microsoft Hyper-V and share many similarities, but VHDX supports larger storage, offers better protection against data corruption, and includes newer features such as improved alignment and trimming.

In short, VHD and VHDX let Windows treat a single file as if it were a real disk, and understanding the difference between them helps you choose the right format for backups, virtualization, and advanced storage tasks.

How to mount VHD/VHDX files in Windows 10 and 11?

Mounting a VHD file in Windows 10 is simple when you use the right tool. Since a VHD works like a real hard drive, many users mount it to access backups, test data, or run files without affecting the main system. To make this process smooth and error-free, you need a tool that can handle virtual disks clearly and safely.

AOMEI Partition Assistant gives you this convenience. With its Virtual Disk feature, you can mount (attach) a VHD by selecting the file, confirming the location, and letting the program load it as a new drive. Once mounted, the VHD appears in File Explorer, and you can browse, copy, or edit files just like on a physical disk.

If the VHD was created earlier, you can attach it in one click. When you finish using it, you can detach it to keep your system clean and avoid accidental changes. With these simple controls, AOMEI Partition Assistant makes mounting and unmounting VHD files in Windows 10 fast, stable, and easy for everyday tasks like backups or testing. To convert VHD and VHDX, you can also use this tool.

1. How to Create VHD

If you want to create a VHD, you can follow the steps below:

Step 1. Click the tab "Virtual Disk", you will see 3 options available for VHDs: create VHD, attach VHD, and detach VHD. Select the "Create VHD" option after clicking the "Virtual Disk" tab.

Step 2. You can specify the virtual disk location and size. 

Optionally, you can click the "Advanced" option to set the virtual hard disk format and type. (By default, the VHDX format and the Dynamically expanding type are checked.)

Virtual hard disk format: VHD and VHDX are supported. 

For VHD, it supports virtual disks up to 2040GB in size.

For VHDX, it supports virtual disks larger than 2040GB in size. (Up to 64TB) This format is not supported in operating systems earlier than Windows 8 or Windows Server 2012.

Virtual hard disk format: Fixed size and Dynamically expanding are supported.

For fixed size, the virtual hard disk file will be allocated its maximum size when it is created. So it will take much longer to create.

For Dynamically expanding, the virtual hard disk file will grow to its maximum size as data is written to it. (Recommended)

Click "Browse" to select a location to create the VHD. Please enter a file name for the virtual disk and click "Save".

Step 3. Once the virtual disk location and size are set up, you can click "OK" to start creating the VHD.

Step 4. After the reload process is finished, you will see that the VHD has been created successfully. It will be attached automatically.

You can also view the VHD in Windows Disk Management.

The created VHD will be uninitialized so it is empty without any data or file system. To make it useful, you need to initialize the disk, create a partition, and assign a drive letter.

You can initialize the drive in Partition Assistant.

Or, initialize it in Windows Disk Management.

Then, you can create a partition and assign a drive letter for the partition. Finally, you can use the VHD normally. 

2. How to Attach VHD

A VHD is a container file that holds a virtual disk image. Until it is attached, Windows sees it only as a regular file. Once attached, Windows mounts it as a virtual disk, assigns a drive letter, and allows access to its file system. You can only perform disk operations, such as cloning VHD to HDD, checking for corruption or errors, or resizing partitions, after attaching it. Detaching the VHD safely removes it from the system without deleting the file.

Step 1. Select the "Attach VHD" option after clicking the"Virtual Disk" tab.

Step 2. Click "Browse" to locate the location where the .vhd or .vhdx file is saved. Select the .vhd or .vhdx file you want to attach and click "Open" to attach it.

Step 3. Once the virtual file is selected, you can click "OK" to start attaching the VHD.

Step 4. Once the process is finished, you will see that the VHD is attached successfully.

3. How to Detach VHD

If the VHD is not necessary, you can remove it by detaching the VHD.

Step 1. You can right-click the attached VHD in Partition Assistant and select the "Detach VHD" option to detach it.

Or, you can select the "Detach VHD" option after clicking the"Virtual Disk" tab.

Step 2. You can select and deselect the virtual disk(s) and click the "Detach" button to start detaching the VHD(s).

Step 3. Once the process is finished, you will see that the VHD(s) has been removed successfully.

Conclusion

A clear understanding of VHD and VHDX files helps users manage backups, test systems, and organize data more efficiently. When a reliable tool such as AOMEI Partition Assistant is used, creating, attaching, and detaching virtual disks becomes a smooth and safe process. The system is able to treat a single file as a full disk, allowing access to data just like on physical storage. With the right approach, VHD and VHDX files offer convenient and stable support for daily work and long-term data management.