What is an ESD file? How to convert ESD file to ISO on Windows

Have you ever wondered how Windows Update files get onto your computer? Or how Microsoft sends new features and security fixes? This happens through a special type of file called an ESD. Don’t worry; you don’t have to be a tech guru to understand what they are.

In this article, we will look at  what ESD and ISO files are and show you how to convert ESD files to ISO on Windows.

What are ESD and ISO files on Windows?

The ESD (Electronic Software Download) file format is primarily used to deliver Windows updates and new operating system versions. When you receive a Windows update, your system fetches this ESD file from Microsoft's servers.

Once downloaded, your system will unzip it (just like you would unzip a ZIP file ) and overwrite the updated files on your computer.

On the other hand, ISO (International Organization for Standardization) files are the commonly used file format for disk images. ISO files are often preferred when creating a Windows backup disk or flashing a new Windows on a computer.

Suppose you have not received the latest Windows update. In this case, you can easily download the corresponding ESD file, convert it to ISO and flash it on your computer. Now that you understand the terminology, let’s learn the methods to convert ESD file to ISO file.

Methods to convert ESD file to ISO file

1. Dism++

Dism++ is a powerful free tool that comes with many utilities for Windows systems. It provides tools to manage, clean, and optimize your computer. One thing we like about Dism++ is its image conversion feature. You can convert different images like WIM , ESD, and ISO easily with it.

Here's how you can use Dism++ to convert your ESD file to ISO:

1. Download the latest version from the Dism++ GitHub releases page .

2. Run the appropriate Dism++.exe file and click Accept on the installer setup window.

3. Click on the file menu at the top and select the ESD --> ISO option . Alternatively, you can navigate to Toolkit > ESD To ISO .

4. Click the first Browse button on the Format Conversion Wizard and select your ESD file.

5. Click the second Browse button and select a location for your ISO file. Then, enter a name for your ISO file. Once done, click the Save button .

6. Finally, click Finish to start the conversion process. Please be patient because it will take about 15 minutes to export the converted ISO file.

Once the conversion is complete, open the location or path you selected earlier to check the exported ISO file. Now that you have the ISO file ready, let's check how to flash an ISO file to USB .

Note : If the DISM++ utility crashes automatically or hangs in the middle, it means that the ESD file you selected is corrupted. In this case, re-download the ESD file and repeat all the steps.

2. ESD ToolKit

ESD ToolKit is another handy utility that you can use to convert ESD files to ISO. However, unlike DISM++, which provides a GUI (visual interface), ESD ToolKit works on the Command Prompt.

Follow the steps below to convert ESD to ISO file using ESD ToolKit:

1. Download the ESD ToolKit zip file from MajorGeeks.com.

2. Navigate to your Downloads folder . Extract the ZIP file and double-click the ESDISO.bat file.

3. A Command Prompt will appear on your screen. Press Enter twice.

4. Copy the full path of the ESD file. For example, the sample ESD file is located in the Downloads folder , so the path would be "C:\Users\UserName\Downloads\FileName.esd".

5. Paste the copied path next to ESDFiles [0] . Make sure the copied path ends with your ESD file name, otherwise the conversion will not run.

6. Press Enter twice more. This will execute your command and the toolkit will create the ISO file.

Once the process is finished, reopen the folder where you extracted the ESD ToolKit. You will find only the extracted ISO file in that folder. Now, you may want to know how to edit ISO files on Windows to have better control over the exported ISO file.

While ESD ToolKit will do the job for you, in some cases it may get stuck in the middle of the conversion process. Don’t worry; there is another tool called NTLite that has some additional functionality.

3. NTLite

NTLite is the most feature-rich tool among all the utilities mentioned above. It gives you a lot of options to modify any Windows image as you wish. Simply put, you can modify, remove, and add different components and features to a custom ISO file and then flash it on any computer.

Besides customizing Windows images, it allows you to create ISO images from your ESD files.

Note : Unfortunately, NTLite cannot help you convert encrypted ESD files. So if you have one, you must first convert it to WIM format, and then convert it to ISO.

Here are the steps to convert ESD file to ISO file using NTLite:

1. First download the free version of NTLite from NTLite.com and run the installation file.

2. Launch NTLite and close the License pop-up window after the installation is complete.

3. Click the Add button and select Image (ISO, WIM, ESD, SWM) .

4. Double click on the ESD file you want to convert on the selection window.

5. In the selected ESD file path, click on your ESD file name. Go to Convert > WIM (Standard, editable) to decrypt your ESD file.

6. After decrypting, select the install.wim file and click Create ISO to allow NTLite to create the ISO file.

7. Select a path for your ISO file and click the Save button .

8. Finally, click OK and wait for NTLite to process the conversion.

After conversion, confirm that the ISO file works as expected.