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OVA OVF
File conversion

Convert OVA to OVF

Verified by Adam B.· reviewed by FE Editorial ·updated Sep 4, 2026
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Is it possible to convert OVA to OVF?
Yes - OVA converts to OVF.

Rename the .ova to .tar and open it with 7-Zip, or run tar -xf yourfile.ova on Linux/macOS, to unpack the .ovf descriptor, .mf manifest, and .vmdk disk. No virtual machine data is modified - only the packaging changes.

4 programs
Also to OVF: PVM · VMDK · VMX

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Tested on macOS, Windows & Linux
Last verified Sep 2026

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Why convert OVA to OVF?

OVA and .ovf carry identical content: an OVA is simply the OVF folder sealed as a single uncompressed TAR archive. Some hypervisors and deployment tools - particularly VMware ESXi and vSphere - accept an OVF folder rather than a single OVA file, and the unpacked form also lets you inspect or edit the XML descriptor directly.

How to convert OVA to OVF

7-Zip OPEN-SOURCE

Right-click the .ova, choose 7-Zip > Extract to folder; 7-Zip unpacks the TAR and produces the .ovf, .mf, and .vmdk files - point your hypervisor at the .ovf file to import.

VMware OVF Tool FREE

Run ovftool source.ova output-folder/destination.ovf to unpack and validate the archive against the OVF specification - the preferred route when targeting VMware ESXi or vSphere.

Programs that convert OVA

VMware Workstation
VirtualBox
VirtualBox for Mac
VirtualBox for Linux

About these formats

.OVA Open Virtualization Format Archive

An OVA file is a single-file package of a complete virtual machine - its hardware configuration plus one or more virtual hard disks bundled into one TAR archive. You import it into a…

Open .OVA details →
.OVF Open Virtualization Format Descriptor

An OVF file is an XML document that describes a virtual machine - its CPU, RAM, network adapters, and references to the actual disk images. You import it into a hypervisor (VirtualBox or…

Open .OVF details →

Quality & what to watch

  • No data is lost - OVA and OVF carry identical content; extraction only changes the packaging.
  • An OVA is an uncompressed TAR; if a tool does not recognise the .ova extension, rename it to .tar before opening.
  • Hardware sections written by one hypervisor (e.g., VirtualBox) may still cause import errors in another even after converting to OVF.

Frequently asked questions

Is any data lost when converting OVA to OVF?
No - the OVF folder and the OVA file carry identical content; extraction only changes the packaging.
Why does VMware ESXi prefer OVF over OVA?
Some ESXi and vSphere versions accept an OVF folder as input; VMware OVF Tool handles both and validates against the spec.
Can I edit the .ovf descriptor after extracting?
Yes - the .ovf file is plain XML and can be opened and edited in any text editor.
Where do I get VMware OVF Tool?
It is available free from developer.broadcom.com (registration required) and validates OVA/OVF packages against the specification.