---
name: "virt-convert"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "virtinst"
version: "1:2.0.0-3"
release: "Debian 10 (Buster)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/virt-convert"
---

# virt-convert(1)

convert ovf/vmx to native libvirt guests

## NAME

virt-convert - convert ovf/vmx to native libvirt guests

## SYNOPSIS

**virt-convert** INPUT.vmx\|INPUT.ovf\|INPUT-DIR\|INPUT.zip \[OPTIONS\]

## DESCRIPTION

**virt-convert** is a command line tool for converting VMX or OVF virtual machines to native libvirt XML. Disk format conversion can also be done at the same time.

The simplest invocation is simply: virt-convert INPUT. INPUT might be a .vmx or .ovf file, a directory containing a .vmx or .ovf file (and likely 1 or more disk images), or an appliance archive like .zip, .tar.gz, or .ova. virt-convert will try to do the right thing in each case.

By default, the virt-convert will convert all encountered disk images to 'raw' format, sending the output to a new directory location. So the original disk images are \_not\_ altered in place.

## OPTIONS

- **--connect** URI

  Connect to a non-default hypervisor. See [**virt-install**(1)](/virt-install/1.md) for details

## CONVERSION OPTIONS

- **-i** INPUT-FORMAT

  - **--input-format** INPUT-FORMAT

  Input format. This should be auto-detected, but can be forced if necessary. Currently `"vmx"` and `"ovf"` are supported.

- **-D** OUTPUT-FORMAT

  - **--disk-format** OUTPUT-FORMAT

  Output disk format. The default is 'raw', so any encountered disk images will be converted to 'raw' format using [**qemu-img**(1)](/qemu-img/1.md). Pass `"none"` if no conversion should be performed: in this case the images will just be copied to the specified --destination.

- **--destination** DIRECTORY

  The directory to send converted/copied disk images. If not specified, the hypervisor default is used, typically /var/lib/libvirt/images.

## MISCELLANEOUS OPTIONS

- **--noautoconsole**

  Don't automatically try to connect to the guest console. The default behaviour is to launch [**virt-viewer**(1)](/virt-viewer/1.md) to display the graphical console, or to run the `"virsh"` `"console"` command to display the text console. Use of this parameter will disable this behaviour.

- **--print-xml**

  Print the generated libvirt XML, but do not perform any disk conversions or install/start the guest. This option implies --dry-run.

- **--dry-run**

  Proceed through the conversion process, but don't convert disks or actually write any converted files.

- **-h**

  - **--help**

  Show the help message and exit

- **--version**

  Show program's version number and exit

- **-q**

  - **--quiet**

  Avoid verbose output.

- **-d**

  - **--debug**

  Print debugging information

## EXAMPLES

Run a fedora18 OVA archive:

```
  # virt-convert fedora18.ova
```

Run an extracted zip archive containing a centos6 .vmx and .vmdk file, converting the images to qcow2 format

```
  # virt-convert centos6/ --disk-format qcow2
```

Convert the specified .vmx file. Any references disk images must be in the same directory. Don't change the disk format. Move the disk images to /tmp

```
  # virt-convert foo.vmx --disk-format none --destination /tmp
```

## BUGS

Please see https://virt-manager.org/page/BugReporting

## COPYRIGHT

Copyright (C) Red Hat, Inc, and various contributors. This is free software. You may redistribute copies of it under the terms of the GNU General Public License `"https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html"`. There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.

## SEE ALSO

[**virt-install**(1)](/virt-install/1.md), the project website `"https://virt-manager.org"`