ISO is a disc image format or file used to store video games or software programs. The compressed version of an ISO file is called CISO or CSO, short for Compact ISO, and .ciso is the associated file extension.

.ciso files can be useful for those who want to store their video games virtually, off of the physical disc that they originally came in. Since ISO files are large, the compressed CISO version helps users efficiently store data.

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What is a .ciso file?

The compressed versions of ISO files are called CISO or CSO files and have the .ciso file extension. Since ISO files are large, the compression ensures easy storage of the files.

Gamers can use the compressed file to store the exact copy of their disc games in a virtual form and can decompress and play the game by mounting the ISO image onto their computer or copying the game onto another disc. It is important to read the copyright and distribution terms and conditions issued by the company that owns the game/software to ensure that no laws have been violated in copying and compressing video games or software files.

How to compress an ISO file?

You will require a third-party program to compress an ISO image or file.

Compression software like WinRAR, WinZip or 7-Zip can compress an ISO file. However, not all compressed ISO files have the .ciso extension. Other compression formats include 7z, zip, tar, gzip and bzip2.

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Online tools like Unzipper or ISO Compressor can also be used to compress ISO files by dragging and dropping the files into the online tool, selecting the desired output format (if the option is available) and then tapping the Compress button (terminology and method might vary depending on the tool used).

Also read: ISO files in Windows 11: Everything you need to know

What is an ISO file?

CISO or CSO is a compact ISO file format, so we must also look at what an ISO file is.

An ISO file, popularly known as an ISO image or disc image, is a single file containing identical data images from a physical, optical disc like a CD, DVD or Blu-Ray. The ISO file can then be mounted onto a device directly, without the need for an optical disc, or stored virtually to burn a copy of the contents onto an optical disc later. The ISO file is an exact, sector-by-sector copy of data stored on an optical disc, including the file system information.

The .iso file format stores and distributes heavy operating systems like Windows and video games available for the Nintendo Wii and PlayStation consoles. Initially, operating systems were distributed via optical discs that needed to be inserted into the disc slot to download the software program. Since disc slots have become redundant in most modern laptops, newer versions of operating systems and software like Windows and Microsoft are available for download online in the ISO disc image format.

Computers cannot directly read the ISO disc image format, so it must be mounted on the operating system or a disk utility program. With most operating systems, you can directly mount an ISO file onto your device without needing a physical disc.

For Windows 8 and above, you can directly mount the ISO file onto the system.

• Step 1: Press the Windows key + E (Win+E) to open the File Explorer.
• Step 2: Locate the .iso file you want to mount and click to select it.
• Step 3: Click on the Mount option at the top.

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Alternatively, right-click on the file and click Mount from the next drop-down menu.

For the Windows 7 OS, you must install a third-party disk utility software to perform the same function.

For MacOS:

Step 1: Locate the disc image/ISO file you want to mount in the Finder window.

Step 2: Press Control, click on the file, select Open With, and choose DiskImageMounter from the drop-down menu.

Step 3: Go to your Desktop and open the newly created drive to access the contents of your ISO file.

Also read: How to clean a CD?

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