UIF File – The Complete Guide
The UIF Format
The UIF file extension stands for Universal Image Format. An UIF file contains a compressed disk image – basically it is an exact copy of a CD or a DVD. Just like the more common ISO filetype, the UIF format is typically used to create CD/DVD backups. The UIF file format also offers several advanced features that ISO doesn’t have, like the data compression I mentioned previously. The UIF image can also be encrypted and password protected, and it can be used to backup multi-session disks in a single file.
How To Open An UIF File
UIF is a proprietary file format used by the MagicISO software. At the moment it is the only tool that can open or extract UIF files. The full version of MagicISO costs money, but you can download a free trial that will be able top open UIF files just fine. You can get the trial from MagicISO.com. Once you’ve installed it, you can just double-click the UIF file to open it.
How To Convert UIF to ISO
Sometimes it’s very useful to convert the UIF image to the more popular ISO file type which is supported by most, if not all, CD/DVD tools. Luckily this can be done with the free trial of MagicISO (see above), but only for files that are under 300MB.
Update : Use my UIF to ISO converter GUI (freeware) to convert UIF files of any size.
Here are step-by-step instructions for converting UIF to ISO :
- Open the UIF file.
- Choose File -> Save as… from MagicISO menu. A “Save As…” dialog will appear.
- Choose “Standard ISO Image (*.ISO)” from the Format dropdown and enter the name for the new ISO file in the File Name textbox.
- Click Save and that’s it! Now just sit back & wait while the UIF is being converted.
Note : the above instructions apply to MagicISO 5.4, which is the newest version at the time of writing.
How To Burn UIF Files
When you need to burn UIF files to a CD/DVD you have several options :
- You can use MagicISO to do it. Click Tools -> Burn CD/DVD With ISO…, choose the UIF image file, set the desired options and click Burn it!. There’s also a short tutorial on MagicISO site on how to do this.
- You can convert the UIF file(s) to ISO (as described above) and use your favorite CD/DVD burning software to burn the disc. For example, ImgBurn is a popular freeware CD/DVD burning tool, though I personally prefer Nero.
How To Mount UIF Files
It is also possible to mount .uif files to a virtual CD/DVD drive. You will then be able to access the virtual disc as if it was a real CD/DVD. To do this you will need to install MagicDisc (freeware). Once you’ve done that, you can mount the UIF file by following these steps :
- Right-click the “MagicISO Virtual CD/DVD Manager” icon in the system tray.
- Select “Virtual CD/DVD-ROM”.
- Select a virtual drive. The drive names vary depending on your computer’s configuration. Generally it looks something like “J: No Media”.
- Choose “Mount…” from the submenu.
- In the new window select the .uif file you wish to mount and click “OK”.
You could also convert the UIF files to ISO and use a different CD/DVD emulator (e.g. DaemonTools) to mount them.
So, this is everything you need to know to get started using UIF files 
Thanks! Great Guide. I wonder is there an alternative to MagicISO for converting the UIF to ISO? The MagicISO trial will not allow UIF files greater than 300 MB.
I haven’t heard of any other tools that can do this. If you happen to find one, let me know so I can add it to this post.
Thank you very much
Power ISO will convert UIF to ISO.
Really? But the free version only works with files no bigger than 300 MB.
Download the full version on a torrent.
…Riiight, yeah, you could do that…
Thanks for the guide, a very helful one.
This rare uif format is not worth the hassle. Great money maker! Great guide though but too much stuff to do to extract it.
You’ve got to love these bullshit names. “Universal Image Format” – yeah real universal.
You can find a lot of software to deal with this format on the web. a free one is: Active ISO Burner go to( download.com)
Cheers you are a legend.
Actually I belive the freeware magicdisc will also convert iso to uif and back with no size restriction, I used it for a while because of the compression.
i have alot of uif. files to mount, is there any restrictions to how many files i can mount?
There’s probably a limit, but I don’t know how high it is.
what can i change UIF into so i can install it?
It depends. If it’s supposed to be something installable, you will need to mount it and then find the installer on the mounted disk.
it is its meant to be a game. i mount it n nothing happens.
Check “My Computer” (or whatever it’s called in your version of Windows). There should be an icon for the mounted UIF. See what you can find on that drive.
ive gt windows vista home premium, n it doesnt have any icon or owt for the mounted UIF i change the drive letter n nowt changes
Well, I’m out.
is there any anything else i can convert them to so i can play it?
I personally like the ISO format, which can be mounted by DaemonTools. You can convert UIF to ISO using this tool. If that doesn’t work your UIF file is probably fake or corrupted.
i downloaded a ISO file and used daemon tools like u said and it doesnt work when i try to give it a drive letter. my normal CD drive isnt installed would that affect it installing on another drive? if not what can i do to give the virtual dvd/cd rom a drive letter?
Terima kasih banyak, a very clear, concise and helpful guide.
use this link
http://aluigi.altervista.org/mytoolz.htm
The program you want this time around is called UIF2ISO, and it does a perfect job converting UIF files to ISO.
I’ve tried all of the above and nothing works, when I try to convert the UIF file to ISO it comes out the other end as a RAR file.
Any idea’s,
Thanks
Well, have you tried opening the RAR file? By the way, it might be possible that WinRAR has hogged the .iso extension to itself on your system and, while it shows up as a rar file, it actually is an iso file.
Infact you maybe right! I just got my hands on the latest version v5.5, not only did it show the rar file to be actually a iso file, it also dealt with my other problem I was having with my daa files.
Thanks for your help White Shadow
Nice site, very helpful
OK, sigh, I’ve been up all night and it just doesn’t want to work, i’m now pulling my hair out! The daa files and uif files are now iso but when I try and burn them as you mentioned, when the disk is finished theres nothing on the disk?!
Any ideas
Thanks
Hmm, maybe try to mount them with something like Daemon Tools (google it) and see if that works?
very useful thanks
thank you very very much shrek412,
ive been busy with this for 3 days now. . and it works..
thanks.
Hi,
I have mounted my uif file, lets say in drive H.
When I want to run it a notice appears H:\is not a valid Win32 application.
Any suggestions?
Might be a broken autorun file. Try this : right-click the drive and select “Explore” instead of “Open”.
I really like your blog!
Hi, very good tutorial!!!
Here a complete Video-Tutorial:
http://www.newsvillage.net/english/75-howto/433-how-to-burn-open-convert-a-daa-or-uif-file-converting-it-into-iso.html