Exports a copy of the specified image to another image file.
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Last verified: 2026-10-26
Microsoft Dism reference: Exports a copy of the specified image to another image file. The syntax and selected example below are adapted from the pinned Windows Server 2025 reference. Module availability, target configuration and delegated permissions determine whether it can run in your environment. Documentation and parameter text: Microsoft, CC BY 4.0; formatting adapted by Cmdlet World. No execution testing is claimed.
Use an account with the target resource permissions documented for Export-WindowsImage. Modifying administrative cmdlets may require elevation or delegated administration. This catalog does not assert that ordinary users can execute the command.
Supported environments
Windows / Dism · Windows Server 2025 documentation; feature/module prerequisites apply
Parameters
-CheckIntegrity
Detects and tracks .wim file corruption when used with the Add-WindowsImage, Dismount-WindowsImage, or Save-WindowsImage cmdlet. CheckIntegrity stops the operation if DISM detects that the .wim file is corrupted when used with the Expand-WindowsImage or Mount-WindowsImage cmdlet.
-CompressionType
Specifies the type of compression used for the initial capture operation. Acceptable values are: - "max" or "maximum": Provides the high compression, but takes more time to capture the image - "fast:" Provides faster image compression, but the resulting files are larger than those compressed by using the maximum option. - "none": No compression is used at all. This is the default. > [!NOTE] > This cmdlet does not support the "recovery" compression type. Use dism.exe instead. the *CompressionType* parameter does not apply when you export an image to an existing .wim file, you can only use this CompressionType when you export an image to a new .wim file.
-DestinationImagePath (required)
Specifies the location of the exported image file.
-DestinationName
Specifies the name of the exported image in the exported image file.
-LogLevel
Specifies the maximum output level shown in the logs. The default log level is 3. The accepted values are as follows: - 1 = Errors only - 2 = Errors and warnings - 3 = Errors, warnings, and information - 4 = All of the information listed previously, plus debug output
-LogPath
Specifies the full path and file name to log to. If not set, the default is %WINDIR%\Logs\Dism\dism.log. In Windows PE, the default directory is the RAMDISK scratch space which can be as low as 32 MB. The log file will automatically be archived. The archived log file will be saved with .bak appended to the file name and a new log file will be generated. Each time the log file is archived the .bak file will be overwritten. When using a network share that is not joined to a domain, use the net use command together with domain credentials to set access permissions before you set the log path for the DISM log.
-ScratchDirectory
Specifies a temporary directory that will be used when extracting files for use during servicing. The directory must exist locally. If not specified, the \Windows\%Temp% directory will be used, with a subdirectory name of a randomly generated hexadecimal value for each run of DISM. Items in the scratch directory are deleted after each operation. You should not use a network share location as a scratch directory to expand a package (.cab or .msu file) for installation. The directory used for extracting files for temporary usage during servicing should be a local directory.
-Setbootable
Marks a volume image as being a bootable image. This argument is available only for Windows PE images. Only one volume image can be marked as bootable in a .wim file.
-SourceImagePath (required)
Specifies the location of the source image file. Must be used in conjunction with -SourceIndex or -SourceName. If the source file is a SWM file, -SplitImageFilePattern is also required.
-SourceIndex (required)
Specifies the index number of a Windows image in a WIM or VHD file. For a VHD file, the Index must be 1.
-SourceName (required)
Specifies the name of the source image in the source image file.
-SplitImageFilePattern
Specifies the location and name of the base split image file.
-WIMBoot
Specifies that the image will be formatted to install on a Windows image file boot (WIMBoot) system.
Prerequisites
Windows with the Dism module and the Windows feature or management tools that provide it. Confirm target connectivity and version compatibility using the linked Microsoft reference.
Security considerations
This cmdlet changes system state. Review every target and parameter in the official reference, test outside production, and prepare an appropriate backup or rollback. Do not execute the example automatically.
This command exports the image at Index 1 of the file C:\imagestore\custom.wim to the file c:\imagestore\export.wim with the name Exported Image. Source: Microsoft, CC BY 4.0; transcript prompt/output removed. This example was not executed.