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ImgBurn Review

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Should I use ImgBurn?

ImgBurn is a lightweight CD / DVD / HD DVD / Blu-ray burning application that everyone should have in their toolkit... and it's free! - imgburn.com

· 1 day ago

Use ImgBurn if you still burn discs or ISOs on Windows and will download only from the official source with a careful eye on the installer. Skip it if you have no optical drive, need actively maintained software, or want any support beyond user forums.

Confidence

Medium. Based on 30+ public sources; many snippets truncated, so some context is inferred from forum titles and dates.

Ratings

  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Feature depth
  • Support quality
  • Security posture

Pricing

$0

Free

ModelNot disclosed
Monthly feesNot disclosed
HardwareNot disclosed
Free tierYes

Best for

  • Occasional ISO burns and disc copies
  • Archivists backing up to optical media
  • Advanced users wanting burn-level control
  • Older Windows PCs with disc drives

Not for

  • Anyone without an optical drive — Windows' built-in burner suffices
  • Mac or Linux users
  • Teams wanting maintained, supported software
  • Anyone unwilling to scrutinize installer screens

Gotchas - check before you buy

high

2025 Reddit thread warns against installing even from the official site — watch every installer screen.

high

Mirrors have distributed malware-laden copies; verify your download source.

medium

Installer historically bundled OpenCandy adware.

medium

No official support; help lives in user forums, answers can be slow.

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Free with full features; funded by optional PayPal donations.
  • Handles CD, DVD, HD DVD, and Blu-ray in one lightweight tool.
  • Builds and writes disc image files, including .miniso.
  • Still recommended in forums for free DVD burning as of Jan 2025.

Cons

  • Windows-only; no official Mac or Linux build.
  • Development looks dormant; newest release thread found is 2012.
  • Recurring adware and malware complaints around its installer.
  • No published security page or vulnerability disclosures.

Sources & method

- 12 sources - No official security page; a decade of adware-bundling and mirror-malware complaints, though the core app is widely judged safe.

official x4review x4security x2news x2
  • OpenCandy adware bundling, ImgBurn's installer historically bundled OpenCandy adware during setup.
  • Installer safety warnings, 2014 forum threads claimed the installer was no longer safe; 2025 users still ask if it is a virus.
  • No security page, No published security policy or vulnerability disclosure page found.

Key stats

  • Value for money: 5/5

    Rating

  • $0

    Starting price

  • 12

    Sources

  • Analyzed

  • Value for money: 5/5. Free with full burning features
  • Ease of use: 3/5. Site claims easy; forums show confusion
  • Feature depth: 4/5. Reads, builds, writes, verifies images across formats
  • Support quality: 2/5. Community forums only, no official channel
  • Security posture: 2/5. Adware history, no security page
  • Free Price Optional PayPal donations
  • 78/100 Gridinsoft trust score URL scan, Jan 2025
  • Dormant Development activity Newest release thread found: v2.5.7.0, 2012
  • CD to Blu-ray Supported media Includes HD DVD and Blu-ray burning

Pricing

Free

$0

  • Full burning functionality
  • Optional PayPal donation

Security

No official security page; a decade of adware-bundling and mirror-malware complaints, though the core app is widely judged safe.

  • OpenCandy adware bundlingImgBurn's installer historically bundled OpenCandy adware during setup.10
  • Installer safety warnings2014 forum threads claimed the installer was no longer safe; 2025 users still ask if it is a virus.⁸
  • No security pageNo published security policy or vulnerability disclosure page found.

What users say

Longtime users call it the standard free burner but repeatedly warn about installer safety and its dated, dormant development.

“Dont install ImgBurn from the offical website!”
Reddit, r/software (2025)
“It appears ImgBurn is no longer safe”
CDRLabs forum (2014)
“is imgburn a virus!?”
ImgBurn forum (2025)
Full analysis

Based on 30+ public sources; many snippets truncated, so some context is inferred from forum titles and dates.

Free, capable Windows disc burner — great for ISOs and archives, but dormant development and a bundleware past.

Methodology

Based on 30+ public sources; many snippets truncated, so some context is inferred from forum titles and dates.

Read how a report is made.

Sources

  1. The Official ImgBurn Websiteimgburn.com
    official
  2. ImgBurn Download pageimgburn.com
    official
  3. ImgBurn Change logimgburn.com
    official
  4. ImgBurn Changelog (complete)imgburn.com
    official
  5. Dont install ImgBurn from the offical website! — Reddit r/softwarereddit.com
    review
  6. Is Imgburn safe to use? — Reddit r/softwarereddit.com
    review
  7. BEWARE of ImgBurn — Digital Photography Review forumsdpreview.com
    review
  8. ImgBurn no longer safe to install? — CDRLabs forumcdrlabs.com
    review
  9. Imgburn.com Trust Score review — Gridinsoftgridinsoft.com
    security
  10. OpenCandy — bundling historywikiwand.com
    security
  11. ImgBurn v2.5.7.0 Released (2012) — Doom9 forumforum.doom9.org
    news
  12. 5 Best ImgBurn Alternatives for Windows and Mac — DVDFabdvdfab.cn
    news

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