Where Are libvirt Images Stored?
libvirt keeps default storage pool volumes in /var/lib/libvirt/images on Linux and keeps domain XML in /etc/libvirt/qemu. Custom pools can place images elsewhere.
Last updated
The default directory pool named default points at the images path. Most qcow2, raw, and iso files used by system VMs live there.
Domain definitions are separate from disk files. The qemu folder holds persistent guest XML used by virsh and virt-manager.
Where libvirt stores this, by platform
/var/lib/libvirt/images
Default storage pool target for system QEMU/KVM guests. Check active pools with virsh pool-dumpxml default because admins can change the target path.
/etc/libvirt/qemu
Holds persistent domain XML files named <guest>.xml plus network and storage pool definitions in subfolders. Root access is normally required to read these files.
Frequently asked questions
How do I confirm the real image path for a guest?
Run virsh dumpxml <guest> and read the source file attribute under disk. That path is authoritative when custom pools are in use.
Why is the images folder empty?
The guest may use a custom pool, an LVM volume, or a user session pool under the home directory. List pools with virsh pool-list and inspect each pool target.
Notice an outdated path? Let us know.