VMware Workstation Professional helps you to run Home windows, Linux, and BSD digital machines on a single Home windows or Linux PC. VMware Workstation Professional is nice for builders and system admins, for software program improvement, testing and deployment.
Construct, take a look at and demo software program throughout an array of various gadgets, platforms and clouds.
IT professionals, builders and companies depend on Workstation Professional day by day to help their initiatives and prospects. Workstation Professional makes it straightforward to run advanced native digital environments to simulate working methods, platforms and clouds, all from the identical desktop PC.
Is Workstation Professional a paid product or is it free now?
The licensing mannequin modified in 2024 and Workstation Professional grew to become free for all: business, academic, and for private use. You’ll be able to obtain VMware Workstation totally free, with no license key required.
What are the completely different editions of VMware Workstation?
The VMware Workstation product line consists of two merchandise: Workstation Professional and Workstation Participant. Collectively they’re known as ‘VMware Workstation,’ and when there are variations, they’re referred to as out.
What are the variations between Workstation Professional and Workstation Participant?
Workstation Professional and Workstation Participant share the identical hypervisor expertise, however with distinctive person interfaces for several types of use.
Workstation Professional is designed for IT professionals and builders, offering a extra absolutely featured interface with capabilities for operating a number of digital machines on the identical time. Workstation Professional can present and configure digital networking, create clones, hook up with vSphere, present a number of VMs on the identical time in a tabbed UI and extra.
Workstation Participant is designed for a single graphical VM operation, or for command line operation with ‘vmrun’ for operating a special working system in a safe remoted sandbox on a PC.
Do I have to twin boot or repartition the disk?
No, VMware Workstation makes use of your laptop’s file system and creates recordsdata that map to a digital machine’s disk drives, so there isn’t any have to create a partition for every working system. If you have already got one other OS with twin boot put in in your laptop, you need to use VMware Workstation to run the opposite OS in a digital machine in your host working system.
As a substitute of twin booting, you may run each working methods concurrently and seamlessly change from one to a different with a click on of your mouse.
What’s the easiest way to maneuver a VM from one host to a different?
You’ll be able to merely copy your complete VM folder (together with the .vmx and .vmdk recordsdata) to the brand new host and open it utilizing VMware Workstation Professional. Ensure that each methods use suitable variations and take into account selecting “I moved it” quite than “I copied it” when prompted, to protect MAC addresses and settings.
What’s an excellent technique for sizing digital CPUs and cores per socket when making a VM?
Most advocate utilizing a single digital CPU “socket” after which assigning a number of cores to it (e.g. 1 × 4 cores) quite than splitting throughout many sockets, except particular software program licensing dictate in any other case.
Why does my VM run slowly, and the way can I enhance efficiency?
Widespread causes embrace inadequate host assets (RAM, CPU), lack of virtualization help (VT-x/AMD-V not enabled), or operating a number of intensive VMs concurrently. Efficiency can typically be improved by allocating extra assets, putting in VMware Instruments, enabling {hardware} virtualization in BIOS, and utilizing SSD storage.
Are snapshots an alternative choice to backups?
No, a snapshot solely information the adjustments made to a VM for the reason that snapshot was taken, so it is not a self-contained copy of your complete digital machine. Snapshots are finest used as short-term security nets – for instance, earlier than making use of an replace or testing a configuration change. For precise backup, copy your complete VM folder to a separate location whereas the VM is powered off, or use devoted backup software program.
What’s VMware Instruments and do I would like to put in it?
VMware Instruments is a package deal of drivers and utilities that installs contained in the visitor working system – not on the host. It considerably improves the VM expertise: enabling increased display screen resolutions, smoother mouse integration, clipboard sharing between host and visitor, drag-and-drop file switch, and higher general efficiency.
Options
Run VMs and Containers on a Single PC
Deploy native OCI containers and Kubernetes clusters with VM isolation, digital networking and digital useful resource choices by way of the brand new vctl CLI instrument.
Develop and Check for Any Platform
Repair extra bugs and ship high quality code on time utilizing Workstation Professional in improvement and testing. Virtualize almost any x86 working system obtainable in the present day on a desktop PC.
Get pleasure from Baked-In vSphere and ESXi Assist
Run ESXi and vCenter as digital machines on the desktop, and hook up with a distant vSphere setting for fast VM entry and fundamental administration duties.
Run Safe and Remoted Desktops
Run a safe second desktop with completely different privateness settings, instruments and networking configurations for on-line safety, or to take “snapshots” that may be restored later.
Develop the Energy of Your PC with Virtualization
Uncover the true energy and suppleness of your desktop or laptop computer laptop with VMware Workstation. Cut back {hardware} prices by 50% or extra by operating a number of working methods concurrently on a single PC. Automate and streamline duties to avoid wasting time and enhance productiveness. Be part of the tens of millions worldwide who use Workstation to:
- Host legacy functions and overcome platform migration points
- Configure & take a look at new software program or patches in an remoted setting
- Automate duties for software program improvement and testing
- Reveal multi-tier configurations on a single PC
Use A number of Working Methods Concurrently on the Similar PC
VMware Workstation makes it easy to create and run a number of digital machines in your desktop or laptop computer laptop. You’ll be able to convert an present bodily PC right into a VMware digital machine, or create a brand new digital machine from scratch. Every digital machine represents an entire PC, together with the processor, reminiscence, community connections and peripheral ports.
VMware Workstation helps you to use your digital machines to run Home windows, Linux and a number of different working methods side-by-side on the identical laptop. You’ll be able to change between working methods immediately with a click on of a mouse, share recordsdata between digital machines with drag-and-drop performance and entry all of the peripheral gadgets you depend on.
Take Snapshots & Movies of your Digital Machines
With Workstation, you may take a “snapshot” that preserves the state of a digital machine so you may return to it at any time. Snapshots are helpful when it’s worthwhile to revert your digital machine to a previous, steady system state. Workstation shows thumbnails of all of your snapshots on a single display screen, making it straightforward so that you can observe and revert to a beforehand saved snapshot.
You’ll be able to even use Workstation 6 to file and play video recordsdata that seize all adjustments to a digital machine over a time frame. This operate is unique to VMware Workstation and is extremely helpful for software program debugging, Assist Desk forensics, gross sales demonstrations and coaching.
Run an Complete Multi-tier System on a Single Host Laptop
Run multi-tier enterprise functions on a single piece of {hardware} by managing network-connected digital machines with the Groups function of Workstation 6. Groups allow you to create digital community environments that embrace consumer, server and database digital machines.
With Workstation Groups, you may flip a complete multi-tier setting on and off with a single click on of the mouse button. Workstation shows dwell thumbnails of all linked digital machines, enabling you to simply determine and change between the digital machines related to a crew.
Clone your Digital Machines to Speed up Deployment
Putting in working methods and functions will be time consuming. With clones, you can also make many copies of a digital machine from a single set up and configuration course of. This functionality makes it quick and easy to distribute standardized computing environments to staff and college students, or to create a baseline configuration for testing.
Take Your Digital Machines With You
New to Workstation is the power to create and deploy safe digital machines (referred to as ACEs) with the ACE Possibility Pack. Mobility is likely one of the main advantages of this feature pack, because it permits customers to securely take their desktops with them on moveable media gadgets similar to USB thumb drives.
What’s New
VMware Fusion Professional 26H1 incorporates safety and bug fixes.
- Recording and reporting time stamps: You’ll be able to simply determine digital machines by creation and final powered-on time stamp.
- Added help for distant connections to ARM-based ESX hosts, enabling fundamental digital machine operations.
Added help for visitor working methods.
- Ubuntu 26.04 LTS
- Fedora 43
- Fedora 44
- SUSE Linux Enterprise 16
- openSUSE 16.0
- FreeBSD 15.0
This launch resolves CVE-2026-41702. For extra data on this vulnerability and its affect on Broadcom
merchandise, see VMSA-2026-0003.
VMware Fusion Professional 25H2u1 Changelog
- Added help for 64-bit: VMware Workstation Professional for Home windows is now obtainable as a 64-bit utility and all binaries, libraries, installer parts, and associated companies are delivered and executed as 64-bit processes.
- Recording and reporting time stamps: You’ll be able to simply determine digital machines digital machines by creation and final powered-on time stamp.
- Added help for distant connections to ARM-based ESX hosts, enabling fundamental digital machine operations.
- Displaying digital machine notes in folder tabs.
- Up to date the saved credential format: You’ll be able to simply determine encrypted digital machines and distant server within the credential supervisor of the host platform.
- Added help for visitor and host working methods.
Visitor working methods
- Ubuntu 26.04 LTS
- Fedora 43
- Fedora 44
- SUSE Linux Enterprise 16
- openSUSE 16.0
- FreeBSD 15.0
Host working methods
- Ubuntu 26.04 LTS
- Fedora 43
- Fedora 44
- SUSE Linux Enterprise 16 GA
- openSUSE 16.0
Resolved Points
- All assist buttons and URLs within the person interface navigate to the Broadcom Technical Documentation dwelling web page as an alternative of the precise Workstation assist web page
- Assist buttons and hyperlinks at the moment are mounted to hyperlink to the proper places on the Broadcom Technical Documentation web site.
Identified Points
- After upgrading VMware Workstation Professional on Home windows hosts, ISO recordsdata stay in earlier set up listing
- When upgrading VMware Workstation on Home windows from an earlier model, if the brand new set up path is completely different from the previous one, ISO picture recordsdata from the sooner set up usually are not mechanically eliminated. These recordsdata stay within the previous set up listing, for instance, C:Program Recordsdata (x86)VMwareVMware Workstationwindows.iso and proceed to devour disk area.
- Workaround: Carry out one of many following duties.
- Earlier than upgrading, manually uninstall the sooner model of VMware Workstation and choose the choice to avoid wasting product configuration.
- After upgrading, manually navigate to the previous set up listing and delete the ISO picture recordsdata and their containing folders.
VMware Workstation Professional 25H2u1
- Re-enabled the Examine for updates choice to test for brand spanking new releases.
- This launch resolves CVE-2026-22715, CVE-2026-22716, CVE-2026-22717, and CVE-2026-22722. For extra data on these vulnerabilities and their affect on Broadcom merchandise, see VMSA-2026-0002.
Resolved Points
- When operating on a Home windows host with Hyper-V enabled, VMs would possibly give up unexpectedly
- When operating on а Home windows host with Hyper-V enabled, Workstation Professional 25H2 doesn’t help nested virtualization. Digital machines configured with “vhv.allow = TRUE” would possibly presumably report “unrecoverable error”. This situation is resolved on this launch. When powering on a VM that’s configured to make use of nested virtualization on a number with Hyper-V, an error message is displayed.
- On Home windows hosts, visitor working methods generally look like sluggish and unresponsive to enter
- When receiving enter by the visitor working system, VMware Workstation on Home windows hosts would possibly fail to redraw the visitor display screen, creating the notion of the visitor working system being sluggish. Due to this fact, when updating visible parts, the visitor working methods may appear unresponsive to person enter or the visitor display screen appears to lag. This situation is mounted on this launch.
- When transferring the mouse cursor between screens in full display screen mode, the mouse cursor disappears
- When utilizing Workstation Professional on a Home windows host that has focus follows mouse enabled and a digital machine is in full display screen mode with a number of screens, transferring the mouse cursor between screens leads to the mouse cursor disappearing. This situation is resolved on this launch.
- Vulkan presentation mode would possibly trigger a number of bugs in some Home windows host {hardware} configurations
- VMware Workstation Professional 25H2 enabled a brand new Vulkan presentation mode that exhibited a number of bugs in some host {hardware} configurations, for instance:
- When powering on a digital machine, the show of the Home windows host would possibly completely dim till the host is rebooted.
- When getting into full display screen mode on a Home windows host, the toolbar is now not seen.
- This situation is resolved on this launch and the Vulkan and DirectX 12 presentation modes are deactivated by default.
- On Home windows hosts, full display screen mode shows a 1 pixel white border across the display screen of the visitor working system
This situation is resolved on this launch.
- After rebooting a number, digital machines with Home windows XP or Home windows Vista working methods which have 3D graphics acceleration enabled show a black display screen or a low-resolution display screen with out full shade help
- This situation is resolved on this launch.
- When trying USB pass-through on Home windows hosts, the USB gadgets won’t be listed, intermittently disconnect, or fail to attach
- When trying USB pass-through on a Home windows host, a sudden disconnection from USBArbitrator would possibly happen and the enumerated gadget data is just not obtainable. This situation is mounted on this launch.
Identified Points
- After downgrading the {hardware} compatibility of an encrypted digital machine with vTPM from {hardware} model 22, the digital machine fails to begin
- Downgrading the {hardware} compatibility of an encrypted digital machine with vTPM, that was created by utilizing VMware Workstation 25H2 and configured with {hardware} model 22 to any decrease model is just not supported. A brand new vTPM model is launched with {hardware} model 22 that’s incompatible with older {hardware} variations. If downgrade is tried, the digital machine fails to begin.
- Workaround: None.
VMware Workstation Professional 25H2 Chaneglog
We’re transferring away from conventional model numbers (e.g., Workstation 17.6.x, Fusion 13.6.x) and adopting a brand new naming format – 25H2 – that displays the yr (2025) and the half of the yr (H2). This offers consistency throughout releases and ensures readability for purchasers.
The 25H2 launch brings new instruments and capabilities that simplify automation, improve compatibility, and make day-to-day duties quicker and extra dependable.
- dictTool (Workstation & Fusion) A brand new command-line utility that enables prospects to examine and edit VMware configuration recordsdata (.vmx, preferences). This offers extra flexibility and automation for superior customers – a functionality that was extremely requested by our group.
- USB 3.2 Assist (Workstation & Fusion) Sooner information transfers and improved compatibility with trendy USB gadgets.
- {Hardware} Model 22 (Workstation & Fusion) Ensures digital machines (VMs) reap the benefits of the newest {hardware} capabilities for improved efficiency and compatibility.
- Hyper-V/WHP Detection (Workstation solely) Helps to determine the VM’s operating mode in Workstation by clearly exhibiting Hyper-V/WHP standing.
Expanded CPU and OS Assist
Working the newest workloads and platforms is essential for in the present day’s customers. Workstation and Fusion 25H2 broaden CPU, host, and visitor OS compatibility so you may confidently virtualize on the most recent applied sciences.
- New CPU Assist (Workstation): Intel Lunar Lake, Arrow Lake, and Meteor Lake.
- New Visitor Working Methods:
- Pink Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- Fedora Linux 42
- openSUSE Leap 16.0 (RC)
- SUSE Linux 16 (Beta)
- Debian 13
- Oracle Linux 10
- VMware ESX 9.0 (Workstation: normal, Fusion: Intel methods solely)
- macOS Tahoe (Fusion: Intel methods solely)
- New Host Working Methods:
- Workstation: RHEL 10, Fedora Linux 42, openSUSE Leap 16.0 (RC), SUSE Linux 16 (Beta), Debian 13
- Fusion: macOS Tahoe (Intel and Apple Silicon)
Bug Fixes and Enhancements
25H2 additionally delivers essential refinements that make the platforms extra steady, safe, and user-friendly. These fixes deal with frequent buyer ache factors throughout each Workstation and Fusion.
- Safety fixes throughout each Workstation and Fusion.
- Accessibility enhancements to enhance usability.
- Workstation-specific fixes:
- Resolved UI points on Home windows with resizing and window controls.
- Optimized Linux help bundles for simpler dealing with.
- Lowered extreme logging by the VMware Authorization Service (vmauthd) in Home windows Occasion Viewer.
- Choice to discard VM droop states.
- Fastened Linux full-screen crash and Intel GPU 3D acceleration points.
VMware Workstation Professional 17.6.4 offers the next new capabilities.
This launch resolves CVE-2025-41236, CVE-2025-41237, CVE-2025-41238, and CVE-2025-41239.
- For extra data on these vulnerabilities and their affect on Broadcom merchandise, see VMSA-2025-0013.
This launch resolves CVE-2025-2884.
- Broadcom has evaluated the severity of this situation to be within the reasonable severity vary.
The 17.6.3 launch resolves CVE-2025-22224 and CVE-2025-22226. For extra data on these vulnerabilities and their affect on Broadcom merchandise, see VMSA-2025-0004.
- VMware Workstation Professional now not requires a license key and is now free for business, academic, and private use.
- VMware Workstation Professional 17.6.3 offers varied bug fixes requested by prospects.
- We’re thrilled to announce a major change that displays our dedication to creating VMware Fusion and VMware Workstation extra accessible than ever. Beginning November 11, 2024, these highly effective desktop hypervisor merchandise will probably be obtainable totally free to everybody – business, academic, and private customers alike.
