VMware Workstation Professional enables 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 units, 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 complicated native digital environments to simulate working techniques, 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 turned free for all: industrial, academic, and for private use. You’ll be able to obtain VMware Workstation free of charge, 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 know-how, however with distinctive consumer interfaces for various kinds 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, connect 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 unique working system in a safe remoted sandbox on a PC.
Do I must twin boot or repartition the disk?
No, VMware Workstation makes use of your laptop’s file system and creates information that map to a digital machine’s disk drives, so there isn’t any must create a partition for every working system. If you have already got one other OS with twin boot put in in your laptop, you should utilize VMware Workstation to run the opposite OS in a digital machine in your host working system.
As a substitute of twin booting, you’ll be able to run each working techniques concurrently and seamlessly swap from one to a different with a click on of your mouse.
What’s one of the simplest ways to maneuver a VM from one host to a different?
You’ll be able to merely copy all the VM folder (together with the .vmx and .vmdk information) to the brand new host and open it utilizing VMware Workstation Professional. Be certain that each techniques use appropriate variations and think about selecting “I moved it” fairly than “I copied it” when prompted, to protect MAC addresses and settings.
What’s a very good 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) fairly than splitting throughout many sockets, until particular software program licensing dictate in any other case.
Why does my VM run slowly, and the way can I enhance efficiency?
Frequent causes embody 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 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 all the 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 all the 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 bundle of drivers and utilities that installs contained in the visitor working system – not on the host. It considerably improves the VM expertise: enabling larger display resolutions, smoother mouse integration, clipboard sharing between host and visitor, drag-and-drop file switch, and higher total 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 means of the brand new vctl CLI device.
Develop and Check for Any Platform
Repair extra bugs and ship high quality code on time utilizing Workstation Professional in improvement and testing. Virtualize practically any x86 working system accessible immediately on a desktop PC.
Take pleasure in Baked-In vSphere and ESXi Assist
Run ESXi and vCenter as digital machines on the desktop, and connect with a distant vSphere atmosphere 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 adaptability of your desktop or laptop computer laptop with VMware Workstation. Cut back {hardware} prices by 50% or extra by operating a number of working techniques concurrently on a single PC. Automate and streamline duties to save lots of time and enhance productiveness. Be a part of the thousands and thousands 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 atmosphere
- 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 Identical 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 current 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 enables you to use your digital machines to run Home windows, Linux and a number of different working techniques side-by-side on the identical laptop. You’ll be able to swap between working techniques immediately with a click on of a mouse, share information between digital machines with drag-and-drop performance and entry all of the peripheral units you depend on.
Take Snapshots & Movies of your Digital Machines
With Workstation, you’ll be able to take a “snapshot” that preserves the state of a digital machine so you’ll be able to return to it at any time. Snapshots are helpful when you want to revert your digital machine to a previous, steady system state. Workstation shows thumbnails of all of your snapshots on a single display, 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 report and play video information that seize all adjustments to a digital machine over a time period. This perform is unique to VMware Workstation and is extremely helpful for software program debugging, Assist Desk forensics, gross sales demonstrations and coaching.
Run an Total 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 embody consumer, server and database digital machines.
With Workstation Groups, you’ll be able to flip a whole multi-tier atmosphere on and off with a single click on of the mouse button. Workstation shows reside thumbnails of all linked digital machines, enabling you to simply determine and swap between the digital machines related to a staff.
Clone your Digital Machines to Speed up Deployment
Putting in working techniques and functions could 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 Choice Pack. Mobility is among the major advantages of this feature pack, because it allows customers to securely take their desktops with them on moveable media units reminiscent of 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 techniques.
- 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 info on this vulnerability and its impression 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 accessible as a 64-bit utility and all binaries, libraries, installer elements, 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 techniques.
Visitor working techniques
- Ubuntu 26.04 LTS
- Fedora 43
- Fedora 44
- SUSE Linux Enterprise 16
- openSUSE 16.0
- FreeBSD 15.0
Host working techniques
- 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 consumer interface navigate to the Broadcom Technical Documentation house web page as a substitute of the precise Workstation assist web page
- Assist buttons and hyperlinks are actually mounted to hyperlink to the right areas on the Broadcom Technical Documentation web site.
Recognized Points
- After upgrading VMware Workstation Professional on Home windows hosts, ISO information 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 information from the sooner set up usually are not mechanically eliminated. These information stay within the previous set up listing, for instance, C:Program Information (x86)VMwareVMware Workstationwindows.iso and proceed to eat 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 save lots of product configuration.
- After upgrading, manually navigate to the previous set up listing and delete the ISO picture information 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 info on these vulnerabilities and their impression on Broadcom merchandise, see VMSA-2026-0002.
Resolved Points
- When operating on a Home windows host with Hyper-V enabled, VMs may stop 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” may presumably report “unrecoverable error”. This concern 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 techniques generally seem like gradual and unresponsive to enter
- When receiving enter by the visitor working system, VMware Workstation on Home windows hosts may fail to redraw the visitor display, creating the notion of the visitor working system being gradual. Due to this fact, when updating visible parts, the visitor working techniques might sound unresponsive to consumer enter or the visitor display appears to lag. This concern is mounted on this launch.
- When shifting the mouse cursor between displays in full display 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 mode with a number of displays, shifting the mouse cursor between displays ends in the mouse cursor disappearing. This concern is resolved on this launch.
- Vulkan presentation mode may 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 may completely dim till the host is rebooted.
- When getting into full display mode on a Home windows host, the toolbar is not seen.
- This concern is resolved on this launch and the Vulkan and DirectX 12 presentation modes are deactivated by default.
- On Home windows hosts, full display mode shows a 1 pixel white border across the display of the visitor working system
This concern is resolved on this launch.
- After rebooting a number, digital machines with Home windows XP or Home windows Vista working techniques which have 3D graphics acceleration enabled show a black display or a low-resolution display with out full coloration help
- This concern is resolved on this launch.
- When trying USB pass-through on Home windows hosts, the USB units may not be listed, intermittently disconnect, or fail to attach
- When trying USB pass-through on a Home windows host, a sudden disconnection from USBArbitrator may happen and the enumerated gadget info isn’t accessible. This concern is mounted on this launch.
Recognized 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 isn’t 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 shifting 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 supplies consistency throughout releases and ensures readability for patrons.
The 25H2 launch brings new instruments and capabilities that simplify automation, improve compatibility, and make day-to-day duties sooner and extra dependable.
- dictTool (Workstation & Fusion) A brand new command-line utility that permits prospects to examine and edit VMware configuration information (.vmx, preferences). This supplies 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 units.
- {Hardware} Model 22 (Workstation & Fusion) Ensures digital machines (VMs) make the most 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 displaying Hyper-V/WHP standing.
Expanded CPU and OS Assist
Operating the newest workloads and platforms is essential for immediately’s customers. Workstation and Fusion 25H2 broaden CPU, host, and visitor OS compatibility so you’ll be able to confidently virtualize on the latest applied sciences.
- New CPU Assist (Workstation): Intel Lunar Lake, Arrow Lake, and Meteor Lake.
- New Visitor Working Methods:
- Purple 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: common, Fusion: Intel techniques solely)
- macOS Tahoe (Fusion: Intel techniques 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 necessary refinements that make the platforms extra steady, safe, and user-friendly. These fixes tackle 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.
- Decreased extreme logging by the VMware Authorization Service (vmauthd) in Home windows Occasion Viewer.
- Choice to discard VM droop states.
- Mounted Linux full-screen crash and Intel GPU 3D acceleration points.
VMware Workstation Professional 17.6.4 supplies the next new capabilities.
This launch resolves CVE-2025-41236, CVE-2025-41237, CVE-2025-41238, and CVE-2025-41239.
- For extra info on these vulnerabilities and their impression on Broadcom merchandise, see VMSA-2025-0013.
This launch resolves CVE-2025-2884.
- Broadcom has evaluated the severity of this concern to be within the average severity vary.
The 17.6.3 launch resolves CVE-2025-22224 and CVE-2025-22226. For extra info on these vulnerabilities and their impression on Broadcom merchandise, see VMSA-2025-0004.
- VMware Workstation Professional not requires a license key and is now free for industrial, academic, and private use.
- VMware Workstation Professional 17.6.3 supplies numerous 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 accessible free of charge to everybody – industrial, academic, and private customers alike.
