VMware Workstation Pro

VMware Workstation Pro is a desktop hypervisor for Windows and Linux PCs. Sysadmins, developers and trainers use it to run full virtual machines side by side on one workstation. The first thing to know if you are looking for a VMware Workstation Pro download: since 11 November 2024, Broadcom has made it free for commercial, educational and personal use, with no licence key. The current release is 26H1u1 (September 2026).

This page replaces our old VMware Workstation Player page. Player, the cut-down free edition without snapshots, was discontinued in 2024 when Workstation Pro became free. Everyone who used Player should now use Workstation Pro, which gives you the full feature set at no cost.

VMware Workstation Pro at a glance

What it does

• Runs many guest operating systems at once, including Windows, Windows Server, the main Linux distributions and FreeBSD. 26H1 added Ubuntu 26.04, Fedora 43/44, SLE 16, openSUSE 16.0 and FreeBSD 15.0 as guests.
• Takes snapshots and reverts VMs in seconds. It also makes full clones and linked clones for disposable test machines.
• Builds virtual networks with the Virtual Network Editor: bridged, NAT and host-only, plus extra custom VMnets for isolated lab segments.
• Provides a virtual TPM and VM encryption, so Windows 11 guests install without workarounds.
• Imports and exports OVF/OVA appliances and connects to remote ESXi or vCenter hosts for basic VM operations.
• Scripts power, snapshot and guest operations with the vmrun command-line tool.
• Coexists with Hyper-V, WSL2 and VBS on Windows by using the Windows Hypervisor Platform.
• Since 26H1, all Windows binaries and services run as 64-bit processes.

How sysadmins use it

Test a patch or GPO on a snapshot

1. Build a reference VM (for example Windows Server joined to a lab domain) and install VMware Tools.
2. Take a snapshot: VM > Snapshot > Take Snapshot, named “clean”.
3. Apply the update or policy and test.
4. Revert with VM > Snapshot > Revert to Snapshot and repeat with the next change.

Build an isolated lab network

1. Open Edit > Virtual Network Editor (admin rights needed on Windows) and add a host-only network such as VMnet2 with DHCP turned off.
2. Give a router VM, for example pfSense or a Linux box, one NIC on NAT (VMnet8) and one on VMnet2.
3. Attach the lab VMs to VMnet2 only. They reach the internet through your router VM and cannot touch the office LAN.

Automate VMs from the command line

vmrun is installed with Workstation Pro in its program folder:

vmrun -T ws start "D:VMsdc01dc01.vmx" nogui
vmrun -T ws snapshot "D:VMsdc01dc01.vmx" before-update
vmrun -T ws revertToSnapshot "D:VMsdc01dc01.vmx" before-update
vmrun list

Put these in a script or Task Scheduler job to reset training VMs every night.

Install and first run

Windows. Run the installer as administrator and reboot if asked. With Hyper-V, Credential Guard/VBS or WSL2 enabled, Workstation Pro runs VMs through the Windows Hypervisor Platform. That needs an Intel Sandy Bridge or AMD Bulldozer (or newer) CPU and Windows 10 20H1 build 19041.264 or later. Expect some feature and performance limits compared with native mode.

Linux. Workstation Pro ships as a .bundle installer: sudo sh VMware-Workstation-Full-*.bundle. On first start it compiles the vmmon and vmnet kernel modules, so install your distribution’s compiler and kernel headers first. With UEFI Secure Boot on, these modules must be signed and enrolled (MOK) before VMs will start. Supported hosts include Ubuntu 22.04–26.04, Debian 12/13, RHEL 9/10, Fedora 41–44, SLE and openSUSE.

Hardware. You need a 64-bit x86 CPU with hardware virtualisation (Intel VT-x or AMD-V) enabled in firmware. Plan RAM for the host plus every running guest; 16 GB or more is realistic for a small lab.

Gotchas. Third-party security software can block the virtual network adapters. NAT port forwarding for inbound connections is set in the Virtual Network Editor under VMnet8, NAT Settings. Because the product is free, Broadcom offers support through documentation and community forums rather than support tickets.

Limitations

• No macOS host. Mac users need VMware Fusion, which Broadcom also made free, or another hypervisor.
• Not a server hypervisor: no clustering, HA or live migration. For that, look at ESXi or Proxmox VE.
• No Windows ARM or Linux ARM host builds.
• Running on top of Hyper-V/WHP reduces performance and disables some features.
• Broadcom’s account-based distribution and the lack of ticket support make fleet-wide rollout less convenient than it used to be.

VMware Workstation Pro vs alternatives

Oracle VirtualBox is open source and cross-platform, including macOS hosts. Workstation Pro usually has better 3D and graphics support, smoother Windows 11 guests and more mature snapshots and networking. Hyper-V is built into Windows Pro and Enterprise and suits Windows-centric labs, but its desktop tooling is more basic. QEMU with KVM is the free open-source route on Linux. Proxmox VE is the choice when the lab should move to a dedicated server. Vagrant can drive Workstation Pro to build lab VMs from code.

FAQ

Is VMware Workstation Pro free?

Yes. Since 11 November 2024 it is free for commercial, educational and personal use and needs no licence key.

What happened to VMware Workstation Player?

Player was discontinued in 2024. Workstation Pro is now free and includes everything Player did, plus snapshots, clones and advanced networking.

Is VMware Workstation Pro free for commercial use?

Yes. Broadcom’s announcement explicitly covers commercial use, so companies can use it without buying licences.

Is there VMware Workstation Pro for Mac?

No. The Mac product is VMware Fusion, which is also free now. Workstation Pro runs on Windows and Linux hosts only.

What is the difference between 26H1 and 17.x?

After the 17.6 series, Broadcom moved to calendar-based version names, starting with 25H2 in October 2025. 26H1 is the first-half 2026 release (May 2026, updated as 26H1u1 in September). It brings 64-bit Windows binaries, security fixes and support for new guest and host OSes.

VMware Workstation Pro vs VirtualBox: which should I use?

Workstation Pro is generally more polished for Windows guests, graphics and snapshots, and it is now free. VirtualBox is open source and also runs on macOS hosts.

Can VMware Workstation Pro run with Hyper-V enabled?

Yes, since version 15.5.5 it uses the Windows Hypervisor Platform when Hyper-V is on. It needs Windows 10 20H1 or later and a supported CPU, with some limits in that mode.

How do I update VMware Workstation Pro?

Install the new release over the existing one; VMs and settings are kept. Update VMware Tools inside the guests afterwards.

Last checked against official sources: 30 September 2026 (developer website: techdocs.broadcom.com). Versions and licence terms change — confirm on the developer's site before deploying in production.