VMware Fusion Pro 13 Now Freely Available for Personal Use

[lindros2]

This is total bs. I've tried everything to migrate VMware account > re-register and end up in a loop.
Broadcom offshore support is awful, the error messages are written by an offshore first grader, and the entire process is broken.

 

[FoxyKaye]

Nice idea if you can get it, but if you get it, won't you tell me how?

Broadcom site is just plain awful - I migrated my old VMWare account over, it sent me to "Semiconductors," first. Now it's just spinning on the attempt to download 13.5.2 Pro.

 

[lindros2]

Check this thread:

New VMWare version for m-series Macs ... where to get Windows 11 ARM Preview ISO?

The user bogdanw in a previous post included a link to an ESD file. I downloaded it 2 days ago and converted to ISO using Dism++ as he suggested. It's very easy to do on a Windows machine (graphic UI instead of command line) With that ISO, the Windows welcome screen showed the "I don't have...

forums.macrumors.com

this thread doesn't help.
The vmware sites are down and redirect to broadcom, which is BROKEN.

"Broadcom Account verification is Pending. Please try after some time."

 

[lindros2]

I've been trying to download this for two days now. The Broadcom website is utter trash. A corporate mess of page after page after page, and every download just fails. The most I've managed to get of this 750MB download is 22Kb.

this is what happens when you fire everyone.
And your support is rooted in the ghosts of Computer Associates.
We just cancelled a $2m contract with these clowns.

 

[TSE]

I am glad that people now have a superior free option to UTM, but if you can pay for it or you make money with your virtual machine software, go for Parallels. The amount of time you are going to spend fiddling with VMWare to get subpar performance is just not worth it for a lot of people.

But again, this is extremely positive news and I'm happy for anyone that can make use of it.

 

[bsolar]

There are alternative download URLs here.

I have downloaded the Mac version and verified the checksum with the one listed on the official Broadcom download page and they match:

SHA-256: baaa201c797af8e32a2ec3ae78c69bfedbe5c5c7960c3673885bd84e42ddfbb9
MD5: 0601c5b92139b3cbab3eba68217f6576

PS: To check the file once downloaded, open a terminal in the download directory and run one of the following commands to generate the corresponding checksum, then compare it with the official ones. They must match exactly:

shasum -a 256 VMware-Fusion-13.5.2-23775688_universal.dmg

Or

md5 VMware-Fusion-13.5.2-23775688_universal.dmg

 

[johannnn]

I recently evaluated Windows 10 virtualisation with both Parallels and VMWare, and VMware was way buggier. I ended up uninstalling it and buying another years license of Parallels.

Also, I don't like that it has had several security flaws, even one mentioned this month.

VMware Patches Severe Security Flaws in Workstation and Fusion Products

Researchers have uncovered a critical vulnerability in VMware's Bluetooth device, allowing code execution by malicious actors.

thehackernews.com

 

[Starflyer]

Wonder how well Windows or Steam gaming will work on Apple Silicon with this?

I have used Fusion for years and it works great! It's great that the Pro version is now free. I installed Steam on my M1 using this: https://getwhisky.app/

 

[370zulu]

I purchased the upgrade about a month prior to the changeover. I use it for business, so no free license for me.
I hope I did not make a mistake given all of the issues people are having getting access to download now. I did not have any issues with my account changeover to date. But, I guess there is always the chance that it will get tore up as well.

 

[lindros2]

But again, this is extremely positive news and I'm happy for anyone that can make use of it get verified and allow their piece of s-- support site to grant entitlement to previous software and free versions.

FIFY.

 

[Pezimak]

I have used Fusion for years and it works great! It's great that the Pro version is now free. I installed Steam on my M1 using this: https://getwhisky.app/

Thank you for that, great to know. Never heard of Whisky either so another thanks from me.

 

[steve123]

This software is EOL with AS anyway. Effort should be to make legacy software run in Wine and forget running VM's with Windows. Asahi Linux is coming along nicely.

macOS and Windows should be open sourced so we can create a version of Wine running in Asahi Linux to run apps created for either OS.

 

[Whywutt]

I use Parallels for those couple of Microsoft apps that don't work on Mac natively (mainly Visio). So clearly overkill. Have no complaints of the now proper ARM Windows 11 Pro release, but Parallels pricing has meant that I didn't renew, and have been struggling (albeit successfully) with Visio browser version.

This VMware free option sounds great for my use case, but having never tried VMWare before, if it doesn't work out, hopefully this will push down Parallels prices or create a free-tier product variant.

 

[tomekwsrod]

Good news.

 

[StrangeNoises]

I've used VMWare since before 1.0 (there was a public beta) on Linux, and for a number of years actually paid for VMWare Fusion Pro, before finally realising (admitting?) that Fusion Player did everything I needed. It has always been, and remains, the best virtualisation. There's been a lot of doubt about whether Broadcom would break that, and we just don't know.

This seems like a positive move though, although like others have found the Broadcom support site is a complete sh---comedy sideshow at the moment, and I can't actually download a damn thing. Also, the in-app upgrade from Fusion Player 13.5.1 wasn't working for me. Luckily found a hacky way to download its update files directly, which turn out to just be the app anyway, so migration done.

I use it mainly on Apple Silicon to run Fedora Linux, but also have an install sitting on a barely used Intel iMac for running Windows 11.

Foreseen problem: Currently, like almost everything else you don't get from the app store, it's available as a cask in Homebrew. But I'm not sure that's going to be able to continue if there aren't official direct downloads of the app dmg available. If Broadcom keep trying to insist that you have a support sign-in, while their site barely works...

 

[CptnJustc]

Something I can't find with the site down: Anybody know if the Pro version for Windows offers a VNC server? IIRC, the free version did on Mac, but not Windows. Very useful for remotely controlling a VM that may be connecting to a work VPN.

 

[D_J]

Whoever designed the Broadcom website needs to be fired, what a horrible, unintuitive layout and navigation.

 

[TechnoMonk]

I’ve been using the fusion player free for a few months on my base M1 Pro 16gb and it’s worked fine for Power BI stuff. I do wish had more ram, but it’s fine for now.

Good to know. I have 64 GB RAM.

 

[Vulkan]

Not going to lie, I was expecting Broadcom to ruin VMware with subscriptions or something. This is a pleasant suprise. Though I guess they are still screwing over enterprise clients so that sucks.

Enterprise has money, personal customers, not so much. I'm ok with that.

 

[chrfr]

Also, I don't like that it has had several security flaws, even one mentioned this month.

Parallels Desktop is not immune to security flaws: https://kb.parallels.com/en/125013

 

[joshwithachance]

Love this! But I bought a Mac for a reason...

 

[diggy33]

Switched to UTM a few months back and havent looked back. I will say though I had been a paying customer for Fusion Pro for years. I needed to be able to create macOS VM's, and Fusion lost that ability in 13, and UTM has filled that need nicely for me.

 

[diego.caraballo]

Lack of folder sharing is really annoying, but I can't complain too much for free. Parallels is a non-option for me given subscription model; I only want to run a couple of freeware programs on Windows.

Gotta go set up an NFS drive or whatever the method is for sharing between the VM and the host.

Parallels can be purchased as one-time payment as well. It cost 129.99, but you can use the code POWER15 at checkout and get it for 110.49.

Otherwise, I recommend Crossover, for $64. It has a free trial, so you can see if it fit your requirements.
I used it to play Quake II without issues.

 

[TSE]

FIFY.

It's a sign for things to come in using VMware Fusion, from my experience. Everything required so much research and tinkering. Parallels feels like native Mac software - runs well right out of the box.

 

[BoxOfSnoo]

I stopped using Parallels after they were pushing subscription model. I have a Linux workstation, which can boot windows as needed. I am gonna try windows ARM/VM fusion on my M1 Max.

If you're running Linux anyway, you should investigate QEMU, I am running all sorts of VMs on my Unraid box with great performance.