The simply powerful VMware Desktop Hypervisor app for Mac. Built-in support for Windows 11 for Arm, 3D Hardware accelerated DirectX 11 graphics, ultra fast file-sharing and more.
Build and test nearly any app with the world's leading desktop hypervisor app for Windows and Linux.
Choose from hundreds of supported operating systems, from cloud-ready Linux distributions to the latest Windows 11, all without rebooting.
Connect Fusion or Workstation to remote vSphere or ESXi servers to launch, control and manage VMs as well as physical hosts. Effortlessly migrate local VMs to your private cloud with the ease of drag-and-drop.
With support for virtual machines, containers, or Kubernetes clusters, Fusion and Workstation provides developers with a versatile and automatable platform to build and test applications of any kind.
Run a secure second desktop with different privacy settings, tools and networking configurations for online protection, complete with roll-back points called “snapshots” that can be restored later.
Rely on the same hypervisor technology that powers vSphere to run virtual machines and guest operating systems.
Developers can build and run containers and Kubernetes clusters with VM-level isolation and networking.
Gain a fluid and responsive experience for running 3D applications. Workstation and Fusion each support DirectX 11 and OpenGL in virtual machines.
Create and configure complex IPv4 and IPv6 virtual networks for VMs, with added network latency and bandwidth simulations to help recreate real-world scenarios.
General |
Fusion Pro |
Workstation Pro |
| Create New VMs | ||
| Create Large VMs (32CPU, 128GB RAM) | ||
| Convert PC into a virtual machine | ||
| Mass Deployment capable |
Host Guest Integration |
Fusion Pro |
Workstation Pro |
Host/Guest File Sharing |
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Shared/Mirrored Folders |
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| Run VMs with Different View Modes |
Graphics |
Fusion Pro |
Workstation Pro |
| 3D graphics with DX11 and OpenGL 4.3 support | * * On Apple silicon Macs, Fusion supports emulated OpenGL 4.2 |
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| Large Graphics Memory: 8GB |
Device Support |
Fusion Pro |
Workstation Pro |
| 4K / 5K / Retina Display Support | ||
| USB 3.1 Device Support | ||
| Assistive Device Support (Section 508 Compliant) | ||
| Virtual Trusted Platform Module Device |
Security Features |
Fusion Pro |
Workstation Pro |
| Microsoft Virtualization Based Security (Guest) Support | *
* On Apple silicon Macs, Fusion does not support VBS or Nested VMs |
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| Virtual Trusted Platform Module (vTPM) |
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| Bitlocker Guest Support | ||
| UEFI Boot Support | ||
| UEFI Secure Boot Support | ||
| GPU Sandbox Renderer | ||
| Snapshots | ||
| Create/Manage Encrypted VM |
Host Operating Systems |
Fusion Pro |
Workstation Pro |
| macOS |
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| Windows 11 |
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| Linux |
Guest Operating Systems |
Fusion Pro |
Worksation Pro |
| Over 200 Supported OSs (Linux, older Windows, BSD) |
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| Windows 10 Guests |
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| macOS Guests |
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| Windows apps in the Mac Dock |
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| BootCamp Import / Launch |
Windows Host Specific Features |
Fusion Pro |
Workstation Pro |
| DirectX 12 Host Rendering Engine |
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| Hyper-V Mode Support ("VBS", Device Guard, WSL) |
Linux Host Specific Features |
Fusion Pro |
Workstation Pro |
| Vulkan Rendering Engine | ||
| Host support: Ubuntu, Fedora, Debian, RHEL, SUSE |
Advanced Features |
Fusion Pro
|
Workstation Pro |
| Command Line Operation: vmrun, vctl |
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| vCenter Server Appliance Easy Deploy |
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| REST API | ||
| Virtual Network Customization (NAT, network rename) |
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| Virtual Network Simulation (Packet Loss, Latency, Bandwidth) |
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| Connect to vSphere/ESXi Server |
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| Remote vSphere Host Power Control |
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| Create Linked Clones |
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| Create Full Clones |
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| Encrypt VMs |
Licensing |
Fusion Pro |
Workstation Pro |
| Commercial License |
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| Personal Use License |
Desktop Hypervisor is a line of products consisting of VMware Workstation and VMware Fusion which let users run virtual machines, containers, and Kubernetes clusters on a Windows, Linux or Mac computer.
VMware Workstation Pro is available for 64-bit Intel and AMD (x86 / x86-64) PCs with Windows and Linux operating systems, while VMware Fusion Pro is available for Intel and Apple silicon Macs.
VMware Workstation Pro and Fusion Pro products work by using special functions in modern 64-bit x86-64 CPUs and Apple silicon SoCs to create fully isolated, secure virtual machines that encapsulate an operating system and its applications. Each virtual machine “thinks” and operates as if they are housed in a physical computer with dedicated physical resources. The VMware virtualization layer maps available physical hardware resources to a virtual machine’s ‘virtual’ resources, so each virtual machine has isolated and configurable access to its own CPU, memory, disks, and I/O devices.
No, Workstation Pro and Fusion Pro do not provide a separate evaluation mode. Users wishing to evaluate before purchasing a commercial use license may do so with the built-in personal use license, provided the products are not used for commercial purposes without first purchasing a license. (i.e. users may personally evaluate the product to determine if they wish to use it in a commercial setting, whereby they would then require a commercial use license for that setting)
No. From April 30th and onward, the perpetual and SnS license models were discontinued for Desktop Hypervisor products.
Workstation Pro and Fusion Pro commercial subscriptions include production support from the authorized Broadcom reseller who sold the licenses. Resellers follow the standard Broadcom support model and have an escalation path to VMware product engineering teams. Users with Personal Use licenses can obtain community support from our forums. Per-Incident support is no longer available.
No, Customers with active support contracts will be able to continue to use the Desktop Hypervisor products without any changes. When a customer's existing SnS expires, a new Subscription license is required to continue use.
Upon expiry of a subscription license, the product will default back to the Personal Use mode. While VMs will continue to boot, the product will be unauthorized for use in a commercial setting until the license key has been replaced with a new, valid subscription license key.
Production support is automatically included when purchasing a Workstation or Fusion subscription license. More information can be found here.
No. Support is limited to the currently active and shipping versions of VMware Workstation Pro and Fusion Pro.
Workstation Pro and Fusion Pro apps are licensed via a single product key and SKU which is sold as an annual subscription. The “Desktop Hypervisor Pro” license key is compatible between Workstation Pro and Fusion Pro. Each installation of a Desktop Hypervisor product must be licensed for commercial use when being used in a commercial setting as defined in the Product Guide. Installations without a commercial license applied are considered Personal Use, and is so indicated with additional text in the user interface noting that the product is licensed for personal use only.
Workstation Pro and Fusion Pro were previously sold with perpetual licenses and an optional Support and Subscription add-on which provides access to major-version updates for the duration of the subscription term. These terms will continue to be honored, and the existing products will continue to be supported for the duration of their lifecycle, which can be found here. The perpetual licenses will not expire. When new Major versions of Fusion Pro and Workstation Pro are released, a new license key will be required, otherwise the products will operate in Personal Use mode.
As of April 30th, 2024 Workstation Player and Fusion Player are considered EOS (End of Sale) and are unavailable for purchase going forward. Customers with active contracts will continue to be supported for the duration of their contract. This means products will receive regular updates, and support tickets can be filed.
Users can now enjoy the full-featured versions of Workstation Pro and Fusion Pro without requiring a purchased license key. Workstation Pro and Fusion Pro installers, now by default, provide a free personal-use license built-in. While Workstation Player and Fusion Player are no longer being sold, they will continue to function and receive product updates until the next major versions are released.
