Home/Browse/System Utilities/VMware Workstation Pro

VMware Workstation Pro

Name: VMware Workstation Pro
Availability: InStock
Author: VMware

A desktop hypervisor that runs whole operating systems inside windows on the machine, with snapshots, virtual networks, and cloning, in the Pro edition with every feature enabled.

Version 17.6.2 612 MB Windows 10 / 11 (64-bit) Updated 5 days ago

Overview

What this release is

Workstation Pro runs a complete operating system as an application. A virtual machine is a computer defined in software, with its own disk, memory, and network, and it runs in a window on the desktop as though it were any other program, which means a second Windows, a Linux distribution, or an old system can live on the machine without touching the real installation. For testing, development, and running something the host cannot, it is close to essential.

Snapshots are the feature that changes how people work. The entire state of a virtual machine can be captured in a moment and returned to later, so anything risky, installing unknown software, testing a change, walking through a process that might break, can be tried and then rolled back as though it never happened. That safety net is why the tool is standard on the machines of people who break things for a living.

The networking and cloning tools carry it into more serious work. Virtual networks let several machines be wired together into an isolated environment for testing how systems behave against each other, and linked clones spin up many copies of a base machine cheaply in disk terms. The Pro edition adds these over the limited free tier.

This build enables the full Pro feature set from first launch. It installs the hypervisor and its networking components, and the licensing step is applied before the program is opened.

Feature set

What you get

Run whole systems

A complete operating system runs in a window on the desktop with its own disk, memory, and network.

Snapshots

Capture the entire state of a machine and return to it later, so risky changes can be rolled back cleanly.

Virtual networks

Wire several virtual machines together into an isolated environment for testing how systems interact.

Cloning

Linked clones spin up many copies of a base machine cheaply in disk terms.

Broad guest support

Runs current and old Windows, the major Linux distributions, and many other systems as guests.

Pro features

The full feature set over the limited free tier, enabled from first launch.

Changes in this build

What changed

Improved performance on recent processor virtualisation extensions
Better handling of high resolution and multi monitor guest displays
Updated guest tools for current operating system releases
Faster snapshot creation on large virtual disks
Fixed the virtual network adapter failing to bind after a host sleep cycle

Installation

How to install it

Confirm hardware virtualisation is enabled in the machine firmware before starting.
Extract the archive and run the installer as administrator.
Complete the installation and reboot to load the hypervisor components.
Apply the included licensing step before opening the program.
Create a test virtual machine and confirm it boots and the guest tools install.

Hardware

System requirements

Processor	64-bit with hardware virtualisation support, enabled in firmware
Memory	8 GB minimum, 16 GB or more so guests have room alongside the host
Graphics	DirectX 11 capable for accelerated guest displays
Storage	2 GB install plus substantial space for virtual disks
Display	1920 x 1080
System	Windows 10 version 22H2 or Windows 11

Package

Release information

Title	VMware Workstation Pro
Version	17.6.2
Developer	VMware
Category	System Utilities
Platform	Windows 10 / 11 (64-bit)
Package size	612 MB
Interface languages	English
Release identifier	BS-17620001
Listed	3 years ago
Last rebuilt	5 days ago
Total downloads	298,219

Questions

Before you start

Does it need anything enabled in firmware?

Yes. Hardware virtualisation must be turned on in the machine firmware or virtual machines will not start.

What are snapshots for?

Capturing a machine's state so a risky change can be tried and rolled back as though it never happened.

How much memory should a guest get?

Enough for its own needs while leaving the host comfortable. Splitting memory too thin slows both down.

Can it run an old operating system?

Yes. Guest support is broad, which is a common reason to use it, to run a system the host hardware no longer can.