As of late 2024, significant changes occurred following Broadcom's acquisition of VMware: . While the "Player" version still exists for basic single-VM needs, many users now opt for the full Pro version since it is free and includes advanced features like snapshots. How to Download & Install (Latest Process)

Once the .exe file is downloaded:

Once the download is complete, installation is a breeze.

Shortcuts and optional user experience program preferences can be selected during this phase. Click and wait for the process to complete. Step 4: Activating the Free Personal Use License Launch VMware Workstation Pro for the first time.

Make the downloaded .bundle file executable using the chmod command: chmod +x VMware-Player-*.bundle Use code with caution. Run the installer with root privileges using sudo : sudo ./VMware-Player-*.bundle Use code with caution.

Before downloading the software, ensure your physical hardware meets the minimum specifications required to run virtualization smoothly. Host Operating System Windows 10 or Windows 11 (64-bit)

A: Approximately 650 MB for Windows; 580 MB for Linux.

Allocate maximum disk size for the VM. Choosing Store virtual disk as a single file optimizes performance, while Split virtual disk into multiple files makes it easier to move the VM to another computer.

How to troubleshoot Share public link

Follow the GUI installation wizard text prompts to finalize setup on your Linux distribution. Creating Your First Virtual Machine

Open VMware Workstation Player and click on Create a New Virtual Machine .

You are trying to install the 64-bit Player on a 32-bit OS (rare today) or virtualization is off. Fix: Reboot into BIOS and enable Intel VT-x or AMD-V .