VMware Workstation icon

VMware Workstation

  17.6.3
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3.4
/ 299 ratings

The one-stop program to run many operating systems in virtual machines on your Windows system

VMware, Inc. |
updated on March 4, 2025
Download for Windows
VMware Workstation is an application that any user can use to run multiple operating systems and virtual machines on any Windows system. There are often requirements for various types of usages where you require multiple operating systems on a single machine. Maybe it is for security, or maybe it is for compatibility. Whichever of these is your reason, VMware Workstation saves the day.

Licensing and pricing

When talking about pricing, the software is now completely free for all users, including commercial, educational, and personal use. This is a major shift from the previous model where commercial use required a paid license. Now, organizations and individuals can take advantage of the application for business purposes without any cost, though official technical support is no longer included.

Features and interface

The features of VMware Workstation include a simple user interface, easy setup, virtual machines, disk features, excellent optimization, and great virtualization features.

Talking about the user interface, VMware Workstation is nothing special, but nothing less either. It has everything essential while eliminating any shiny elements. The interface might be straightforward, but it does not lack the modern touch at all. It is modernly minimalistic, which is a good thing. This makes it easier for new as well as old users to navigate across the software.

Creating a virtual machine

Creating a new virtual machine and using it is incredibly easy. On the main screen, you click on the "Create a new virtual machine" option, and from thereon, anybody with basic OS knowledge will have an easy time going forward. It asks you which OS you want to install, if you want to install it now or later, how much disk space you want to allocate, and a couple of other options.

If you wish to install the operating system during the creation of the virtual machine, you can use an ISO file to install the OS. After that, you can start using your virtual machine.

Customization and hardware

There is one more notable feature that you can use to add or remove functionality as well as power from your virtual machine. You can customize the hardware by adding or removing memory depending on your system’s available memory.

You can also store the virtual disk as a single storage file or split it into multiple ones, which could make it easier to move the machine. Once you have finished the process, the last screen before finishing shows you the name, location, version, OS, and other relevant hardware specifications for your virtual machine.

Verdict

To sum it up, VMware Workstation is a fantastic option for both professionals as well as students who want to utilize the functionality of virtual machines on their computers. Students and other people can get it for free immediately, and professionals can now also utilize the full power of the software without paying expensive licensing fees.
Hamza Sadiq
Hamza Sadiq
App tester and reviewer
★★★★★
★★★★★
Editor's pick

Pros

  • Great interface
  • Useful virtualization features
  • Good compatibility
  • Free for personal and commercial use

Cons

  • No official technical support (community support only)
LicenseFree
Licence limitations Free for non-commercial, personal, and home use
Minimum requirements• A compatible 64-bit x86/AMD64 CPU launched in 2011 or later
• 1.3GHz or faster core speed
• 2GB RAM
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• 1.2 GB of available disk space for the application
• Additional hard disk space is required for each virtual machine
Recommended requirements 4GB RAM or more
Previous versions
Operating systemWindows
Supported languagesAvailable in multiple languages
DownloadsTotal: 30074
Last week: 97
Download for Windows