Installing Windows ten equally a Guest Operating System in VMware Fusion

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Mac owners often need to run their favorite Windows applications that are not supported on macOS. However, it is possible to practice so if Windows is installed on the Mac computer. There are three common methods to run Windows on a Mac reckoner: utilize Parallels Desktop, install Windows on the Boot Camp partition, or install Windows on a VirtualBox VM or VMware Fusion VM. This blog post explains how to install Windows 10 as a invitee Os on a macOS virtual machine using VMware Fusion and combine the advantages of both Windows and macOS operating systems.

Requirements

Before proceeding with installing VMware Fusion, cheque system requirements. In this department, I list the requirements for VMware Fusion 12, the latest version at the time of writing this weblog mail service. If your macOS version is older than ten.five Catalina, install an older VMware Fusion version supported by your macOS.

Requirements for VMware Fusion 12:

  • A Mac computer manufactured in 2022 or later (except 2022 Mac Pro Quad Core with the Intel Xeon W3565 Processor); 2022 Mac Pro Vi Core, Viii Core, and Twelve Core with a graphics card that supports Metal.
  • Processor (CPU) architecture must exist Intel x86-64
  • four GB of memory, simply we recommend at to the lowest degree 8 GB of retentivity to install VMware Fusion on macOS. Keep in listen that you need more than RAM to run VMware invitee operating systems. Windows ten running as a guest Os requires at to the lowest degree 4 GB of RAM.
  • 750 MB of costless disk infinite to install VMware Fusion and additional disk space to store virtual machine files.
  • Your macOS must be uniform with the VMware Fusion version yous are going to install. VMware Fusion 12 can be installed on macOS 10.xv Catalina and macOS xi.0 Big Sur.
  • The ISO installation image of Windows x.

Preparing the Environment

I'one thousand using macOS 10.15 Catalina as the host operating system and Windows 10 20H2 Professional x64 as the guest operating organisation in the tutorial.

What is a invitee operating system? The difference betwixt host and guest operating systems is that a host OS is installed on the hardware, and a guest OS is running on a virtual auto that uses virtualized hardware. I'chiliad using VMware Fusion 12.i.0 as a VMware hypervisor to run a Windows x VM on macOS.

Yous can download the VMware Fusion 12 installer from the official VMware website.

You can download the installation ISO image of Windows 10 from the Microsoft website.

In my example, I have a separate disk partition to store installation files and virtual machines on Mac. The proper name of this deejay segmentation is disk_d. You can create a separate partition or create custom folders in your home user folder to store installation files and virtual machines.

For convenience, I've renamed installation files to avoid using long names. In my tutorial, the names of the installation files are:

VMware Fusion: VMwareFusion12-i-0.dmg

Windows x: windows_10_20h2_x64.iso

Now we are ready to start installation and configuration.

Installing VMware Fusion

Boot macOS on your Mac. Locate the VMware Fusion installation file in Finder, and double click this file to open the installer (in my case – VMwareFusion12-1-0.dmg). Wait until the installer opens.

Opening the VMware Fusion installer

When you run across the VMware Fusion installer window, double click the corresponding icon to install VMware Fusion.

Running the VMware Fusion installer

Enter the credentials of your macOS user account to grant administrative privileges to the installer, and hitting OK to continue.

Entering macOS user credentials to install Fusion

Read the End User License Understanding (EULA), and click Agree to go along.

VMware Fusion license agreement

Ascertain the license options to install VMware Fusion on macOS. If y'all don't have a license fundamental, select the second option: I desire to endeavour VMware Fusion 12 Professional for 30 days.

If you have a license central for VMware Fusion or VMware Fusion Pro, select the choice I take a license primal for VMware Fusion 12 and enter your license key. If  the key is valid, the corresponding green icon appears. You tin can also enter a license key after finishing the installation in the graphical VMware Fusion user interface. In my example, I'm using a license primal for VMware Fusion Pro.

Click Go along to continue.

Choosing licensing options when installing VMware Fusion on macOS

The macOS security notification messages popular up. Yous have to allow all access needed for macOS VMware Fusion to work properly.

"VMware Fusion" wants admission to control "Arrangement Events". Allowing control will provide access to documents and data in "System Events", and to perform actions with that app.

Click OK.

Unable to admission Accessibility. For optimal performance of your keyboard and mouse inside your virtual automobile, give VMware Fusion admission to your system'due south accessibility features. If y'all do not give this admission now, you can become to the Security & Privacy Organization Preferences later.

Click OK.

"VMware Fusion" would like to control this calculator using accessibility features. Grant access to this application in Security & Privacy preferences, located in Organisation Preferences.

Click Open System Preferences.

Notifications displayed when installing VMware Fusion and require configuring security settings

One time the Security & Privacy window opens, in the Privacy tab you lot can see that VMware Fusion is not selected in the list of immune apps and is inactive. You should likewise see a request to enable VMware Fusion notifications. Click Allow because important information may be displayed in notifications when you work with VMware Fusion. In order to provide VMware Fusion with access, click the lock to make changes in the privacy settings (this icon is located in the bottom left corner of the window).

Unlocking accessibility settings in macOS to enable access for VMware Fusion

Now the privacy settings are unlocked. Select VMware Fusion in the list of immune apps (select the corresponding checkbox). At present you can shut the Security & Privacy settings window.

Enabling VMware Fusion in macOS privacy settings

VMware Fusion is at present installed, and you tin can run the application.

Creating a VM and Installing a VM Guest OS

Open up VMware Fusion in the Launchpad or click the icon in the Dock. In the main window of VMware Fusion, y'all can see a big area with the text: Install from disc or image. This is what you need to start creating a virtual machine and installing a invitee operating arrangement. Open up the folder containing the Windows 10 installation paradigm in Finder, then drag and drop the Windows x ISO image to this surface area of the VMware Fusion window.

Drag and drop the Windows 10 installation image to the window of VMware Fusion

Create a New Virtual Machine. A new VM installation wizard opens in VMware Fusion. The ISO installation image is already selected afterwards the drag and drib.

Creating a new virtual machine in VMware Fusion

Organization Extension Blocked . The alert message is displayed.

A program tried to load new organisation extension(south) signed by "VMware, Inc.". If y'all desire to enable these extensions, open Security & Privacy Organisation Preferences.

Click Open up Security Preferences to allow access for VMware Fusion. Otherwise, y'all cannot continue the configuration of a new VM.

A system extension is blocked by default when creating a new VM in VMware Fusion

Click the lock icon to unlock admission to the settings but every bit you did earlier.

Enter your credentials to unlock Security & Privacy preferences, and click Unlock.

Unlocking security settings and entering user credentials in macOS

The post-obit message is displayed: System software from developer "VMware, Inc." was blocked from loading. Click the Allow button near this bulletin to unlock VMware Fusion and let the required access. Then you can close the Security & Privacy window.

Allowing VMware applications in security and privacy options of macOS

At present you tin can go back to the VMware Fusion window and the new VM installation wizard. By default, VMware Fusion suggests using Easy Install to create a VM and install a invitee operating system. Piece of cake Install requires minimum user interaction during the installation process, merely in this case, a user has the lowest level of command. You can enter some settings such as a user name, password, the Windows production key, select the needed language. And so the entire process of VM creation and guest operating system installation is completed automatically by VMware Fusion.

In my example, I'm not using Easy Install to fully control the VM creation and guest operating system installation procedure (and for a better agreement of configuration). In one case the needed option is selected (nosotros unselect the Use Easy Install checkbox), click Proceed.

If you use Easy Install, and so you can select one of the ii provided options:

More than Seamless . If you employ this option, Mac user folders such equally Desktop, Documents, and Downloads are shared between the host OS and invitee Bone with write permissions for guest Windows users. The Seamless option provides more convenience, including the ability to use the Unity manner. You should use antivirus software considering if a guest Os is infected, the shared files can be corrupted on the host OS (and vice versa). Read about ransomware to learn more than.

More Isolated . This option is improve from the security point of view. User folders are not shared automatically, but you can drag and drop files between the host Bone and guest OS without violating the isolation.

You tin can select i of these ii options of Mac integration settings merely at the step of creating a virtual motorcar. Every bit I'one thousand not using Easy Install, I explain how to configure a VM created with the More Isolated option.

Easy Install options to deploy a new VM in VMware Fusion

Choose Firmware Type. Select Legacy BIOS or UEFI depending on your needs. Select BIOS to use MBR (Master Boot Record) or select UEFI to use GPT (GUID Sectionalization Table) for disk sectionalisation. We use BIOS for our Windows 10 VM we are creating now. Striking Continue.

Choosing the firmware type for a new VM in VMware Fusion

Cease. The configuration of the virtual auto is now complete. Click Customize settings to ascertain the path to shop VM files earlier yous click the Stop button.

The virtual machine summary is displayed before finishing the new VM creation

Select a folder to store your VM files. In my example, I will shop VM files in /Volumes/disk_d/VM/

Annotation: In VMware Workstation, you lot can select a binder to store VM configuration files and virtual disk files at dissimilar steps of the new VM wizard with the ability to utilise  dissimilar folders to store these files. Withal, in VMware Fusion, all VM files and virtual disks are automatically stored in one selected binder. The default location to store VM files in macOS is your_home_directory/Virtual Machines/

Hitting Save to save VM location, and then click Finish to cease VM creation and close the sorcerer.

Selecting the location for new VM files

Probably you have noticed that dissimilar VMware Workstation and VMware ESXi, there were no virtual hardware configuration options in the new VM cosmos wizard. In lodge to configure VM settings, including virtual hardware, click Virtual Machine > Settings in VMware Fusion right afterwards creating a new VM and endmost the New VM wizard.

Opening virtual machine settings in VMware Fusion

VM settings are displayed in a separate window. You can configure the virtual deejay size (lx GB are provisioned for a Windows 10 VM by default). Allow's configure processor and retention settings for our Windows x VM by clicking the Processors & Memory icon.

Opening processor and memory settings of a VM in VMware Fusion

Select 4096 MB of memory and 2 processor cores for a VM to run Windows 10 (this configuration may vary). Yous can aggrandize avant-garde options to enable nested virtualization and other useful features for your VM. Close the window after finishing configuration.

Configuring processor and memory settings for a VM in VMware Fusion

Once y'all have finished configuring a virtual car, including virtual hardware, start the VM, kicking from the Windows ten installation ISO paradigm selected automatically with the current configuration, and install Windows 10 as a guest operating system on the VM. Click the Play button to showtime a virtual machine.

Starting a virtual machine in VMware Fusion on macOS

You can meet error messages after an attempt to start a VM.

Could non open /dev/vmmon: Broken pipe. Please make sure that the kernel module 'vmmon' is loaded.

Transport (VMDB) error – fourteen: Pipe connection has been cleaved.

Error messages are displayed when trying to start a VM in VMware Fusion

These errors are displayed due to the security configuration of macOS. Issues related to macOS security settings require transmission configuration. In order to fix this issue and avoid these errors when starting a VM, go to Security & Privacy settings over again. Click the Apple button, and click System Preferences.

Opening system preferences in macOS

In the Security & Privacy window, select the Privacy tab, then select Full Disk access in the left pane of the window. Click the lock icon to unlock settings (similarly as you did multiple times before).

One time settings become active, select the checkbox near VMware Fusion to allow full disk access for this virtualization application. If VMware Fusion is running now, a notification message is displayed:

"VMware Fusion" will not take full deejay access until it is quit.

You can choose to quit "VMware Fusion" now or practise information technology on your ain later.

Click Quit At present to close VMware Fusion and utilize security settings when running VMware Fusion next time.

Unlocking full disk access for VMware Fusion in security settings of macOS

Open VMware Fusion, and outset your new VM in one case again. Now the VM should offset correctly without displaying whatsoever errors.

Once the VM is booted from the Windows x installation ISO image, you should encounter the Windows setup GUI (graphical user interface). Installation of Windows 10 equally a invitee operating system on VMware Fusion is like to the installation of Windows 10 on a physical machine. We disconnect the machine from the net until finishing the installation of Windows ten.

Select a linguistic communication to install, time and currency format, and keyboard or input method. Nosotros use English language (U.s.) in this example. Click Next at each step to go along.

Starting installation of Windows 10 as a VM guest OS

Actuate Windows. If you have bought the Windows 10 license, you can enter the product fundamental now. If you don't have a license key, click I don't have a product primal to select the trial manner and proceed.

Select the Operating system you desire to install. Select the needed Windows x edition. I select Windows 10 Pro in my example.

Entering the serial number and selecting the edition of Windows 10

There is a difference between Windows 10 editions and Windows 10 N or KN editions (North – Europe, KN - Korea). Due to the European anti-competitive practices, Microsoft released special Windows 10 N editions for Europe marked with the N letter. These Windows ten Due north editions don't include Windows Media Player and related features. Windows 10 editions (without N in the name) include Windows Media Player, Voice Recorder, Music, Video, and Skype.

Windows 10 N and KN editions are provided without media technologies. You lot can download and install these multimedia components from the Microsoft website manually (a special Media Feature Pack is provided) afterwards installing Windows 10 on your computer or virtual automobile.

The product keys for Windows x Pro and Windows 10 Pro N are different (this rule is true for other Windows 10 and Windows ten Northward editions).

Applicable notices and license terms. Read the license agreement and select the I accept the license terms checkbox.

Which type of installation do y'all want? Select Custom: Install Windows just (avant-garde) to perform a make clean installation.

The license agreement of Windows 10 and installation type options

Where do you desire to install Windows? Now you should create a partitioning table with the configuration that is suitable for you. You can see the 60 GB empty virtual difficult deejay (or another size virtual disk if you configured that in VM settings). Click New to create a new partition and enter the partition size, and so click Apply. Windows automatically creates the outset fifty MB service partition prior to your custom partition. If y'all don't want to have this additional service division on your disk, yous tin delete the service sectionalisation. It is especially useful when you lot use the MBR partition table with a limit of four partitions, but you need to apply the same corporeality for your work without wasting ane as the service partition. However, you cannot only select the l MB partitioning and click Delete.

In order to delete the 50 MB partition, first, delete your custom sectionalisation (the size of my partition to install Windows x is 59.9 GB). The name of my custom partition is Bulldoze 0 Sectionalization 2.

Creating partitions to install Windows 10 as a VM guest OS

Then select the service partition (Bulldoze 0 Segmentation 1: Organization Reserved) and click Extend. We extend the kickoff partitioning to the maximum possible size. Click Apply to save settings.

Now we accept one sixty GB partition on our virtual disk to install Windows 10. Later you can create new virtual disks for a VM in VMware Fusion, create partitions, and format them in a guest operating system subsequently finishing Windows 10 installation. Select the partition where Windows ten must be installed, and hit Next. Wait until the installer copies all the needed files and installs Windows.

Configuring a partition scheme to install Windows 10

Let's beginning with region. Select your location. I cull the United States.

Selecting a region when installing Windows 10 as a VMware guest operating system

Is this the right keyboard layout? Select the needed keyboard layout. I use the US keyboard layout for my Windows 10 installation.

Let's connect you to a network. I disable the cyberspace connectedness until I finish Windows x installation and click I don't have internet. Nosotros can configure the net connection and download needed updates later later on completing the installation.

Selecting the keyboard layout and network connection settings

There's more to discover when you connect to the internet. Windows 10 persistently asks y'all to enable an net connection. Notwithstanding, we are not going to plough on the cyberspace until finishing installing the VMware invitee operating organization. Click Continue with limited setup.

Who's going to use this PC? Enter a name for your local user account on the Windows machine, for instance, user1. We disconnected the internet and are not using the Microsoft business relationship.

Entering a user name for Windows 10 running as a guest operating system

Create a super memorable password. Enter a stiff password and recall the password. It is recommended that you utilise a countersign that contains at least 8 characters, including uppercase, lowercase letters, digits, and special characters.

Confirm your password. Enter your password again. And then Windows ten asks you lot to create iii security questions for the user account.

Entering a password for a user account

Choose privacy settings for your device. Deselect all settings that collect your information and send the data to Microsoft.

Let Cortana assistance yous get things done. Select Not now to disable Cortana.

Configuring privacy settings when installing Windows 10

Windows ten is now installed as the VMware guest operating system. You tin see Windows desktop and other elements of the graphical user interface of Windows ten in the window of VMware Fusion running on macOS. Now you accept to install VMware Tools for higher performance and better guest Bone user feel.

Installing VMware Tools

VMware Tools is a ready of drivers and tools developed to amend VM functioning and provide better user experience. Read more nearly VMware Tools in this blog post.

While the VM is powered on and Windows 10  is running as a invitee OS in VMware Fusion, click Virtual Machine > Install VMware Tools.

The post-obit message is displayed: Click Install to connect the VMware Tools installer CD to this virtual machine.

Click Install.

Installing VMware Tools on Windows 10 running as a guest OS in VMware Fusion

A virtual ISO CD prototype is mounted in a invitee Os. Open up the autorun or run setup64.exe on a virtual CD to launch the VMware Tools installer.

Running the installer of VMware Tools in Windows 10 – a VM guest OS

The installation wizard for VMware Tools opens. The welcome screen is displayed first. Striking Side by side at each step of the wizard to go on.

Choose Setup Type. Select Typical (the default option) that is suitable for about cases. You tin perform the complete installation to install all program features of VMware Tools.

Installing VMware Tools

Set to install VMware Tools. Click Install to start the process of VMware Tools installation.

Completed the VMware Tools Setup Wizard. You must restart your system for the VMware Tools configuration changes made to have effect. Click Cease, then click Yes to restart your Windows ten guest OS now.

Finishing installation of VMware Tools

Configuring Shared Folders

Permit'southward configure Shared Folders to better integrate a host OS and guest OS in example nosotros use the More Seamless mode of Easy Install. Shared Folders allow you to re-create files from a host Bone to a guest Bone and vice versa more conveniently. In addition, you can utilize elevate and drop without the demand to share folders and configure permissions manually in the operating system.

In VMware Fusion, go to Virtual Machine > Settings, so click Sharing to open the configuration of Shared Folders.

VM sharing settings in VMware Fusion

Select the Enable Shared Folders checkbox. Click + and select a folder that is accessible from your Mac and that you lot want to share with your Windows guest. In the bottom of the window, become to a Mirrored Folders section. Here select the checkboxes near macOS user folders that you want to share and provide write access in your guest Windows organization.

Configuring Shared Folders for a VM in VMware Fusion

After configuring Shared Folders, yous can see a shortcut to the VMware Shared Folders directory created on the Windows desktop of the guest operating arrangement. The folders stored on the Mac desktop are now displayed on the Windows desktop of the guest Bone.

Shared folders are displayed in Windows 10 running as a VM guest OS

You can expand the guest Os window to the Total Screen mode (View > Full Screen) or enter the Unity mode (View > Unity) to encounter Windows 10 application windows in the macOS GUI as if you lot were using ane mutual desktop surround. Append or shut downwards a VM when y'all want to close the VM and VMware Fusion. VMware Fusion is a powerful virtualization awarding. Information technology also supports running Windows 10 installed on a Boot Camp sectionalization as a virtual machine when you piece of work in macOS as a host Bone. VMware Fusion supports nested virtualization allowing you to run a VM inside a VM. Another advantage of VMs in VMware Fusion is the ability to re-create VM files and run VMs on other Mac computers with VMware Fusion; Windows and Linux computers – with VMware Workstation or Thespian installed. With VM snapshots, you lot tin can test applications and roll back changes to one of the previous snapshots. Yous can use VMware Fusion to connect to ESXi hosts and vCenter Servers by clicking File > Connect to Server. VMware Fusion supports many invitee operating systems, including different versions of Windows, Linux, and FreeBSD.

If you use Windows or Linux as a host OS, you can use VirtualBox or VMware Workstation to run macOS as a VM on your computer. Read some other blog post to larn how to run macOS on VMware ESXi as a VM and weblog posts near VMware Workstation and VMware vs VirtualBox comparison. If you run virtual machines on VMware ESXi, don't forget to back them up. To ensure comprehensive protection for your VMware vSphere VMs, download the Free Edition of NAKIVO Fill-in & Replication that includes licenses for 10 workloads and 5 Microsoft 365 accounts and is absolutely Free for one twelvemonth!

Conclusion

This blog postal service covers the installation of Windows x as a guest operating system running in VMware Fusion on Mac Bone X. For this, you have to bank check system requirements, download installation images of VMware Fusion and Windows 10, install VMware Fusion, create a virtual automobile, and install Windows 10 as a guest Os in VMware Fusion. If you lot want to use the default VM configuration for a Windows 10 VM, you can use Easy Install, which requires minimum user interaction, and automatically installs a invitee Os. If you desire full control over the installation process and to be able to configure everything manually, don't use Like shooting fish in a barrel Install. VMware Fusion is a powerful virtualization application that provides you with a lot of configurable features.