12.0
Table Of Contents
- Using VMware Fusion
- Contents
- Using VMware Fusion
- Getting Started with Fusion
- Understanding Fusion
- Virtual Machines and What Fusion Can Do
- Navigating and Taking Action by Using the Fusion Interface
- VMware Fusion Toolbar
- Use the Fusion Toolbar to Access the Virtual-Machine Path
- Default File Location of a Virtual Machine
- Change the File Location of a Virtual Machine
- Perform Actions on Your Virtual Machines from the Virtual Machine Library Window
- Using the Home Pane to Create a Virtual Machine or Obtain One from Another Source
- Using the Fusion Applications Menus
- Using Different Views in the Fusion Interface
- Resize the Virtual Machine Display to Fit
- Using Multiple Displays
- Configuring Fusion
- Setting Fusion Preferences
- Set General Preferences
- Select a Keyboard and Mouse Profile
- Set Key Mappings on the Keyboard and Mouse Preferences Pane
- Set Mouse Shortcuts on the Keyboard and Mouse Preference Pane
- Enable or Disable Mac Host Shortcuts on the Keyboard and Mouse Preference Pane
- Enable Fusion Shortcuts on the Keyboard and Mouse Preference Pane
- Set Fusion Display Resolution Preferences
- Set Default Applications Preferences
- Creating Custom Networks
- Enable Jumbo Frames
- Enable Dictation
- Join or Leave the Customer Experience Improvement Program
- Customizing the Fusion Display
- Keep a Windows Application in the Mac Dock
- Set a Virtual Machine Application to Open When You Log in to Your Mac
- Contents of the Virtual Machine Package
- Work with Virtual Machine Packages
- Setting Fusion Preferences
- Creating Virtual Machines
- Create a Virtual Machine
- Creating a Microsoft Windows Virtual Machine
- Creating a Linux Virtual Machine in Fusion
- Creating a macOS Virtual Machine in Fusion
- Creating a Shared Virtual Machine in Fusion
- Create a Virtual Machine from a Mac Recovery Partition
- Create a Virtual Machine on a Remote Server
- Create a Virtual Machine for Any Supported Operating System
- Power On the Boot Camp Partition as a Virtual Machine
- Activate Windows in a Virtual Machine
- Upload a Virtual Machine to a Remote Server
- Download a Virtual Machine from a Remote Server
- Migrate an Existing Physical PC to a Virtual Machine
- Set Up Your Mac to Accept the Transfer of Files from Your PC
- Connect to Your PC for Migration
- Disable UAC for Windows Vista and Later Before Migrating
- Install and Run the Fusion PC Migration Agent on Your PC
- Run the Migration Assistant on Your Mac
- Ensure that VMware Tools is Installed in the Migrated Virtual Machine
- Importing Windows Virtual Machines
- Export a Virtual Machine to OVF Format
- Installing and Using VMware Tools
- Cloning Virtual Machines with Fusion Pro
- Create a Virtual Machine
- Working with Your Virtual Machines
- Scan for Virtual Machines to Add to the Virtual Machine Library
- Running Fusion and Virtual Machines
- Open an Existing Virtual Machine
- Browse for a Virtual Machine
- Open a Virtual Machine From the Finder
- Start a Virtual Machine's Operating System
- Open a Virtual Machine Without Powering On
- Shut Down a Virtual Machine's Operating System
- Suspend and Resume a Virtual Machine in Fusion
- Cancel a Resume Command
- Power on a Virtual Machine to Firmware in Fusion Pro
- Pause a Virtual Machine
- Restart a Virtual Machine
- Reset a Virtual Machine
- Uninstall a Virtual Machine by Using the Finder
- Uninstall a Virtual Machine by Using the Virtual Machine Library
- Configure SSH Login on a Linux Virtual Machine
- Edit or Delete the SSH Login Configuration for a Linux Virtual Machine
- Send the Ctrl-Alt-Delete Command to a Virtual Machine
- Send Special Key Commands to a Windows or Linux Virtual Machine
- Special Key Commands
- Switch Power Commands from the Default Options
- Options for Fusion Power Commands
- Open a Windows Application While You Are in Unity View
- Open a Windows Application from the Applications Menus
- Moving and Sharing Files with Your Mac
- Sharing Applications Between Your Mac and Your Windows Virtual Machines
- Keep a Windows Application in the Mac Dock
- Switch Between Virtual Machines That Are Powered On
- Using Mac Input Devices in a Virtual Machine
- Force Virtual Machines to Grab Keyboard and Mouse Input
- Sharing Files Between Windows and Your Mac
- Protecting Your Virtual Machines
- Configuring Your Virtual Machines
- Fusion General System Settings
- Set a Virtual Machine to Start When Fusion Starts
- Setting Virtual Processors and Memory
- Enable Default Applications
- Configuring Keyboard and Mouse Profiles
- Enable a CD/DVD Drive on a Remote Virtual Machine
- Enable a Floppy Drive on a Remote Virtual Machine
- View the Status of a Server or Remote Virtual Machine
- Configuring Display Resolution Settings
- Enable Hot Keys for Virtual Machines
- Configure Discrete Graphics Management
- Install VMware Virtual Printer
- Uninstall VMware Virtual Printer
- Set the Default Printer for a Virtual Machine
- Add a Device
- Configuring the Network Connection
- Managing Virtual Hard Disks
- Configuring the CD/DVD Drive
- Configuring a Floppy Device
- Configuring the Sound Card
- Add a Camera to a Virtual Machine
- Configuring the USB Controller and Connecting USB Devices
- Add the USB Controller
- Remove the USB Controller
- Choose Where to Connect a USB Device When You Plug It In
- Set the Default Plug-In Action for a USB Device
- Connect and Disconnect USB Devices
- Connect and Disconnect a USB Device Using the Virtual Machine Toolbar
- Connect a USB Smart Card Reader
- USB Connection Dialog Box Disappears Before Connection Can Be Made
- Add a Parallel Port
- Add a Serial Port
- Sharing Bluetooth Devices with a Virtual Machine
- Configuring a Trusted Platform Module Device
- Select a Startup Device
- Encrypting a Virtual Machine
- Virtual Machine Compatibility
- Configuring Guest Isolation Options for a Virtual Machine
- Managing Advanced Settings
- Configure Time Synchronization Between Guest and Host Operating Systems
- Show the Mac Power Supply Status in the Virtual Machine
- Troubleshooting Your Virtual Machine
- Change Hard Disk Buffering
- Set Password Requirement for Opening a Boot Camp Virtual Machine
- Enable a VNC Client to Access the Virtual Machine Remotely
- Configure Virtual Machine Power Options
- Enable Verbose USB Debugging
- Enable Dark Mode Synchronization
- Enable Microsoft Virtualization-Based Security
- Configure a Firmware Type
- Using vctl Command to Manage Containers and Run Kubernetes Cluster
- Using the vmrun Command to Control Virtual Machines
- Using VMware Fusion REST API
- Upgrading Fusion
The following tables list vmrun commands and parameters for Fusion according to their function.
Parameters are listed one per line. Parameters enclosed in square brackets are optional. The
vertical bar indicates a keyword choice.
The vmrun Power Commands and Parameters
Option Parameters Description
start
path to .vmx file
[ gui | nogui ]
Starts a virtual machine. The default gui option starts the machine interactively, which is
required to display the Fusion interface. The nogui option suppresses the Fusion interface,
including the startup dialog box, to allow noninteractive scripting.
Note To start encrypted virtual machines, use the nogui flag. The vmrun utility does not
support GUI mode with encrypted virtual machines.
stop
path to .vmx file
[ hard | soft ]
Stops a virtual machine. Use the soft option to power off the guest after running shutdown
scripts. Use the hard option to power off the guest without running scripts, as if you
pressed the power button. The default is to use the powerType value specified in the .vmx
file, if present.
reset
path to .vmx file
[ hard | soft ]
Resets a virtual machine. Use the soft option to run shutdown scripts before rebooting the
guest. Use the hard option to reboot the guest without running scripts, as if you pressed
the reset button. The default is to use the powerType value specified in the .vmx file, if
present.
suspend
path to .vmx file
[ hard | soft ]
Suspends a virtual machine without shutting down the virtual machine, so local work can
resume later. The soft option suspends the guest after running system scripts. On
Windows guests, these scripts release the IP address. On Linux guests, the scripts suspend
networking. The hard option suspends the guest without running the scripts. The default is
to use the powerType value specified in the .vmx file, if present.
To resume virtual machine operations after the suspend command finishes, use the start
command. On Windows, the IP address is retrieved. On Linux, networking is restarted.
pause
path to .vmx file
Pauses a virtual machine.
unpause
path to .vmx file
Resumes operations of a virtual machine from where you paused normal operations.
The vmrun Snapshot Commands and Parameters
Option
Parameters Description
listSnapshots
path to .vmx file
[ showtree ]
Lists all snapshots in a virtual machine. The showtree option displays
snapshots in tree format, with children indented under their parent.
snapshot
path to .vmx file
snapshot name
Creates a snapshot of a virtual machine. Because Fusion supports
multiple snapshots, you must provide the snapshot name.
Because the forward slash defines path names, do not use the slash
character in a snapshot name. Otherwise, specifying the snapshot path
later becomes difficult.
Using VMware Fusion
VMware, Inc. 194










