Since Broadcom acquired VMware, the download process for VMware Workstation 16 Pro for Linux has shifted. Notably, VMware Workstation Pro and Fusion Pro are now free for personal use. 1. Official Download Access
You can no longer find direct downloads on the old VMware site. Access is now managed through the Broadcom Support Portal:
Sign In: You will need to create a free Broadcom account to access the download files.
Select Product: Look for "VMware Workstation Pro" in the product downloads list.
Linux Version: Download the .bundle file specifically for Linux (usually labeled for 64-bit systems). 2. Installation Steps
Once you have the .bundle file, follow these terminal commands to install it on your Linux distribution (Ubuntu, Fedora, etc.):
Grant Permissions: Open your terminal and navigate to your downloads folder. Make the file executable:chmod +x VMware-Workstation-Full-16.x.x.x.bundle
Run with Sudo: Execute the installer with administrative privileges:sudo ./VMware-Workstation-Full-16.x.x.x.bundle
GUI Setup: An installation wizard will pop up. Follow the prompts to accept the license agreements and complete the setup. 3. Post-Installation Tips Vmware Workstation 16 Download Linux
Free License: When prompted for a license key, select the option for Personal Use to use it for free.
Kernel Modules: If the application fails to start, you may need to install build essentials to compile the necessary kernel modules:sudo apt install build-essential linux-headers-$(uname -r)
VMware Tools: After installing a guest OS (like Windows or another Linux distro), ensure you click Virtual Machine > Install VMware Tools to enable features like screen resizing and shared folders.
Installing VMware Tools in VMware Player - Broadcom support portal
Resolution * Power on the virtual machine. * Log in to the virtual machine using an account with Administrator or root privileges. Broadcom support portal VMware Fusion and Workstation are Now Free for All Users
To download and install VMware Workstation 16 Pro for Linux, you must navigate the updated Broadcom Support Portal following Broadcom’s acquisition of VMware. Download Instructions Register/Login : Go to the Broadcom Support Portal and create a free account if you don't already have one. Navigate to Downloads : Click on VMware Cloud Foundation My Downloads Search for Workstation : Search for " Workstation Pro
" or select the "Free Software Downloads" section if you are using it for personal use. Select Version VMware Workstation Pro 16
(or the latest version, as Pro is now free for personal use) and choose the Download Bundle : Agree to the terms and download the Installation Steps on Linux Since Broadcom acquired VMware, the download process for
file is downloaded, follow these terminal commands to install: easy guide to download vmware pro workstation
Declaring identified domains: VMware Workstation 16 Pro and Player for Linux are high-performance hypervisors that allow you to run multiple virtual machines on a single Linux host. While newer versions like Workstation 17 are now available, version 16 remains a stable choice for many users. Broadcom support portal 1. Download and System Requirements
You can download the VMware Workstation 16 bundle for Linux from the official Broadcom Support Portal VMware Blogs Minimum Requirements: 64-bit x86 processor (2GHz or faster).
2GB RAM minimum, though 4GB+ is highly recommended for smooth performance.
Additional disk space is required for each virtual machine you create.
Supports various 64-bit distros, including Ubuntu (16.04 to 20.04), RHEL, and CentOS. Broadcom support portal 2. Installation Steps (Terminal) The Linux installer is provided as a file. Follow these steps to install it: Desktop Hypervisor Solutions | VMware
sudo vmware-modconfig --console --install-all
dmesg | grep -i vmware
Background A systems engineer named Mira needs to set up multiple isolated Linux test environments on her workstation to validate kernel patches and new container runtimes. Her team standard is VMware Workstation 16 for consistent hypervisor behavior across engineers. Time is limited; she must download, install, and license Workstation 16 on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS, create a VM for Ubuntu Server 22.04, and snapshot a baseline to enable fast rollbacks.
Step-by-step plan (actionable)
Outcome Within ~60–90 minutes, Mira has VMware Workstation 16 installed on her Ubuntu host, a configured Ubuntu Server 22.04 VM with open-vm-tools, and a snapshoted baseline she can clone or revert to for safe, repeatable kernel testing.
VMware Workstation relies on kernel modules (e.g., vmmon, vmnet) that must match your current running kernel. If you update your Linux kernel via a system update, VMware may stop working.
sudo vmware-modconfig --console --install-all recompiles the modules. If this fails (common on newer kernels), you may need community patches from the GitHub repository mkubecek/vmware-host-modules.Virtualization has become the backbone of modern IT infrastructure, and for Linux users, VMware Workstation 16 remains one of the most powerful, stable, and feature-rich Type-2 hypervisors available. Whether you are a developer testing cross-platform applications, a system administrator running multiple server environments, or a cybersecurity enthusiast building a malware analysis lab, VMware Workstation 16 on Linux offers enterprise-grade performance on your desktop.
This article provides a complete walkthrough: from downloading the correct bundle for your Linux distribution, to installation, post-setup tuning, and troubleshooting common Linux-specific pitfalls.
| Issue | Solution |
| :--- | :--- |
| Unable to open /dev/vmmon: No such file | Run sudo modprobe vmmon and sudo /etc/init.d/vmware start |
| VMware USB arbitration service fails | sudo systemctl enable vmware-usbarbitrator then sudo systemctl start vmware-usbarbitrator |
| 3D acceleration greyed out | Ensure you have proper GPU drivers installed (nvidia-driver-xxx or mesa-utils) |
| VMware UI is blurry on HiDPI | Go to Edit > Preferences > Display and enable "Scale display to fit window" |
# Make the bundle executable
chmod +x VMware-Workstation-Full-16.2.5-*.bundle
Configuring Kernel Modules
After installation, VMware must compile several kernel modules (vmmon, vmnet). You’ll likely see a popup: “Before you can run VMware, several modules must be compiled and loaded.”
Prerequisites before proceeding:
# Debian/Ubuntu
sudo apt update && sudo apt install build-essential linux-headers-$(uname -r) dkms
2. Official Download Source
| Item | Details |
|------|---------|
| Official website | https://www.vmware.com/products/workstation-pro.html |
| Direct download (v16) | Requires a free VMware Customer Connect account. Base URL: https://customerconnect.vmware.com/downloads/details?downloadGroup=WKST-1625-LX&productId=1038 |
| Filename example | VMware-Workstation-Full-16.2.5-20904516.x86_64.bundle |
| Filesize | ~550–570 MB | Troubleshooting commands & logs
Note: VMware Workstation 16 is no longer actively updated (end of support was Q2 2023). Version 17 is current, but v16 remains downloadable for licensed users or those with compatibility needs.