VMware Workstation Player

VMware Workstation Player lets you launch any previously created virtual machines on your computer - this makes testing and installing different applications easy and safe.

VMware Player also lets you restore the virtual machine to its previous state, thus preventing any unwanted changes made to your computer.

As all users who ever worked with virtual machines know, they are stored on hard drives just as archives that can be activated and loaded by a wide variety of VMware software players, of which VMware Player aims to be the best one, lightweight and being able to be used in any situation.

Run the apps that keep you most productive, wherever you want to use them. Discover the full capabilities of VMware Workstation Pro!

VMware Player is the easiest way to run multiple operating systems at the same time on your PC. With its user-friendly interface, VMware Player makes it effortless for anyone to try out Windows OS, Chrome OS or the latest Linux releases, or create isolated virtual machines to safely test new software and surf the Web.

In addition to running previously created virtual machines, VMware Player can also create its own, and even have more access to features than the program from which this app was created from - VMware Workstation.

Supported Guest Operating Systems

• Windows 11
• Windows 10
• Windows 8
• Windows 7
• Windows XP
• Ubuntu
• RedHat
• SUSE
• Oracle Linux
• Debian
• Fedora
• openSUSE
• Mint
• Solaris, FreeBSD, and various other Linux Distros

Users who have used other VirtualMachine software can clearly see that VMware Workstation Player offers highly competitive performance, often faster than paid programs and even solutions that come from Microsoft themselves.

Other benefits are very loose restrictions. For example users of the latest version of this app can create virtual machines that have up to 8TB of hard drive space, 16 virtual CPU threats, USB3, great support of SSD data streaming, and ability to emulate Windows 8.1.

Workstation Player is perfect for students, faculty, businesses, and corporate users who need a small sandbox environment for testing or control. A simple user interface provides a streamlined approach and enables more focused use cases.

New Features in VMware Player:

Simple but Powerful Virtualization
With nearly 20 years of active development, the tool builds from the same platform as VMware Workstation Pro and vSphere, making it one of the most mature and stable solutions for local desktop virtualization. Safely and easily run a second operating system as a virtual machine (VM) on a single PC without affecting your main desktop environment and without rebooting.

Your Path to BYO
With the app, you can isolate corporate desktops from BYO devices by disabling copy-and-paste, drag-and-drop, shared folders, and access to USB devices. Run restricted VMs that are encrypted and password-protected to ensure only authorized users can interact with corporate data. Or combine Workstation Player with Horizon FLEX to remotely manage the delivery and security policies of VMs.

The Perfect Tool for Learning
The isolation and sandbox capabilities of VMware WorkstationPlayer make it the perfect tool to help you learn about operating systems, applications, and how they work. Being able to run a server environment on a desktop PC also allows you to explore software and application development in a “real world” environment without interfering with the host desktop.

A Secure and Isolated Environment
Run a secure second desktop with different privacy settings, tools, and networking configurations to keep your host system safe and secure while browsing online.

How to Use VMware Workstation Player for Windows 11/10

• Launch the software and create a new virtual machine
• Select the operating system for the virtual machine
• Allocate CPU, memory, and storage resources
• Install the chosen OS using an ISO file or disc
• Configure network and additional settings as needed
• Start the virtual machine and install necessary software
• Use snapshots to save system states for easy recovery
• Manage virtual machines through the main interface
• Shut down or suspend VMs when not in use

System Requirements

• Windows 11 or Windows 10 (64-bit)
• Intel or AMD 64-bit processor with virtualization support
• Minimum 2 GB RAM (4 GB or more recommended)
• At least 1.2 GB of free disk space for installation
• Additional disk space required for virtual machines
• DirectX 11 compatible graphics for 3D acceleration

PROS

• Free for personal use
• Easy setup and user-friendly interface
• Supports multiple guest operating systems
• Low resource consumption
• Snapshot feature for quick recovery

CONS

• Limited features compared to Pro version
• No support for advanced networking
• Lacks support for encrypted VMs
• Cannot create linked or full clones
• No official technical support

Note: Limited functionality in the demo version.