VMware Download: ESXi, Workstation & vSphere Links

Before you download VMware software — or hand the deployment to a VMware ESXi server support team — know that the old vmware.com download pages are gone. Since Broadcom completed its acquisition of VMware, every installer, ISO, and patch is distributed through the Broadcom Support Portal at support.broadcom.com, and every download requires a Broadcom account. This page lists where each product now lives, which downloads are free, which require an entitlement, and what to do when the portal refuses to hand over a file.

Where VMware downloads live now

All VMware binaries are served from the Broadcom Support Portal. There is no anonymous download path. The flow is the same for free and paid products:

1. Create a Broadcom account at the Broadcom registration page. A personal email address works; no purchase or company domain is required for the free products.
2. Sign in at support.broadcom.com and open My Downloads. Free products (Workstation Pro, Fusion Pro, the free ESXi hypervisor, VMware Tools) appear under the free software downloads section without any entitlement attached to the account.
3. Select the product, then the version. Each download row has a checkbox to accept the terms and conditions — the download button stays inactive until it is checked, which is the single most common reason people report the button "not working."
4. Paid products (vSphere, vCenter Server, VMware Cloud Foundation) only appear after a site ID with active entitlements is linked to your account. That linkage comes from your Broadcom sales contact or partner, not from anything you can self-serve.

Old bookmarks such as customerconnect.vmware.com and my.vmware.com redirect to the Broadcom portal or dead-end entirely. Third-party mirrors hosting VMware ISOs are unofficial copies; the portal is the only source with intact signatures and current builds.

Download sources by product

Downloading the free ESXi 8 ISO

The free hypervisor disappeared when Broadcom first restructured VMware licensing, then returned with ESXi 8.0 Update 3e in April 2025. The current path: sign in to the portal, open the free software downloads section, select VMware vSphere Hypervisor, pick the 8.0U3e (or later) release, accept the terms checkbox, and download the ISO. No license key entry is required — the free tier no longer uses the old separate free-license key mechanism. The build is the full ESXi installer; the free mode restricts management to the host client (no vCenter attachment) and provides no Broadcom support entitlement. Feature and hardware details are covered in our VMware ESXi reference.

Downloading Workstation Pro and Fusion

Workstation Pro and Fusion Pro are free for both personal and commercial use; the paid Workstation licenses were discontinued. The download still requires the portal login. Sign in, open free software downloads, select the product, choose the latest 17.x (Workstation) or 13.x (Fusion) build, tick the terms checkbox, and download. If the product listing appears but the button does nothing, Broadcom KB 344595: Unable to download VMware Workstation Pro documents the fixes — most cases are the unticked terms checkbox, a stale browser session, or an ad blocker interfering with the download token. Version history and host requirements are in our VMware Workstation guide.

Common download errors

Free vs paid summary

• Free with a Broadcom account: Workstation Pro 17, Fusion Pro 13, ESXi free hypervisor (8.0U3e+), VMware Tools, vCenter Converter. Personal and commercial use permitted; no support entitlement included.
• Entitlement required: ESXi with vCenter management, vCenter Server, vSphere Foundation, VMware Cloud Foundation. Sold as subscriptions per core through Broadcom or its resellers; downloads become available only after the entitlement is linked to your portal account.
• Discontinued: perpetual vSphere licenses, the standalone Workstation/Fusion paid SKUs, and the old free-ESXi license key. Existing perpetual keys keep working on the versions they cover but receive no new version downloads.

FAQ

Is VMware ESXi free again?

Yes. Broadcom reinstated the free hypervisor with ESXi 8.0 Update 3e in April 2025. It requires a Broadcom account to download, runs standalone without vCenter, and carries no support contract.

Can I download VMware without a Broadcom account?

No. All downloads — free and paid — go through support.broadcom.com and require a signed-in account. Registration is free and takes a personal email address.

Is VMware Workstation really free for commercial use?

Yes. Workstation Pro and Fusion Pro became free for personal use in May 2024 and for commercial use in November 2024. The paid desktop hypervisor SKUs were withdrawn at the same time.

Where do I get vSphere or vCenter downloads?

Only from the portal with an active entitlement. If your organization has a vSphere subscription and you cannot see the ISOs, the site ID holding the contract has not been linked to your user — your Broadcom account admin or reseller resolves that.