VMware Workstation: Download, Versions & Licensing

This is a reference page on VMware Workstation Pro — the desktop hypervisor our VMware support team uses for lab and test workloads. It covers where to download Workstation Pro now that distribution moved to Broadcom, the current licensing terms, version history from 17.0 through 26H1, system requirements, and the status of Workstation Player and Fusion. Facts are taken from Broadcom's release notes, knowledge base, and technical documentation; each section links to the official source.

VMware Workstation Pro is free — including commercial use

VMware Workstation Pro is a type-2 hypervisor for Windows and Linux hosts. It runs multiple x86 virtual machines on a desktop or laptop and connects to remote ESX hosts for basic VM operations.

Licensing changed twice after Broadcom acquired VMware:

• May 2024: Workstation Pro 17.5.2 became free for personal use; commercial use still required a paid subscription. Workstation Player was discontinued in the same change.
• November 2024: Broadcom made Workstation Pro free for commercial, educational, and personal use. Paid subscriptions and paid support for the desktop hypervisor line were discontinued.

No license key is required. The installer still shows a license key field; per Broadcom's download and licensing KB article, you leave it blank and select Finish for the free version. The free terms apply to Workstation Pro 17.5.2 and later (and Fusion Pro 13.5.2 and later); attempting to download earlier builds without a valid legacy license returns a "Not Entitled" error.

VMware Workstation download

Distribution moved from vmware.com to the Broadcom Support Portal. Two working routes:

1. Broadcom Support Portal (primary). Create a free Basic User account at support.broadcom.com, then select VMware Workstation Pro under product downloads. During the first download you complete a Trade Compliance form — use real name, address, and country details, because inaccurate entries fail export-compliance screening and block the download. Acknowledge the terms checkbox, then download the installer for Windows or Linux.
2. VMware evaluation page (shortcut). vmware.com/info/workstation-pro/evaluation is Broadcom's official Workstation Pro download landing page. Despite the "evaluation" URL, it delivers the same free product — there is no separate trial build.

The Windows installer and the Linux .bundle installer are hosted only on Broadcom infrastructure. Download links on third-party sites either redirect to the portal or serve unofficial copies. A companion page covering the download flow step by step is at VMware download.

VMware Workstation version history

Broadcom moved Workstation Pro from 17.x point releases to year-based versioning (25H2, 26H1) in October 2025. Dates below are from Broadcom release notes and the VMware Workstation version history.

The 26H1 release also fixed help links to point at Broadcom Technical Documentation and updated the credential-manager entry format on the host.

System requirements

Host requirements per Broadcom's host system requirements documentation:

• Processor: a 64-bit x86/AMD64 CPU launched in 2011 or later. Running 64-bit guests requires AMD-V (AMD) or VT-x (Intel); VT-x must be enabled in the host firmware, which some vendors ship disabled.
• Host OS: 64-bit Windows or Linux. The supported host list per release is maintained in Broadcom KB 80807. Workstation Pro 17.5.2 was the last release supporting Windows Server 2012 R2 and 2016 hosts.
• Memory and disk: the practical floor is set by the guests you run, not the application — the host needs enough RAM for its own OS plus every powered-on VM, and disk for each virtual disk file. Exact figures per release are in the requirements guide linked above.
• macOS is not a supported host. Apple hardware uses VMware Fusion instead.

Workstation Pro vs. Player vs. Fusion

Workstation Player was the reduced free edition; it was retired when Pro itself became free, since Pro covers everything Player did. Existing Player installs keep running but receive no updates. The replacement path is a straight install of Workstation Pro from the Broadcom portal.

Common download problems

• Broadcom portal login loops or account verification stalls. Basic User registration requires a complete profile — email, address, country. Incomplete profiles hang in export-compliance screening. Broadcom's KB 145581 covers registration; verification issues go to Broadcom Customer Care.
• Trade Compliance form rejection. The form runs a screening check against the entered details. Placeholder data fails it and blocks the download until corrected.
• "Not Entitled" error. Appears when selecting a build older than 17.5.2 without a paid legacy license. Select 17.5.2 or later.
• Old vmware.com download URLs. Pre-acquisition links are dead or redirect. Use the support portal or the evaluation-page URL above.
• Installer asks for a license key. Leave it blank and select Finish; the free version activates without a key.

FAQ

Is VMware Workstation free?

Yes. Since November 2024, Workstation Pro is free for commercial, educational, and personal use. No license key is required.

What is the latest version of VMware Workstation?

Workstation Pro 26H1, released May 14, 2026 (build 25388281). It is the first fully 64-bit build of the Windows application.

Where do I download VMware Workstation now?

From the Broadcom Support Portal (free account required) or via the official evaluation page at vmware.com/info/workstation-pro/evaluation, which hosts the same free build.

What happened to VMware Workstation Player?

Discontinued in May 2024 when Workstation Pro became free; version 17.x reached end of life in November 2025. Workstation Pro is the replacement.

Workstation Pro is a lab and desktop tool; production virtual machines belong on ESX hosts with proper resource management and failover. If a workload has outgrown a desktop hypervisor, our VMware ESXi server support team handles host builds, migrations from Workstation to ESX, and ongoing administration.