VMware Fusion Pro 26H1 — macOS

VMware Fusion Pro 26H1 runs on any Mac with macOS 13 or later, whether it uses Apple Silicon or an Intel processor. That covers the full range of current Macs — M-series chips and older Intel models alike. Before you download, check that your Mac meets the macOS requirement. Everything else, from USB 3.1 devices to eGPUs, works as expected on both architectures.

1. Check your Mac. Open About This Mac. If you’re running macOS 13 Ventura or newer, you’re good. Both Apple Silicon and Intel are supported.
2. Download the installer. Get the VMware Fusion Pro 26H1 disk image from the usual place.
3. Run the installer. Open the .dmg and launch the installer package. Follow the prompts.
4. Activate. Use the included activation instructions. If the download came with a registration key file, use that when prompted.

Once installed, you can set up Windows 10 with DirectX 11 acceleration, run Linux distros like Ubuntu 26.04 or Fedora 43, spin up local Kubernetes clusters, or connect to ARM-based ESX hosts. The 26H1 release also adds guest OS support for SUSE Linux Enterprise 16 and FreeBSD 15.0. For those who work with containers, OCI support is available through the command line. It’s a solid tool for anyone who needs another OS on their Mac without rebooting.

Installer and VM storage demands

VMware Fusion Pro is a substantial application. On a typical system, the installer takes up a reasonable amount of disk space. Once you have it running, each virtual machine you create will need its own allocation of storage — plan ahead for that. The app itself runs as a background service when you aren't actively using it, so you may notice it in your process list even when no VMs are open. That's normal. Both Intel and Apple Silicon Macs handle it the same way, since the software is compiled for each architecture. The interface stays in English throughout, so if you work with menus and dialogs in another language, be aware that there's no language switch built in.

Check macOS 13 or later before installing

The most common slip is not checking the macOS version before installing. If your Mac is on macOS 12 or earlier, the installer will refuse to run, and you'll waste time chasing why. Always confirm you're on macOS 13 or later first.

Another frequent error is trying to run a Windows virtual machine without enough disk space. Windows 10 alone needs tens of gigabytes, and once you add apps and files, that number climbs fast. Beginners often allocate the bare minimum and then run into trouble when the VM refuses to boot or behaves erratically. Give yourself breathing room from the start.

People also overlook the activation step. The installer goes smoothly, but if you skip the activation instructions that come with the download, the software will eventually stop working. The activation key or registration file is not optional — keep it handy and apply it as soon as the installer asks.

Finally, some new users try to run a VM from an external USB drive and wonder why performance is poor. USB 3.1 is supported for connecting peripherals, but running the virtual machine itself from a fast internal SSD makes a noticeable difference. Use the internal drive for your VM files.

What the 26H1 release changed in everyday use

Most of the changes in version 26H1 are under the hood, but a couple affect daily workflow. The new timestamps for virtual machine creation and last power-on time are a small quality-of-life addition. If you manage multiple VMs, you can now see at a glance which one you last used and when it was first set up. That helps when cleaning out old machines you no longer need.

The support for remote connections to ARM-based ESX hosts matters if your workplace or lab uses ARM servers. Before 26H1, you could only connect to x86 ESX hosts remotely. Now the same remote workflow works for both architectures. That simplifies things if your infrastructure includes a mix of hardware.

The guest OS additions — Ubuntu 26.04 LTS, Fedora 43, Fedora 44, SUSE Linux Enterprise 16, openSUSE 16.0, and FreeBSD 15.0 — mean you can install those operating systems as virtual machines without any manual workarounds. If you test software across multiple Linux distributions, having official guest support for recent releases saves time on configuration.

QA engineer tests three OSes from one MacBook

Consider a QA engineer who needs to verify a web application across Windows 10, Ubuntu 26.04, and Fedora 43 — all from a single MacBook. With VMware Fusion Pro 26H1, they create three VMs, each with a different OS. They use the new timestamps to track which VM was last powered on, so they know where they left off. The DirectX 11 acceleration in the Windows 10 VM lets them test browser-based graphics without stuttering. When their company adds ARM-based ESX hosts to the test lab, they can connect to them remotely from the same Fusion interface. No dual-booting, no separate hardware. It's one less thing to coordinate between machines.

• Adds timestamps for virtual machine creation and last power-on time.
• Adds support for remote connections to ARM-based ESX hosts.
• Adds guest OS support for Ubuntu 26.04 LTS, Fedora 43, Fedora 44, SUSE Linux Enterprise 16, openSUSE 16.0, and FreeBSD 15.0.

• macOS 13 or later
• Apple Silicon or Intel 64-bit processor