VMware ESXi and vSphere Cluster Management

Access Shared Folders in VMware Workstation Player Guest Systems

Learn where VMware Workstation Player shared folders appear in Windows and Linux guests, how to open them, and how to troubleshoot access safely.

A VMware shared folder lets the guest operating system—the operating system running inside a virtual machine—access a directory on the host operating system, the physical computer running VMware Workstation Player. This is a convenient way to exchange files without attaching a separate disk or configuring a conventional network share.

Shared folders use VMware's host-guest file-sharing mechanism, commonly called HGFS. The feature is different from a normal network share, drag-and-drop, copy and paste, USB passthrough, or manually copied files. A shared folder is presented through VMware guest-integration software and must already be enabled and configured for the target virtual machine.

Requirements Before Accessing a Shared Folder

  • The virtual machine must be powered on.
  • VMware Tools must be installed and running in a Windows guest.
  • A Linux guest needs VMware Tools or the appropriate open-vm-tools package and services.
  • The host directory configured for sharing must still exist and be available.
  • The shared-folder feature must be enabled for the virtual machine, either persistently or for the current session, depending on the configuration.
  • The share must have a configured guest-visible name. This name is not necessarily the same as the folder's path on the host.

Review the virtual machine's configuration using the equivalent of Virtual machine settings > Options > Shared Folders. Enable the feature, add a host directory, assign a share name, and choose read-only or read-write access where available.

Shared Folder Locations by Guest Operating System

Guest platform: Windows guest

Primary access method: File Explorer, Network, or a UNC path

Typical location or path: \\vmware-host\Shared Folders\<share-name>

Expected share representation: A VMware host entry named vmware-host, containing a Shared Folders location and the configured shares

Guest platform: Linux guest

Primary access method: Terminal, file manager, or an HGFS mount

Typical location or path: /mnt/hgfs/<share-name>

Expected share representation: Each enabled host share normally appears as a subdirectory below /mnt/hgfs

Access a Shared Folder from a Windows Guest

Browse with File Explorer

  1. Start the virtual machine and sign in to Windows.
  2. Open File Explorer.
  3. Select Network in the navigation pane. Network discovery may need to be enabled before network computers are displayed.
  4. Locate the VMware-provided computer entry named vmware-host.
  5. Open vmware-host, then open Shared Folders.
  6. Open the directory whose name matches the share name configured in the virtual machine settings.

The usual Windows path pattern is:

\\vmware-host\Shared Folders\<share-name>

Replace <share-name> with the configured guest-visible name. Do not replace it with the host's full filesystem path.

Open the Share Directly with a UNC Path

A UNC path is a Windows network path that begins with two backslashes. Enter the following form in the File Explorer address bar:

\\vmware-host\Shared Folders\<share-name>

Direct access is useful when vmware-host does not appear immediately under Network. It also avoids relying on network-browsing visibility.

Map the Share to a Drive Letter

A mapped network drive assigns a drive letter to a network or shared-folder path. In File Explorer, use the option to map a network drive, choose an unused letter, and enter the UNC path for the share. For example, map \\vmware-host\Shared Folders\Documents to drive V:.

A mapped drive provides a convenient shortcut for repeated access. If the virtual machine is not running or the shared-folder integration is unavailable, the mapped drive may appear disconnected until the feature becomes available again.

Access a Shared Folder from a Linux Guest

The customary Linux mount point for VMware shared folders is /mnt/hgfs. Each enabled share normally appears as a directory below that location.

cd /mnt/hgfs
ls

To enter a particular share, use its configured name:

cd /mnt/hgfs/<share-name>
ls

For example, if the share is named Documents, its typical path is /mnt/hgfs/Documents. The exact final directory name depends on the share name configured for the virtual machine.

Check Whether HGFS Is Mounted

If /mnt/hgfs exists but contains no share directories, check whether the HGFS filesystem is mounted:

mount | grep hgfs

On a systemd-based Linux guest, check the VMware Tools daemon:

systemctl status vmtoolsd

The command may require administrator privileges, depending on the distribution and service configuration. If the daemon is missing or inactive, install or repair the appropriate VMware Tools or open-vm-tools package, then restart the service or guest as appropriate.

Host Paths, Share Names, and Guest Paths

Three names can be involved:

  • Host filesystem path: The actual directory on the physical computer.
  • Share name: The label assigned in VMware settings and exposed to the guest.
  • Guest path: The location used inside Windows or Linux to open the share.

Windows uses this pattern:

\\vmware-host\Shared Folders\<share-name>

Linux normally uses this pattern:

/mnt/hgfs/<share-name>

The share name may differ from the final directory name on the host. Always check the virtual machine's Shared Folders configuration when a path does not work.

Permissions and Access Limitations

Guest access is limited by both VMware's shared-folder settings and permissions on the host directory. A share configured as read-only allows the guest to view or read files but prevents guest modifications. A read-write share still cannot bypass host-side permissions or filesystem restrictions.

  • Check whether the share is configured as read-only or read-write.
  • Confirm that the host user and host filesystem permit the requested operation.
  • In Linux, verify that the guest user has suitable permissions. Some VMware Tools implementations use a particular group or mount- permission arrangement.
  • Remember that an application may impose its own restrictions even when the filesystem permits access.

Safe File-Use Practices

Do not open the same shared file in host and guest applications at the same time. Concurrent writes can overwrite changes, create conflicting versions, or damage data when one or both applications do not use interoperable file locking.

  1. Close a document, spreadsheet, database, or project file in the host before opening it in the guest.
  2. Save and close the file in the guest before reopening it on the host.
  3. Keep backups of important files.
  4. For collaborative or frequently changing work, use source control or a synchronization workflow instead of relying on simultaneous editing through a shared folder.

Basic Verification and Diagnosis

When a share cannot be opened, check the configuration in order:

  1. Verify that the host directory exists.
  2. If the directory is on removable or network storage, confirm that the storage is connected and available to the host.
  3. Confirm that Shared Folders is enabled for this virtual machine.
  4. Confirm that at least one host directory and guest-visible share name are configured.
  5. Confirm that VMware Tools or open-vm-tools is installed and its services are active.
  6. Restart the guest or the relevant VMware Tools service after configuration changes when necessary.

Common Shared Folder Access Problems

Symptom: vmware-host is absent in Windows

Likely cause: Shared folders are disabled, VMware Tools is missing or inactive, or Network browsing is delayed or unavailable.

How to verify: Review VM settings, check VMware Tools, and test the UNC path directly.

Recommended resolution: Enable the feature, repair or install VMware Tools, restart if needed, and try \\vmware-host\Shared Folders\<share-name>.

Symptom: The direct UNC path cannot be opened

Likely cause: The share name is incorrect, no host directory is configured, or guest integration is unavailable.

How to verify: Compare the path with the share name in VM settings and verify the host directory exists.

Recommended resolution: Correct the share name, configure a valid host directory, and confirm VMware Tools is active.

Symptom: /mnt/hgfs is empty in Linux

Likely cause: VMware Tools or open-vm-tools is missing or inactive, HGFS is not mounted, or no shares are enabled.

How to verify: Run mount | grep hgfs, check systemctl status vmtoolsd, and review VM settings.

Recommended resolution: Install or activate the guest tools, enable a share, and restart the service or guest.

Symptom: Permission denied when writing

Likely cause: The share is read-only, host permissions reject the write, or the Linux user lacks required access.

How to verify: Check the share mode, host folder permissions, and Linux user or group permissions.

Recommended resolution: Select read-write access where appropriate and correct the relevant host or guest permissions.

Symptom: The host folder is unavailable

Likely cause: The directory was moved, deleted, disconnected, or is stored on unavailable removable or network storage.

How to verify: Open the folder on the host and check the storage connection.

Recommended resolution: Reconnect the storage or update the shared-folder configuration to point to an available directory.

Symptom: File changes conflict or a file becomes corrupted

Likely cause: Host and guest applications edited the same file simultaneously, or file locking was not interoperable.

How to verify: Review whether the file was open in both environments and check backups or recovery copies.

Recommended resolution: Stop simultaneous editing, recover a known-good copy, and use a close-before-open workflow.

Exam-Relevant Notes

  • Windows: Look for vmware-host, then Shared Folders, or use the UNC path.
  • Linux: Look below /mnt/hgfs for directories named after configured shares.
  • VMware Tools or open-vm-tools is required for guest integration.
  • The host directory path and the guest-visible share name are different concepts.
  • Read-only configuration and host permissions can prevent writes even when the share is visible.
  • A shared folder is not the same as a conventional network share, drag-and-drop, USB passthrough, or a copied file.

For a concise workflow, see accessing a shared folder and apply the Windows or Linux path pattern for your guest.