VMware ESXi and vSphere Cluster Management

Connect or Disconnect USB Devices in VMware Workstation Player Virtual Machines

Learn how to connect a USB device to a running VMware Workstation Player VM, verify it in the guest, safely disconnect it, and return it to the host.

VMware Workstation Player can use USB passthrough to assign a physical USB device connected to the host computer to a virtual machine (VM). This lets the guest operating system use a flash drive, scanner, hardware key, or another supported USB peripheral.

The device normally belongs to one operating system at a time. When you connect it to the guest, VMware disconnects it from the host. When you disconnect it from the guest, control returns to the host.

Understand host and guest USB ownership

The host operating system is installed directly on the physical computer running VMware Workstation Player. The guest operating system runs inside the VM.

A physical USB device can generally be controlled by either the host or the powered-on guest, but not both at once. This ownership change is the central idea behind USB passthrough:

  • Connected to the host: Host applications can use the device, but the guest does not have direct control of it.
  • Connected to the guest: The guest can use the device, and the host releases it.
  • Disconnected from the guest: The device becomes available to the host again.

Requirements before connecting a USB device

  1. The target VM must be powered on. A USB device cannot be attached to a VM that is powered off.
  2. The USB device must be physically plugged into the host computer.
  3. The host must recognize the device. Test it on the host before troubleshooting the VM.
  4. The guest must include a compatible built-in or vendor-provided driver.
  5. Applications using the device should be closed on the host before attempting passthrough.

For storage, make sure pending transfers and synchronization tasks have finished. For specialized peripherals, check whether the guest application requires a particular driver, permission, or configuration.

Automatic USB connection behavior

When a USB device is inserted while a VM is running, Player may direct the newly inserted device to the active guest instead of leaving it with the host. The active virtual machine window is the VMware window currently selected for keyboard and mouse input.

Automatic behavior can depend on the device type, which window has focus, Player configuration, and host and guest support. Do not assume that insertion always attaches the device to the guest. Check the guest and host, then use the manual connection procedure when necessary.

Example: a device inserted while the VM is active

  1. Power on the target VM and leave its window active.
  2. Insert the supported USB device into the host computer.
  3. Check whether the device appears automatically in the guest.
  4. If it remains available on the host, attach it manually through Player > Removable Devices.

Connect a USB device through the Player menu

Use this procedure to attach a detected USB device to a running guest:

  1. Start the VM and wait for the guest operating system to finish booting.
  2. Insert the USB device into the host computer if it is not already connected.
  3. In the running VM window, open the Player menu.
  4. Open Removable Devices. This submenu lists detected removable hardware, including eligible USB devices.
  5. Select the USB device you want to use.
  6. Choose Connect (Disconnect from host).
  7. Wait for the guest to detect the device.
  8. Verify the device in the guest operating system.
Player > Removable Devices > [USB device] > Connect (Disconnect from host)

The device may disappear from host file managers or host device tools immediately after the ownership change. That is expected: the guest now controls the physical device.

Connect or disconnect from the VM status-bar icon

Player may show a removable-device or USB icon in the VM status bar or taskbar area. This icon provides a shortcut to the same ownership controls.

  1. Locate the removable-device or USB icon in the running VM interface.
  2. Right-click the icon.
  3. Select the desired USB device.
  4. Choose the available connect action to assign it to the guest, or the disconnect action to return it to the host.

This shortcut performs the same operation as the Removable Devices menu; it only provides a faster route.

Verify the device inside the guest

Connecting a device in Player does not guarantee that the guest has mounted it or assigned it a usable path. Verification depends on the device type and guest operating system.

USB storage

  • Open the guest file manager and look for a new drive or mounted volume.
  • Use the guest disk-management utility to check whether the device is detected but not mounted.
  • If the volume is present but has no drive path or mount point, assign one using the guest's normal storage tools.

USB peripherals

  • Check the guest's device settings or device manager.
  • Install the manufacturer's guest driver if the operating system does not provide one.
  • Open the relevant guest application and test the scanner, hardware key, or other peripheral.

Disconnect a USB device and return it to the host

Before changing ownership, stop all activity involving the device. For removable storage, use the guest operating system's safe-eject or unmount command first.

  1. Close guest applications that are using the USB device.
  2. Stop file transfers, backups, synchronization, and other writes.
  3. For storage, use the guest's Eject, Safely Remove, or Unmount control.
  4. With the VM still running, open Player > Removable Devices.
  5. Select the USB device currently attached to the guest.
  6. Choose Disconnect (Connect to host).
  7. Wait for the host operating system to detect the device again.
Player > Removable Devices > [USB device] > Disconnect (Connect to host)

You can use the status-bar shortcut instead: right-click the removable-device icon, select the attached device, and choose the disconnect action that connects it back to the host.

Example: attach a USB flash drive to a Windows or Linux guest

  1. Insert the flash drive into the host computer.
  2. Confirm that the host recognizes it, then close any host file manager or synchronization window using the drive.
  3. Power on the target VM.
  4. Open Player > Removable Devices.
  5. Select the flash drive and choose Connect (Disconnect from host).
  6. Open the guest file manager or disk utility and locate the drive.
  7. Read or modify the files from the guest as needed.
  8. When finished, close files and applications, finish all transfers, and safely eject or unmount the drive in the guest.
  9. Choose Disconnect (Connect to host) in Player.
  10. Confirm that the host detects the flash drive and then use the host's safe-removal process before physically unplugging it.

Example: use a USB peripheral in the guest

  1. Connect a supported scanner, hardware key, or similar peripheral to the host.
  2. Attach it from the Removable Devices menu or the status-bar device icon.
  3. Install or confirm the required driver in the guest.
  4. Test the peripheral with its guest application.
  5. Close the application and return the device to the host when guest use is complete.

USB device connection states

Connected to host

Who can use it: Host operating system and host applications.

How to change state: Choose Connect (Disconnect from host) in Player to assign it to the guest.

How to verify: Confirm that the host detects and can access the device.

Connected to guest virtual machine

Who can use it: Guest operating system and guest applications.

How to change state: Choose Disconnect (Connect to host) in Player to return it to the host.

How to verify: Check the guest file manager, disk utility, device settings, or application.

Not detected or unavailable

Who can use it: Neither system can currently use it through Player.

How to change state: Confirm the physical connection, host recognition, drivers, permissions, and application access.

How to verify: Test the device on the host and check whether it appears in the Player device list.

Common USB passthrough issues

Device is absent from Removable Devices

Likely cause: The host does not recognize it, it is not passthrough-capable, or host software is holding it.

Recommended action: Confirm host operation, reconnect the device, refresh the VMware menu, and close backup, security, synchronization, or device-management software.

Device does not appear in the guest after connection

Likely cause: The guest has not finished detecting it, lacks a driver, or has not mounted the storage volume.

Recommended action: Wait briefly, inspect guest device settings or disk tools, install the required driver, and mount or assign the volume if necessary.

Device cannot be disconnected from the host

Likely cause: The VM is powered off, the host is using the device, or another application controls it.

Recommended action: Power on the VM, close host programs, safely release or eject the device when appropriate, and retry.

Storage device reports it is busy

Likely cause: A guest application, file transfer, or background service still has the storage open.

Recommended action: Close applications, finish writes, and safely eject or unmount the volume in the guest.

Device returns to the host unexpectedly

Likely cause: Automatic USB rules, focus changes, device resets, or host and guest compatibility behavior.

Recommended action: Check the active VM, reconnect it manually, and investigate guest drivers or host software that may be reclaiming the device.

Safe removal and data protection

  • Stop file transfers before disconnecting the device from either operating system.
  • Close applications that have files, ports, or device handles open.
  • Use the guest's safe-eject or unmount process before returning removable storage to the host.
  • After the device returns to the host, use the host's safe-removal process before unplugging it.
  • Never physically unplug storage while either system may still be writing to it.

Changing ownership without an eject or unmount can leave cached writes pending and may corrupt the filesystem or lose data.

Compatibility and passthrough limitations

Some specialized USB devices require guest drivers, elevated permissions, firmware support, or application-specific configuration. A device can appear in Player yet remain unusable until the guest driver is installed.

Host software can also prevent passthrough. Backup, synchronization, security, endpoint-management, and device-management tools may keep a device open. Close or pause those tools only when appropriate for the host's security and data-protection requirements.

USB passthrough is different from shared folders. Passthrough assigns the physical USB device to the guest. Shared folders provide access to selected host files without attaching the physical USB storage device to the guest.

Exam-relevant points

  • The VM must be powered on before a USB device can be attached.
  • The device must be physically connected and recognized by the host.
  • Connect (Disconnect from host) attaches the device to the guest.
  • Disconnect (Connect to host) returns the device to the host.
  • The host and guest generally cannot control the same physical USB device at the same time.
  • Safe-eject or unmount removable storage before changing ownership.
  • Player connection does not replace the need for compatible guest drivers or guest-side mounting.

For a concise repeatable procedure, use the USB device connection and disconnection guide as a reference.