VMware Player online course

Install VMware Player on Linux

Install VMware Player on a Linux host from the downloaded .bundle installer using the graphical setup wizard or console mode.

Overview

VMware Player is desktop virtualization software that runs virtual machines on a host computer. This procedure applies to Linux hosts and assumes that you have already downloaded the VMware Player Linux bundle installer. Windows users should follow the separate Windows installation procedure.

A Linux bundle installer is a self-contained VMware installation package, usually identified by the .bundle filename extension. Before starting, identify the directory where your browser saved this file.

Prepare the Linux bundle installer

Open a terminal

Open your Linux desktop's terminal application. You can usually find it in the application menu under a category such as System, Utilities, or Tools. A terminal is a command-line interface where you can run Linux commands and installers.

Change to the download directory

Use cd to move to the directory containing the downloaded VMware bundle. Replace the placeholder path with the actual location on your system.

cd /path/to/download-directory

For example, if the file is in your personal Downloads directory, the command may look like this:

cd ~/Downloads

List the directory contents to confirm the installer is present:

ls

Find the exact filename, including its version number and capitalization. The commands below use VMware-Player-<version>.bundle as a placeholder. Substitute the real filename shown by ls.

Grant execute permission

Downloaded bundle files may not have executable permission. This permission allows a file to run as a program. If necessary, grant it with:

chmod +x VMware-Player-<version>.bundle

You normally need to run this command as your regular user because it changes the permission on a file you downloaded. If the filename contains spaces, enclose the complete filename in quotation marks or use shell tab completion.

Start the installation with sudo

VMware Player installs host software and integration components, so the installer needs root-level privileges. Root is the administrative privilege level on Linux. The sudo command runs a program with elevated privileges when your account is authorized to do so.

Start the installer from the directory that contains it:

sudo ./VMware-Player-<version>.bundle

sudo may ask for your current user's password. Most terminals do not display dots, asterisks, or other characters while you type a password. Type it carefully and press Enter; the lack of visible feedback is normal.

Choose an installation interface

On many Linux distributions with a working desktop session, executing the bundle opens a graphical setup wizard. Some distributions or sessions instead provide a command-line wizard. Both paths install the same application when completed successfully.

To explicitly request the console wizard, run:

sudo ./VMware-Player-<version>.bundle --console

The console wizard is useful over a text-only session, through remote administration, or whenever the graphical interface cannot start.

Complete the installer wizard

Accept the license agreement

Read the VMware license agreement presented by the wizard. Accept it to continue. The installation cannot proceed if you decline the agreement.

Configure update checks

The wizard may ask whether VMware Player should check for updates when it starts. Enable the option if you want startup update checks, or disable it if you prefer to check and manage updates yourself.

Choose anonymous usage-data reporting

You may be asked whether to send anonymous usage data to VMware. This is optional diagnostic or product-usage information. Choose according to your privacy preferences; declining it does not represent a failure of the installation.

Handle the license-key prompt

A license key is a product activation or entitlement code for applicable licensed VMware editions. A key is generally unnecessary for the standard VMware Player product. If you have an applicable VMware Player Pro key, enter it when the wizard requests one. Otherwise, leave the field empty and continue if the installer provides that option.

Confirm and install

Review the selected options and start the installation. The installer copies program files and configures VMware Player's host integration components. Do not close the wizard or terminal while this work is in progress.

Wait for completion and verify the installation

Wait for the installer to finish. A completion message or final wizard screen indicates that the installation process has ended. If the console wizard is running, wait until it returns to a shell prompt or reports successful completion.

Launch VMware Player from your desktop application's menu, or start it from a terminal with:

vmplayer

Confirm that the VMware Player window opens successfully before proceeding to lessons about creating or running virtual machines. For background, see VMware Player overview and what a virtual machine is.

Troubleshooting

Permission denied

If the shell reports “Permission denied,” the bundle may not have executable permission, or it may not have been started with the required privileges. Return to the installer directory, run the chmod command, and then run the bundle with sudo.

chmod +x VMware-Player-<version>.bundle
sudo ./VMware-Player-<version>.bundle

The graphical wizard does not appear

The current distribution, desktop environment, or session may not support the graphical installer path. Run the console version instead:

sudo ./VMware-Player-<version>.bundle --console

The password prompt shows no characters

Linux terminals normally suppress visible password characters during a sudo prompt. Type the authorized user's password and press Enter. If authentication fails, check that you are using the password for the current Linux account, not a VMware license key.

The installer file cannot be found

The terminal may be in a different directory, or the command may not match the downloaded filename. Use cd to move to the correct directory and ls to inspect its contents. Then use the bundle's exact filename in the chmod and installer commands.

cd /path/to/download-directory
ls

Uncertainty about the license key

If you do not have an applicable VMware Player Pro key, leave the key field empty and continue when the wizard allows it. Do not enter a random value.

Next steps

• Learn about creating a virtual machine.
• Review starting a virtual machine.
• Install a guest operating system with manual guest operating system installation.
• Explore VMware Player networking configurations.