VMware has archived older versions on their Customer Connect portal. You will need a free VMware account.
Alternate Official Archive (No account required? Not usually):
Previously, my.vmware.com hosted direct links, but post-Broadcom migration, most direct links require login.
Downloading and installing VMware Workstation 16 on Linux is straightforward—if you prepare your system with the correct kernel headers and build tools. The .bundle installer handles most of the heavy lifting, but be prepared to apply a community patch for newer kernels (5.15+).
For developers and IT pros who need reliable, high-performance virtualization with a polished interface, VMware Workstation 16 remains one of the best investments of your time—free for personal use, and well worth the license cost for business.
Final Pro Tip: After installation, take a snapshot of your host Linux system (using Timeshift or similar). That way, if a future kernel update breaks VMware, you can roll back in minutes.
Need the absolute latest version? Consider VMware Workstation 17 Pro for Linux, but expect similar kernel module challenges. For legacy projects or stability-centric environments, stick with version 16.2.5 as outlined above. Vmware Workstation 16 Download Linux
Ready to virtualize? Grab the download link and start building your cross-platform lab today.
To download VMware Workstation 16 for Linux, you must navigate the Broadcom Support Portal, as Broadcom now hosts all former VMware downloads. While older versions like 16 are available, you must first create a free Broadcom account to access the "My Downloads" section. Official Download Steps Downloading VMware Pro | VMware Workstation
VMware Workstation 16 Pro is a powerful Type-2 hypervisor that allows you to run multiple 64-bit operating systems as virtual machines on a Linux host. As of November 2024, VMware Workstation Pro is free for personal, educational, and commercial use. Download and Installation Process
To get VMware Workstation 16 for Linux, follow these steps to download the installer bundle and set it up on your system.
Why go through the trouble of installing version 16 specifically? VMware has archived older versions on their Customer
Launch VMware Workstation from your application menu or via:
vmware
Upon first launch, it will ask you to install the required kernel modules again (click "Install").
Set up NAT networking:
Tip for Linux guests: Install open-vm-tools instead of the legacy VMware Tools:
sudo apt install open-vm-tools open-vm-tools-desktop
The file you downloaded is a generic installer bundle script. It works across most major Linux distributions (Ubuntu, Fedora, Debian, etc.). Alternate Official Archive (No account required
Step 1: Open Terminal and Verify
Navigate to your Downloads folder where the .bundle file resides.
cd ~/Downloads
ls -l VMware-Workstation*
Step 2: Add Execute Permissions The file needs permission to execute as a program.
chmod +x VMware-Workstation-Full-*.bundle
Step 3: Run the Installer You must run this as the root user (superuser).
Step 4: The Setup Wizard Once the installer initializes, it will decompress files and launch a text-based installer interface (or a GUI installer depending on your distro).