VMware Tools

Table of Contents

1. What is VMware Tools?
2. Recommended versions
3. Install
   • Windows
   • Linux (open-vm-tools)
4. Check current version
   • Windows
   • Linux (open-vm-tools)
5. Upgrade
   • Windows
   • Linux (open-vm-tools)
6. Official documentation
   
   

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What is VMware Tools?

VMware Tools is the in-guest integration that enables clean shutdowns and reboots, time sync, richer drivers and performance tweaks. On most Linux distributions this is provided as open-vm-tools, which is the open-source edition packaged by your Linux vendor. Keeping Tools current is important to avoid bugs and known security issues.

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Recommended versions

As of 2025-10-14:

Windows:

• VMware Tools 13.0.5 (internal version 13317) or newer.
• VMware Tools 12.5.4 (internal version 12452) or newer. Use 12.x only if your OS requires it.

Linux:

• Use the latest open-vm-tools from your distribution's repositories.
  
  

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Install

Windows

1. From Glesys Cloud, click Manage on the VM
2. Go to the CD/DVD tab
3. Mount "windows.iso" which is located under VMware-tools
4. Run the setup inside the OS from the mounted drive
5. Unmount by either ejecting the drive inside the OS, or by choosing "Active ISO: None" and clicking Mount ISO inside Glesys Cloud.

Linux (open-vm-tools)

Ubuntu / Debian

sudo apt update

# Server with CLI only
sudo apt install -y open-vm-tools

# GUI desktops
sudo apt install -y open-vm-tools-desktop

# Verify
vmware-toolbox-cmd -v
systemctl is-active --quiet vmtoolsd && echo 'vmtoolsd running'

AlmaLinux

sudo dnf makecache
sudo dnf install -y open-vm-tools

# Verify
rpm -q open-vm-tools
systemctl is-active --quiet vmtoolsd && echo 'vmtoolsd running'

Talos Linux

Talos is immutable with no apt/dnf. Install VMware integration by enabling the vmtoolsd system extension in your Talos machine config, then roll out the updated extension; verify with talosctl that the extension is loaded and healthy.

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Check current version

Depending on your operating system, these are the ways to check which version you currently have installed.

Windows

From an elevated PowerShell or CMD:

"C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware Tools\VMwareToolboxCmd.exe" -v

This prints the version and build.

Linux (open-vm-tools)

# Show Tools version
vmware-toolbox-cmd -v

# Service status
systemctl status vmtoolsd

# Query the package version (Debian/Ubuntu)
dpkg -s open-vm-tools | grep -i '^Version'

# Query the package version (AlmaLinux)
rpm -q open-vm-tools

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Upgrade

Upgrading VMware Tools on Windows requires a reboot (driver updates), while Linux updates typically only restart the vmtoolsd service.

Windows

1. From Glesys Cloud, click Manage on the VM
2. Go to the CD/DVD tab
3. Mount "windows.iso" which is located under VMware-tools
4. Run the setup inside the OS from the mounted drive to upgrade
5. Unmount by either ejecting the drive inside the OS, or by choosing "Active ISO: None" and clicking Mount ISO inside Glesys Cloud.

Please note that a reboot will likely occur during the upgrade process.

Linux (open-vm-tools)

open-vm-tools is normally upgraded with regular OS updates. If upgrades are held/locked, see notes below.

Ubuntu / Debian

sudo apt update

# Upgrade - replace with open-vm-tools-desktop if using a GUI
sudo apt install --only-upgrade -y open-vm-tools

# Verify
systemctl is-active --quiet vmtoolsd && echo 'vmtoolsd running'

# If updates are held, check and fix with
sudo apt-mark showhold
sudo apt-mark unhold open-vm-tools open-vm-tools-desktop

AlmaLinux

sudo dnf makecache
sudo dnf update -y open-vm-tools

# Verify
rpm -q open-vm-tools
systemctl is-active --quiet vmtoolsd && echo 'vmtoolsd running'

# On older systems using yum
sudo yum clean all
sudo yum update -y open-vm-tools

# If updates are locked, check and fix with
sudo dnf versionlock list || true
sudo dnf versionlock delete open-vm-tools\*
grep -i '^exclude=' /etc/dnf/dnf.conf || true

Talos Linux

Talos is an immutable Kubernetes OS with no apt / dnf. VMware integration is provided by a vmtoolsd extension.

1. Enable the VMware Tools extension in your Talos machine configuration.
2. Update by applying a newer Talos system extension and performing a rolling node upgrade.
3. Verify with talosctl that the extension is loaded and the service is healthy.

Official documentation

Overview of VMware Tools:
https://knowledge.broadcom.com/external/article/315382/overview-of-vmware-tools.html