How to Download and Install VirtualBox Free Guide
Oracle's free virtualization tool — run Windows, Linux, or any OS inside a window on your computer.
Visit Official Site →Is VirtualBox Free?
VirtualBox is free and open source: the base platform packages are released under the GNU General Public License version 3 (GPLv3). There is no paid tier, no subscription, and no account required for the core virtualization features.
The Oracle VM VirtualBox Extension Pack is a separate product under a different licence. It is free under the Personal Use and Educational License (PUEL) for personal, non-commercial use and for teachers and students as part of an academic curriculum. The PUEL expressly excludes commercial, business, governmental, and institutional use, which requires a paid Oracle licence.
For most users learning or experimenting at home, VirtualBox is completely free. If you plan to use VirtualBox in a business or for revenue-generating work, check the Extension Pack licensing before deploying — the base app is fine commercially, but the Extension Pack is not free in that context.
Current stable release: VirtualBox 7.2.22 (20 October 2026), a maintenance release with security-related fixes.
System Requirements
Requirements below reflect Oracle's official 7.2 host list (checked October 2026).
- Windows hosts: Windows 11 x86_64, Windows 10 x86_64, Windows Server 2025, Windows Server 2022. Windows 11 Arm is an Experimental Feature and is not covered by Oracle Premier Support.
- macOS hosts: macOS 13 (Ventura), 14 (Sonoma), 15 (Sequoia), or 26 (Tahoe) on Intel x86_64 or Apple Silicon. macOS 11 and 12 are not supported.
- Linux hosts: Oracle Linux / RHEL 8–10, Ubuntu 20.04–24.10, Debian 11–12, openSUSE 15.6, Fedora 40–42, and other x86_64 distributions.
- Solaris hosts: Oracle Solaris 11.4.
- CPU: 64-bit processor with hardware virtualization (Intel VT-x / AMD-V). Intel host CPUs must support SSE2.
- RAM: 4 GB minimum (8 GB+ recommended — VMs need their own share).
- Storage: ~200 MB for VirtualBox, plus space for each guest OS.
- Arm host limitations: guests must be Arm-based (x86 guests are not supported), only VMSVGA graphics is available, unattended installation is unavailable, and the Chipset/TPM and nested VT-x/AMD-V settings are not available.
- Note: You must supply your own OS images (ISO files) — VirtualBox doesn't include them.
How to Install VirtualBox
- Go to the official site. Visit virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads.
- Download your version. Click "Windows hosts", "macOS hosts" (13+ only), or the Linux/Solaris package that matches your system.
- Run the installer. Open the downloaded file and click through the prompts. Default options are fine.
- Accept network warnings. Windows may warn about temporary network interruptions during install — this is normal, it resets your network adapters.
- Launch VirtualBox. Open Oracle VM VirtualBox from your Start menu when finished.
- Install the Extension Pack (optional). Download the Extension Pack for the exact same version (7.2.22) and install it via File → Preferences → Extensions. A mismatched version is the most common cause of Extension Pack install failures.
Creating Your First Virtual Machine
- Click "New". In the VirtualBox Manager toolbar, click the New button to open the creation wizard.
- Name it and pick an OS. Give the VM a descriptive name (e.g. "Ubuntu Test") and select its type/version. Point it at an ISO image if you have one ready.
- Allocate RAM. Assign memory to the VM — stay within the green zone of the slider. Memory given to the VM is taken from your host while it runs.
- Create a virtual hard disk. Accept the default size (or increase it for a full OS install) and let VirtualBox create the disk file.
- Mount the ISO and start. In Settings → Storage, attach your OS ISO file to the virtual DVD drive, then click Start and follow the OS installer as if it were a real PC.
- For Windows 11 guests, enable Secure Boot and TPM 2.0. In Settings → System, set the chipset and enable the TPM 2.0 emulation; in Settings → System → Motherboard, enable Secure Boot. On Arm hosts these settings are not available, which is one reason Windows 11 on Arm guests can be difficult.
Useful Tips
- 🧩 Install Guest Additions. In the VM window, Devices → Insert Guest Additions CD Image. This gives you shared folders, better screen resolution, and copy-paste between host and guest.
- 📸 Use snapshots. Take a snapshot before risky experiments — if something breaks, revert to the exact saved state in seconds.
- ⚙️ Enable virtualization in BIOS. If VMs fail to start, enable Intel VT-x or AMD-V in your computer's BIOS/UEFI settings.
- 📂 Share folders easily. Settings → Shared Folders lets you access files between your real system and the VM without USB drives.
- 💾 Don't over-allocate RAM. Leave at least 2–4 GB free for your host OS, or both systems will crawl.
- 🔒 VMs are sandboxes. Great for testing suspicious software or trying new OSes — whatever happens inside stays inside.
- 🖥️ 3D acceleration is platform-dependent. It is not available on macOS/Intel hosts in VirtualBox 7.2, and it is experimental on Apple Silicon via DXMT. On Windows and Linux hosts, Settings → Display → 3D Acceleration still works if your GPU supports it.
- 📀 Extension Pack adds USB 2.0/3.0. Without the Extension Pack, VMs are limited to USB 1.1 speeds. Install the Extension Pack if you need USB device passthrough or faster USB in the guest — and match the version exactly.
- 🍎 Apple Silicon: use Windows on Arm, not x86 Windows. x86 guests are not supported on Arm hosts. VirtualBox 7.2 added ARM-on-ARM virtualization, but the Arm host limitations still apply (VMSVGA only, no unattended install, no TPM chipset setting).
VirtualBox vs VMware Workstation vs Hyper-V
- VirtualBox: Free and open source (GPLv3 base). Cross-platform (Windows, macOS 13+, Linux, Solaris). Excellent for learning, testing, and personal use. Best for beginners and cross-platform users — check Extension Pack licensing if commercial use is a concern.
- VMware Workstation Pro: Free for commercial, educational, and personal use, with no licence key required since November 2024. Faster than VirtualBox, better 3D acceleration and Windows guest support. Best for users who want better performance without paying — the old "free for personal use only" limitation no longer applies.
- Hyper-V: Built into Windows 10/11 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions. Faster than VirtualBox for Windows guests, integrates with the OS, and is free with those Windows editions. Best for Windows users who want a built-in VM solution and don't need cross-platform support.
For cross-platform free virtualization, VirtualBox is the standard choice. For better performance at zero cost, VMware Workstation Pro is now the stronger option for many users, including commercial ones. For Windows-native VMs, Hyper-V is the best option.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
- ❌ "VT-x is not available" or "AMD-V is disabled" error. Hardware virtualization is disabled in BIOS/UEFI. Restart your PC, enter BIOS (F2, Del, or F10 during boot), and enable Intel VT-x or AMD-V (sometimes called SVM). If the option doesn't exist, your CPU may not support it, or the manufacturer has disabled it.
- 🖥️ VirtualBox is slow or VMs stutter. Enable 3D acceleration if your host supports it (not on macOS/Intel). Install Guest Additions. If your host uses Hyper-V (Windows), VirtualBox may run in "Hyper-V mode" (slower) — either disable Hyper-V or switch to Hyper-V for the VM.
- 🖤 Black screen when starting the VM. First boot of a new VM shows a black screen briefly while the ISO loads. If it stays black for more than 30 seconds, check Settings → Storage that the ISO is attached. If it still fails, try changing the Graphics Controller under Settings → Display (VMSVGA or VBoxSVGA are common fixes).
- 💾 VM won't boot from ISO. Confirm the ISO is attached to the virtual DVD drive under Settings → Storage. Check the Boot Order in Settings → System — the Optical drive should be first. Some Linux ISOs need an explicit "Try/Install" selection in the boot menu.
- 🔒 "This kernel requires an x86-64 CPU" error. The guest OS is 64-bit but the VM was created as 32-bit. In Settings → General → Basic, confirm the Version is set to a 64-bit OS. If a 64-bit option is greyed out, hardware virtualization is disabled on the host.
- 🌐 No internet in the VM. Settings → Network → Adapter 1 — confirm "Enable Network Adapter" is checked and the "Attached to" setting is "NAT" (simplest) or "Bridged Adapter" (for a real IP on your network). If you recently installed VirtualBox, restart both host and VM.
- 🎧 No audio in the VM. Settings → Audio → confirm "Enable Audio" is checked and the Host Audio Driver matches your system. On Windows hosts, "Windows DirectSound" usually works.
- 🍎 "Cannot install VirtualBox on macOS 11 or 12." VirtualBox 7.2 supports only **macOS 13 Ventura or later** on both Intel and Apple Silicon. There is no supported 7.2 build for Big Sur or Monterey — upgrade macOS or use an older unsupported VirtualBox version at your own risk.
- 🖥️ 3D acceleration option is missing or greyed out on a Mac. VirtualBox 7.2 **removed 3D acceleration on macOS/Intel hosts** and only offers experimental DXMT acceleration on Apple Silicon. This is expected behaviour, not a bug.
- 📦 Extension Pack won't install. The Extension Pack version must match the installed VirtualBox version exactly (currently 7.2.22). Download the matching pack from the same downloads page and retry.
- 💻 x86 Windows VM won't start on an Apple Silicon Mac. This is by design — Arm hosts cannot run x86 guests. Use **Windows on Arm**, or switch to UTM, Parallels, or VMware Fusion for x86 Windows.