Install and activate VMware Workstation and Fusion

VMware Workstation Pro and Fusion Pro come from Broadcom, the owner of VMware. We deliver your licence key. You download the software from Broadcom. This guide shows where to get it, how to install it and when the key matters. It covers Windows and Mac.

What you received

Your order contains a licence key for VMware Workstation Pro or VMware Fusion Pro. Your key is in your order email and in your Lizensa account under My Library. Nothing is downloaded from us for these products.

Broadcom changed the licensing of both products. The current versions of Workstation Pro and Fusion Pro are free for personal, educational and commercial use. Broadcom states that no licence key is required for these versions. The installer includes the licence.

A key can matter for an older version that asks for one. For the current versions you need none. If you are not sure which version you need, contact our support before you install.

Product pages: Workstation Pro, Workstation Pro 12 months, Workstation Pro 24 months, Workstation Pro 36 months, Fusion Pro, Fusion Pro 12 months, Fusion Pro 24 months, Fusion Pro 36 months.

Before you start:

• You need a free Broadcom Support Portal account. You create it in step 2 below.
• You need administrator rights on the computer.
• Check Broadcom's system requirements for the version you install. Older computers may not support the latest release.

Get the software

1. Go to support.broadcom.com and select Support Portal.
2. Sign in, or select Register to create a basic account. A basic account is enough.
3. Complete your profile and the trade compliance form with your real details. Broadcom screens the profile before it allows downloads. Use accurate details. The export-compliance screening can take weeks.
4. In the portal, open My Downloads. Select the link to the free software downloads.
5. Search for Workstation or Fusion and select the product.
6. Select the version you want. Open the Terms and Conditions link, return to the page and tick the box.
7. Select the download icon. If the portal asks for extra verification, use only English characters and avoid special characters.

If the portal shows "Account verification is pending", contact Broadcom Customer Care.

For versions below Workstation Pro 17.5.2 and Fusion 13.5.2, the portal shows "Not Entitled" when you have no valid licence.

Install

Workstation Pro on Windows

1. Start the downloaded installer. Windows asks whether the app may make changes to your device. Select Yes.
2. Follow the setup wizard. Review the licence terms and the installation options, then follow the prompts.
3. If the wizard asks for a licence key, enter the key from your order email or My Library. The steps under Activate below show the same entry after the installation.
4. Select Finish. Restart the computer if the wizard asks you to.

Fusion Pro on Mac

1. Mount the downloaded disk image.
2. Run the installer on it and follow the prompts.

If an older version of Fusion asks for a key, contact our support with your order number and the Fusion version.

Activate

For the current versions, you do not need to enter a key. Start the program and use it.

If you installed an older version of Workstation Pro that needs a key, enter it like this:

1. Start Workstation Pro and open Help.
2. Select Enter License Key.
3. Type or paste the 25-character key, in the form XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX, and select OK.

The key from your order is in your order email and in My Library. Keys that Broadcom holds for your Broadcom account are listed in the Broadcom Support Portal under My Licenses.

Check it worked

1. Start Workstation Pro or Fusion Pro. The program should open without a licence error.
2. If you entered a key in an older Workstation Pro, select Help > About > License Information. The window shows the licence status.
3. If you installed a current version, there is no key to check. The installation is complete when the program starts.

If something goes wrong

The portal says "Not Entitled". This happens when you select a version below Workstation Pro 17.5.2 or Fusion 13.5.2 without a valid licence. Select a current version instead. If that does not apply to you, contact Broadcom Customer Care.

"Account verification is pending". Contact Broadcom Customer Care. Check that your profile and the trade compliance form hold accurate details.

The program asks for a key and you have none at hand. Your key is in your order email and in My Library. If you do not want to use a key, install a current version from the portal. It needs none.

The key is rejected. Check each character against your order email. Check that the product and version match your order. Contact our support with your order number and the exact message if it still fails.

You cannot find the key. Look in your order email and in My Library. If it is not there, contact our support. Keys held in your Broadcom account are listed under My Licenses in the Broadcom Support Portal.

Still stuck? Contact our support and include your order number and the exact message you see.