VMware Workstation Pro has always been one of the most powerful virtual machine software for Windows and Linux users. The big news is that after Broadcom acquired VMware, Workstation Pro is now available completely free for personal use. However, the download process has changed, and many people get confused because the old direct download method no longer works.
In this step-by-step guide, I’ll show you the updated method to download and install VMware Workstation Pro 25H2 for free using a Broadcom account. I’ll walk you through account creation, downloading the installer, disabling conflicting Windows features, and installing VMware correctly so it runs at full performance. Even if you’re a beginner, just follow along and you’ll have VMware running in a few minutes.
What You’ll Need Before Starting
Before we jump into the download and installation, let’s make sure your system is ready. Preparing everything in advance will help you avoid errors during setup.
First, you’ll need a Windows 10 or Windows 11 PC with hardware virtualization support. Most modern CPUs support virtualization, but it must be enabled in BIOS/UEFI. We’ll verify that later in the guide.
Next, you’ll need a Broadcom account, because VMware downloads are now hosted inside Broadcom’s portal. Without an account, you won’t be able to download Workstation Pro anymore.
You’ll also need a stable internet connection, since the installer file is large and may take a few minutes to download.
To begin, open the official VMware Workstation page:
From here, we’ll create a Broadcom account and access the free download section in the next step.
Step 1: Create or Sign In to Your Broadcom Account
After opening the VMware page and clicking download, you’ll be redirected to the Broadcom portal. VMware downloads are no longer hosted directly on the old VMware site, so this account step is required.
If you already have a Broadcom account, simply sign in with your email and password. If not, click Register and create a new account.
During registration:
- Enter your email address
- Complete the captcha
- Enter the verification code sent to your email
- Fill in your name and country
- The Job Title field is optional — you can leave it blank
- Create a password
- Accept the terms and click Create Account
Once registration is complete, sign in to your account.
You can access the Broadcom portal directly here:
After signing in, you’ll land on your Broadcom dashboard. In the next step, we’ll navigate to the hidden Free Software Downloads section and locate VMware Workstation Pro 25H2.
Step 2: Find the Free VMware Workstation Pro Download
After signing in, you’ll arrive on the Broadcom dashboard. This part confuses a lot of people because the free downloads are not shown immediately on the main screen.
From the dashboard:
- Go to My Downloads
- Look for a link that says “Free Software Downloads available HERE”
- Click that link to open the free products page
On this new page, you’ll see a long list of VMware products. Use the search bar and type:
👉 Workstation Pro
If you’re using Windows or Linux, select VMware Workstation Pro.
(Mac users should search for VMware Fusion instead.)
You’ll see multiple versions listed. Choose the latest one:
👉 Workstation Pro 25H2
Then click the version number to open the download page.
Step 3: Accept the Terms and Start the Download
Now you’re on the VMware Workstation Pro 25H2 download page. Before Broadcom allows the file to download, you must accept their terms.
First, scroll to the Terms and Conditions section. You’ll notice the checkbox is locked at first. Click the “terms & conditions” link to open it. Once opened, go back and the checkbox will become clickable.
Check the box that says I agree to the terms and conditions.
After that, click the Download button.
In many cases, Broadcom shows a message saying additional verification is required. If that happens, click Yes and a short form will appear. Fill in:
- Full name
- Address
- Country
- Postal code
- Company → choose Other if you don’t have one
Click Submit.
After submitting the form, you’ll return to the download page. Now the download button will be active. Click it again, and the VMware Workstation Pro installer will begin downloading.
While the file downloads, we’ll prepare your Windows system to avoid virtualization conflicts in the next step.
Step 4: Disable Windows Features That Conflict with VMware
Before installing VMware Workstation Pro, we need to disable a few Windows virtualization features. If these are enabled, VMware cannot use your CPU’s hardware virtualization properly, and your virtual machines may run slow or fail to start.
First, open the Windows Features window:
- Press Start
- Search for Turn Windows features on or off
- Open it
Now scroll carefully and uncheck the following options if they are enabled:
- Hyper-V
- Virtual Machine Platform
- Windows Hypervisor Platform
- Windows Sandbox
- Windows Subsystem for Linux (optional, only disable if you don’t need WSL)
After unchecking everything, click OK. Windows will apply the changes. When prompted, click Restart now.
Disable Memory Integrity (Core Isolation)
After your PC restarts, there’s one more important setting to turn off.
- Open Windows Security
- Go to Device Security
- Click Core isolation details
- Turn Memory integrity OFF
If Windows asks you to restart again, do it.
Now all the conflicting features are disabled, and your system is fully ready for VMware to run at full performance.
In the next step, we’ll confirm that CPU virtualization is enabled and then install VMware Workstation Pro.
Step 5: Make Sure CPU Virtualization is Enabled
Before installing VMware, we need to confirm that hardware virtualization is enabled on your system. Without this, VMware cannot run 64-bit operating systems.
Virtualization is called different names depending on your CPU:
- Intel: Intel Virtualization Technology / VT-x
- AMD: SVM Mode / AMD-V
Here’s how to check:
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager
- Go to the Performance tab
- Click CPU
- Look at the bottom right corner
If it says Virtualization: Enabled, you’re good to go.
If it says Disabled, restart your computer and enter the BIOS/UEFI menu (usually by pressing Delete, F2, or F10 during startup). Then find the virtualization option and enable it. Save changes and reboot.
Once virtualization is enabled, we can finally install VMware Workstation Pro.
Step 6: Install VMware Workstation Pro 25H2
Open the folder where you downloaded the VMware installer.
Double-click the installer to start the setup wizard.
Click Next through the prompts. If you correctly disabled Hyper-V earlier, you’ll see a message saying:
👉 “Hyper-V is not detected on the host”
That’s a good sign — it means VMware will use its native engine for best performance.
Continue clicking Next → Install → Finish.
After installation completes, open VMware Workstation Pro. You can now create virtual machines and install any operating system you want.
Congratulations — VMware is fully installed and ready to use.
