VirtualBox

VirtualBox — Free Download. Virtualization tool

VirtualBox is a cross-platform virtualization application that installs on Intel or AMD-based computers running Windows, Mac, Linux, or Solaris operating systems. It extends the capabilities of an existing computer so that it can run multiple operating systems simultaneously, making it a practical solution for software testing, running legacy applications, and consolidating server workloads without additional physical hardware. The software creates isolated virtual environments where different systems operate independently while sharing the resources of a single host machine.

★★★★★
5.0(1 ratings)
Download VirtualBox (Official links)
File size: 170 MB
The latest version of VirtualBox is: 7.2.16
Operating system: Windows, Mac OS, Linux
Languages: English
Developer: Oracle
Price: $0.00 USD (Open Source (GPL-3.0))
  • Guided and Expert VM Creation Modes. The virtual machine creation wizard offers two distinct approaches for setting up new environments. The guided mode presents a streamlined series of steps that configure essential parameters such as memory allocation, virtual hard disk size, and operating system type. The expert mode displays all available configuration options on a single screen, granting direct control over chipset selection, firmware type, storage controllers, and network adapter settings before the virtual machine is created.
  • Snapshot and Branching System. Snapshots preserve the exact state of a virtual machine at a specific point in time, including disk contents, memory state, and device configuration. Multiple snapshots can be arranged in a tree structure, allowing users to create different branches of system states and switch between them. This function supports testing software configurations, rolling back after failed updates, and maintaining clean baseline images for repeated deployment scenarios.
  • Virtual Storage Management. VirtualBox supports dynamically allocated and fixed-size virtual hard disk images in formats including VDI, VHD, VMDK, and HDD. The virtual media manager handles creation, attachment, resizing, and cloning of storage devices. Storage controllers can be configured as IDE, SATA, SCSI, SAS, or NVMe, and physical disks or partitions can be attached to virtual machines through raw disk access for specialized workflows.
  • Shared Clipboard and Drag-and-Drop Integration. Bidirectional clipboard sharing enables copying text, images, and files between the host operating system and guest virtual machines. The drag-and-drop feature allows moving files directly between host and guest file managers. These functions require Guest Additions installation and can be restricted to host-to-guest or guest-to-host directions through per-machine settings, providing controlled data exchange between environments.
  • Shared Folder Architecture. Shared folders map a directory on the host system to a mount point inside the virtual machine, creating a persistent file exchange channel. Folders can be configured as permanent or transient, with read-only or read-write access permissions. This mechanism supports development workflows where source code resides on the host but builds execute inside isolated guest environments, eliminating repeated file copying between systems.
  • Virtual Networking Capabilities. Network adapters can operate in NAT, bridged, internal, host-only, or generic driver modes, with support for up to eight virtual network interfaces per machine. NAT mode provides outbound connectivity through the host network, bridged mode places the virtual machine on the same network segment as the host, and internal networks create isolated communication channels between selected virtual machines. Port forwarding rules and advanced networking configurations are available through the graphical interface or command-line tools.
  • Remote Desktop Protocol Support. The built-in VRDP server enables remote access to virtual machine displays through standard RDP clients. The extension pack adds USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 device support, disk encryption, NVMe storage, and PXE boot for Intel network cards. Remote management can be performed through the VBoxManage command-line interface, which exposes over one hundred operations for scripting and automation of virtual machine lifecycles.
  • 3D Graphics Acceleration. VirtualBox provides experimental 3D graphics support for Windows, Linux, and Solaris guests through OpenGL passthrough to the host GPU. This feature enables running applications that require hardware acceleration, such as CAD software, mapping tools, and certain games, within virtualized environments. Guest Additions installation activates the accelerated video driver, while the virtual graphics adapter can be configured with adjustable video memory and monitor count settings.
  • Seamless Mode and Display Integration. Seamless mode removes the virtual machine window frame and integrates guest application windows directly onto the host desktop. Individual windows from the guest operating system appear alongside native host applications, with taskbar entries and window management handled through VirtualBox. Display scaling adjusts guest screen resolution dynamically when the virtual machine window is resized, while multiple monitor support allows spanning virtual displays across physical screens.
  • Command-Line and API Automation. VBoxManage provides complete virtual machine control through terminal commands, including creation, modification, startup, shutdown, snapshot management, and device attachment operations. The VBoxManage guestcontrol subcommand executes programs inside running virtual machines and manages guest files. The VirtualBox API, accessible through Python bindings and other language interfaces, enables programmatic integration with existing infrastructure and automated testing pipelines.
  • Unattended Guest Installation. The unattended installation feature automates operating system deployment by providing answers to installation prompts, user account creation, and product key entry before the virtual machine starts. Users specify OS type, credentials, and installation media, and VirtualBox generates an answer file or script that guides the guest installer through completion without manual intervention. This function accelerates bulk VM provisioning and reduces configuration errors.
  • Virtual Machine Export and Import. Virtual machines can be exported as OVF or OVA packages containing virtual disk images and configuration metadata. These portable formats enable migration between different VirtualBox installations or other virtualization platforms that support the open virtualization standard. Import functionality restores appliances with preserved hardware settings, network configurations, and attached storage definitions, providing a practical mechanism for distributing pre-configured environments.

VirtualBox originated as a project at Innotek GmbH, a German software company based in Weinstadt, with initial development beginning in 2001. The first public release appeared in January 2007 as VirtualBox 1.3.8. Sun Microsystems acquired Innotek in February 2008, bringing VirtualBox under the Sun xVM portfolio. Oracle Corporation completed its acquisition of Sun Microsystems in January 2010, and VirtualBox has remained under Oracle's stewardship since that time.