--- title: "Install VMware Tools on Ubuntu and Increase VM Performance" description: "Learn how to increase your Ubuntu VM’s performance by learning how to install VMware Tools on Ubuntu." canonical: "https://adamtheautomator.com/install-vmware-tools-on-ubuntu/" --- # Install VMware Tools on Ubuntu and Increase VM Performance > Learn how to increase your Ubuntu VM’s performance by learning how to install VMware Tools on Ubuntu. Source: https://adamtheautomator.com/install-vmware-tools-on-ubuntu/ --- ATA Learning Tap to hide [ ATA Learning ](/) * [Home](/) * [Tutorials](/tutorials/) * [Instructors](/author/) * [Advertising](/advertising/) * [Recommended Resources](/resources/) * [About Adam](/about-adam/) Search for: * [](https://twitter.com/adbertram) * [](https://github.com/Adam-the-Automator) * [](https://www.linkedin.com/company/adam-the-automator-llc) * [](/feed/) ![Install VMware Tools on Ubuntu and Increase VM Performance](https://adamtheautomator.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Step-by-Step-How-to-Install-VMware-Tools-on-Ubuntu.jpg) # Install VMware Tools on Ubuntu and Increase VM Performance [![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/2beb65fca997135120ed98dc6a2e57dcdf1a7d7d2f5ff687b5d91dc7ccd7a6b5?s=192&d=mm&r=g)Sagar](https://adamtheautomator.com/author/shanky-mendiratta/)13 May 20213 min. read Categories: [IT Ops](/category/it-ops/) Tags:[Linux](/tag/linux/) Table of Contents * [Prerequisites](#h-prerequisites) * [Installing VMware Tools on Ubuntu (Command Line)](#h-installing-vmware-tools-on-ubuntu-command-line) * [Install VMware Tools on Ubuntu (VM Console)](#h-installing-vmware-tools-on-ubuntu-vm-console) * [Conclusion](#h-conclusion) Running an Ubuntu virtual machine (VMs) is a great way to consolidate and share hardware resources. But without software installed on the VM, Ubuntu can’t run optimally within a VM. You need to install [VMware Tools](https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-Tools/index.html#:~:text=VMware%20Tools%20is%20a%20set,interactions%20with%2C%20guest%20operating%20systems.&text=It%20includes%20a%20number%20of,for%20new%20guest%20operating%20systems) on Ubuntu. VMware Tools is a set of utilities and drivers that enhances your guest operating systems’ performance and communication between guests and host operating systems. VMware Tools provides dozens of benefits, such as enhanced graphics on virtual machines, supports sound systems and auto-resize virtual machines, etc. In this tutorial, you will learn how to increase your Ubuntu VM’s performance by installing VMware Tools on your VMware Ubuntu VM. Let’s get it on! ## Prerequisites > _After powering up your VM, make sure to check out [VMware vSphere](https://imp.i263671.net/c/1454808/814638/11461) to ease management and enhance your VMs capabilities. Next, tightly integrate local VM operating system integration with [VMware Workstation PRO & Player](https://imp.i263671.net/c/1454808/1309623/11461)!_ This post will be a step-by-step tutorial. If you’d like to follow along, be sure you have the following: * A VMware VM running [Ubuntu 14.04.4 LTS](http://old-releases.ubuntu.com/releases/14.04.4/) or greater. VMs running with v12+ of [VMware Workstation Player](https://www.vmware.com/products/workstation-player.html), [VMware Workstation](https://download.cnet.com/VMware-Workstation-Pro/3000-2094_4-10470786.html), or [ESXi](https://www.vmware.com/products/esxi-and-esx.html) will work fine. This tutorial will use [Ubuntu 18.04.5 LTS](https://releases.ubuntu.com/18.04/). Related:[How to Install Ubuntu 20.04 \[Step-by-Step\]](https://adamtheautomator.com/install-ubuntu/) ## Installing VMware Tools on Ubuntu (Command Line) When installing VMware Tools on VMware VMs, you have two options; remotely via SSH or directly on the Ubuntu VM console via [Ubuntu terminal](https://ubuntu.com/tutorials/command-line-for-beginners). Let’s start this tutorial by connecting to the VM over SSH and using the command line. > _Before you get too far, check to see if you already have VMware Tools installed. It comes installed by default on some Linux distributions. Check to see if it’s installed by connecting via SSH or opening a terminal in Ubuntu and running `vmware-toolbox-cmd -v`. It should display the version of VMware Tools installed._ If you don’t already have VMware Tools installed on your Ubuntu VM: 1\. SSH into the your Ubuntu VM using your favorite SSH client. 2\. Run the [`apt update` command](https://www.cyberciti.biz/faq/what-does-sudo-apt-get-update-command-do-on-ubuntu-debian/) shown below to ensure Ubuntu has all of the latest package sources available. VMware distributes VMware Tools as an apt package which you’ll download and install in the next step. ```powershell # Updating the package repositories sudo apt update ``` ![Updating the package repository](https://adamtheautomator.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Untitled-32-2.png) Updating the package repository Now, install the `open-vm-tools` package by running [`apt install`](https://vitux.com/how-to-use-apt-to-install-programs-from-command-line-in-debian/). This package contains everything you need to install VMware Tools on Ubuntu. > _If you intend to connect to the Ubuntu VM console, you can also install the [`open-vm-tools-desktop` package](https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-Tools/11.2.5/com.vmware.vsphere.vmwaretools.doc/GUID-8B6EA5B7-453B-48AA-92E5-DB7F061341D1.html#:~:text=The%20open-vm-tools-,Remote%20Console%20Window%20for%20vSphere) which will install additional libraries to make working with the console a better experience._ ```bash # Installing the open-VM-tools package for the ubuntu server sudo apt install open-vm-tools # Installing the open-VM-tools package for ubuntu-desktop sudo apt install open-vm-tools-desktop ``` ![Installing the open-VM-tools package for the ubuntu server](https://adamtheautomator.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Untitled-33-2.png) Installing the open-VM-tools package for the ubuntu server ## Install VMware Tools on Ubuntu (VM Console) Suppose the command line isn’t your thing, no problem. You can always install VMware Tools via the VMware VM [console](https://adamtheautomator.com/vmware-remote-console/). Related:[How to Set up the VMware Remote Console (Windows and Linux)](https://adamtheautomator.com/vmware-remote-console/) 1\. Open VMware Workstation, VMware Player or the vSphere client on your local machine. 2\. Open your Ubuntu VM’s console. 3\. Click on the **VM** menu at the top of the window and select **Install VMware Tools**, as shown below. ![Install VMware Tools](https://adamtheautomator.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Untitled-34-2.png) Install VMware Tools on Ubuntu Soon after you click on **Install VMware Tools**, you’ll see a new archive appear on the desktop titled **VMware Tools,** as shown below. ![click on Install VMware Tools](https://adamtheautomator.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Untitled-35-2.png) click on Install VMware Tools 4\. Next, extract the archive by double-clicking on it. After Ubuntu extracts the files, you should see the following files inside the VMware Tools folder. ![Files inside the VMware Tools folder](https://adamtheautomator.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Untitled-36-2.png) Files inside the VMware Tools folder 5\. Right click on the compressed _VMwareTool-10.3.10-12406962_._tar.gz_ file and click **Extract To** to extract the compressed file. This tutorial will extract the files onto the current user desktop. ![Extracting VMwareTool-10.3.10-12406962.tar.gz](https://adamtheautomator.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Untitled-37-2.png) Extracting _VMwareTool-10.3.10-12406962_._tar.gz_ 6\. Once the compressed installer package has been extracted, you will notice a folder called **VMWare-tools-distrib** on the current user desktop. Open that folder, and you’ll see a Perl script called **_vmware-install.pl,_** as shown below. ![VMWare-tools-distrib folder extracted on the desktop](https://adamtheautomator.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Untitled-40-1.png) **__VMWare-tools-distrib folder extracted on the desktop__** ![Perl Script inside the VMWare-tools-distrib folder](https://adamtheautomator.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Untitled-41-1.png) **Perl Script inside the _VMWare-tools-distrib folder_** 7\. Now, execute the _vmware-install.pl_ Perl script file inside the _VMware-tools-distrib_ folder by running the following command. ```powershell # Running the script on ubuntu-desktop sudo ./vmware-install.pl ``` After you run the command, the script will start to install VMware Tools on Ubuntu. 8\. When prompted, confirm all default values. ![Accept all the default values](https://adamtheautomator.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Untitled-42-1.png) Accept all the default values Once the script finishes, you will see a message like below, which confirms that VMware Tools is successfully installed on the machine. ![VMware Tools is successfully installed](https://adamtheautomator.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Untitled-43-1.png) VMware Tools is successfully installed 9\. Finally, reboot Ubuntu for the changes to take effect.command. ```bash # Rebooting the ubuntu Machine sudo reboot ``` ## Conclusion > _After powering up your VM, make sure to check out [VMware vSphere](https://imp.i263671.net/c/1454808/814638/11461) to ease management and enhance your VMs capabilities. Next, tightly integrate local VM operating system integration with [VMware Workstation PRO & Player](https://imp.i263671.net/c/1454808/1309623/11461)!_ In this tutorial, you learned how to install VMware tools on Ubuntu. VMware Tools is a great software tool that improves the performance and management of guest host operating systems like copy-paste, drag-drop, and the ability to take multiple snapshots simultaneously. VMware Tools enhance the performance of the guest operating systems and simplify the work of system administrators. But, are you going to install it on every ubuntu machine which you manage? 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