Before diving into the download process, it is crucial to understand why this specific version remains relevant for the Linux ecosystem.
Unlike Windows applications, Linux software installation usually happens via the terminal or package managers. However, VMware is proprietary software, so the first step is grabbing the installer bundle.
Step A: Visit the Official Repository
Step B: The Terminal Method (Alternative)
For users who prefer the command line, you can use wget to fetch the file directly. Replace the version number in the command below with the latest available on the site: Vmware Workstation 16 Download Linux
wget https://download3.vmware.com/software/wkst/file/VMware-Workstation-Full-16.2.4-20089737.x86_64.bundle
If you do not specifically need version 16, Workstation 17 Pro is the current release (better security, newer kernel support, updated guest OS compatibility). You can download v17 from the same portal.
Launch VMware Workstation from your application menu or via:
vmware
Upon first launch, it will ask you to install the required kernel modules again (click "Install"). Before diving into the download process, it is
Set up NAT networking:
Tip for Linux guests: Install open-vm-tools instead of the legacy VMware Tools:
sudo apt install open-vm-tools open-vm-tools-desktop
The most common issue when installing VMware Workstation 16 on modern Linux distributions is the failure to compile the vmmon and vmnet kernel modules. This happens because newer Linux kernels (5.15+) remove or rename certain functions. Step B: The Terminal Method (Alternative) For users
The fix: Use the industry-standard vmware-host-modules repository.
VMware Workstation 16 is a Type-2 hypervisor for running multiple x86/x86_64 virtual machines on a Linux desktop. This guide covers downloading the installer, system requirements, installation steps, kernel module build troubleshooting, licensing, and tips for configuring guest VMs.