VMware Fusion 12 Now Available With macOS Big Sur Support and More

by

Last month, VMware announced the next major version of its virtualization software for Mac, Fusion 12, and as of today, the update is now available.

vmware fusion 12 pro player
As we noted last month, Fusion 12 includes a number of updates and improvements, such as eGPU compatibility, support for container-based applications built with Kubernetes, DirectX 11 and OpenGL 4.1 support, improved security for the sandbox rendering engine, improved accessibility controls, and more.

Fusion 12 has also been optimized for macOS Big Sur, with both host and guest support for Apple's upcoming release. On systems running macOS Catalina, Fusion 12 will continue to run with kernel extensions as it has in the past, but on macOS Big Sur, Fusion will take advantage of Apple's APIs to run virtual machines and containers.

With the launch of Fusion 12, VMware is also restructuring its licensing to bring it in line with Workstation 16, Fusion's sister software for Windows and Linux. The basic level of Fusion is now known as Fusion 12 Player and is free for personal use for the first time. A commercial license is priced at $149, with a $79 upgrade license available. Discounted education pricing will also be available, although many of those users will qualify for free personal licensing.

Fusion 12 Pro, aimed at developers and IT professionals rather than typical consumer and business users, offers some additional features and a license to run on up to three machines. Notably, this is a cross-platform license that allows for any combination of three machines using Fusion 12 or Workstation 16 across Mac, Windows, and Linux. Fusion 12 Pro is priced at $199, or $99 as an upgrade.

In order to keep up with Apple's advancing technologies, Fusion 12 requires macOS Catalina or Big Sur. For users with systems still on macOS Mojave, a Fusion 12 license key will be valid to activate Fusion 11.5.6 on those machines.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with VMware. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Tag: VMware

Popular Stories

iOS 26

15 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.2

Friday December 5, 2025 9:40 am PST by
Apple is about to release iOS 26.2, the second major point update for iPhones since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least 15 notable changes and improvements worth checking out. We've rounded them up below. Apple is expected to roll out iOS 26.2 to compatible devices sometime between December 8 and December 16. When the update drops, you can check Apple's servers for the ...
Read Full Article • 42 comments
Intel Inside iPhone Feature

Apple's Return to Intel Rumored to Extend to iPhone

Friday December 5, 2025 10:08 am PST by
Intel is expected to begin supplying some Mac and iPad chips in a few years, and the latest rumor claims the partnership might extend to the iPhone. In a research note with investment firm GF Securities this week, obtained by MacRumors, analyst Jeff Pu said he and his colleagues "now expect" Intel to reach a supply deal with Apple for at least some non-pro iPhone chips starting in 2028....
Read Full Article • 132 comments
Photos App Icon Liquid Glass

John Gruber Shares Scathing Commentary About Apple's Departing Software Design Chief

Thursday December 4, 2025 9:30 am PST by
In a statement shared with Bloomberg on Wednesday, Apple confirmed that its software design chief Alan Dye will be leaving. Apple said Dye will be succeeded by Stephen Lemay, who has been a software designer at the company since 1999. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that Dye will lead a new creative studio within the company's AR/VR division Reality Labs. On his blog Daring Fireball,...
Read Full Article • 315 comments
ive and altman

Jony Ive's OpenAI Device Barred From Using 'io' Name

Friday December 5, 2025 6:22 am PST by
A U.S. appeals court has upheld a temporary restraining order that prevents OpenAI and Jony Ive's new hardware venture from using the name "io" for products similar to those planned by AI audio startup iyO, Bloomberg Law reports. iyO sued OpenAI earlier this year after the latter announced its partnership with Ive's new firm, arguing that OpenAI's planned "io" branding was too close to its...
Read Full Article • 52 comments
iOS 26

Apple Seeds iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 Release Candidates to Developers and Public Beta Testers

Wednesday December 3, 2025 10:33 am PST by
Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 updates to developers and public beta testers, with the software coming two weeks after Apple seeded the third betas. The release candidates represent the final versions of iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 that will be provided to the public if no further bugs are found during this final week of testing....
Read Full Article • 40 comments
iphone air camera

iPhone Air's Resale Value Has Dropped Dramatically, Data Shows

Thursday December 4, 2025 5:27 am PST by
The iPhone Air has recorded the steepest early resale value drop of any iPhone model in years, with new data showing that several configurations have lost almost 50% of their value within ten weeks of launch. According to a ten-week analysis published by SellCell, Apple's latest lineup is showing a pronounced split in resale performance between the iPhone 17 models and the iPhone Air....
Read Full Article • 206 comments
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

iPhone 17 Pro Lost a Camera Feature Pro Models Have Had Since 2020

Thursday December 4, 2025 5:18 am PST by
iPhone 17 Pro models, it turns out, can't take photos in Night mode when Portrait mode is selected in the Camera app – a capability that's been available on Apple's Pro devices since the iPhone 12 Pro in 2020. If you're an iPhone 17 Pro or iPhone 17 Pro Max owner, try it for yourself: Open the Camera app with Photo selected in the carousel, then cover the rear lenses with your hand to...
Read Full Article • 50 comments
ios 18 to ios 26 upgrade

Apple Pushes iPhone Users Still on iOS 18 to Upgrade to iOS 26

Tuesday December 2, 2025 11:09 am PST by
Apple is encouraging iPhone users who are still running iOS 18 to upgrade to iOS 26 by making the iOS 26 software upgrade option more prominent. Since iOS 26 launched in September, it has been displayed as an optional upgrade at the bottom of the Software Update interface in the Settings app. iOS 18 has been the default operating system option, and users running iOS 18 have seen iOS 18...
Read Full Article • 274 comments
maxresdefault

iPhone Fold: Launch, Pricing, and What to Expect From Apple's Foldable

Monday December 1, 2025 3:00 am PST by
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that ...
Read Full Article • 52 comments
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Monday December 1, 2025 2:40 am PST by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...
Read Full Article • 107 comments

Top Rated Comments

mikeroySoft Avatar
mikeroySoft
68 months ago

I can't see a free perpetual licence at all when I attempt to register, only a 90 day evaluation...? I've clicked on all the links people have provided - what am I doing wrong?


Yah, that's a typo... I'm working with the backend... some of the standard boilerplate stuff snuck through in a late edit... it is 100% a perpetual license (the product itself reflects that).

Source: I'm the product manager
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Malus120 Avatar
Malus120
68 months ago

Roadmap: No Windows on Apple Silicon Macs.
May run ARM Linux if VMWare release an Apple Silicon version.

We can speculate all day, but if you NEED Windows on a Mac, I recommend y'all to wait this out until at least one AS Mac is released and people have TESTED the bejesus out of it.
I don't know how many times we have to go over this. Apple Silicon Macs will NOT RUN WINDOWS as you know it. They will probably (no guarantees) be able to run the ARM version of windows, which is NOT COMPATIBLE with most Windows software aside from Office, in one form or another (likely virtualization), but this will NOT be like running x86 Windows in a VM today (and won't hold a candle to Bootcamp).

If running Windows in one form or another is a requirement for you, you need to buy an Intel Mac, a Windows PC, or a hackintosh. Period.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nylon Avatar
nylon
68 months ago

The link only says free for 30 days. It’s a trial.
Bottom left of the webpage 'Fusion 12 Player'. Register for a free personal use license. The license key you receive is perpetual, not trial. Not for 30 days. I have it up and running.



Attachment Image
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Wowfunhappy Avatar
Wowfunhappy
68 months ago
For users with systems still on macOS Mojave, a Fusion 12 license key will be valid to activate Fusion 11.5.6 on those machines.
Actually, fun fact, VMWare also lets you straight up downgrade license keys if you need to use an earlier version of Fusion. It’s great. I did it this last November, turning a VMWare Fusion 11 key into a VMWare Fusion 8 key, which I use with OS X Mavericks.

Edit: ...but it doesn't look like you can do it with the new free license keys. Maybe the paid keys still allow it, but those are almost twice what they used to cost. This actually kind of sucks...
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
chrfr Avatar
chrfr
68 months ago

I installed the Fusion Player today, installed a Windows 10 Pro VM -> Everything works fine but I assigned 8GB RAM but Windows tells me it has 3GB of RAM (no matter what I do, it doesn't increase).
Maybe this is a Player limitation?
It's a 32-bit Windows limitation. Switch to a 64-bit version of Windows.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
goMac Avatar
goMac
68 months ago

I don't know how many times we have to go over this. Apple Silicon Macs will NOT RUN WINDOWS as you know it. They will probably (no guarantees) be able to run the ARM version of windows, which is NOT COMPATIBLE with most Windows software aside from Office, in one form or another (likely virtualization), but this will NOT be like running x86 Windows in a VM today (and won't hold a candle to Bootcamp).

If running Windows in one form or another is a requirement for you, you need to buy an Intel Mac, a Windows PC, or a hackintosh. Period.
This is not true anymore. They have full Windows 10, including x86 software support, on ARM now. The limited ARM version of Windows was discontinued.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Read All Comments