VirtualBox is a general-purpose full virtualizer for x86 hardware. Targeted at server, desktop and embedded use, it is now the only professional-quality virtualization solution that is also Open Source Software.

Features

  • Modularity. VirtualBox has an extremely modular design with well-defined internal programming interfaces and a client/server design. This makes it easy to control it from several interfaces at once: for example, you can start a virtual machine in a typical virtual machine GUI and then control that machine from the command line, or possibly remotely. VirtualBox also comes with a full Software Development Kit: even though it is Open Source Software, you don't have to hack the source to write a new interface for VirtualBox.

  • Virtual machine descriptions in XML. The configuration settings of virtual machines are stored entirely in XML and are independent of the local machines. Virtual machine definitions can therefore easily be ported to other computers.

  • Guest Additions for Windows, Linux and Solaris. VirtualBox has special software that can be installed inside Windows, Linux and Solaris virtual machines to improve performance and make integration much more seamless. Among the features provided by these Guest Additions are mouse pointer integration and arbitrary screen solutions (e.g. by resizing the guest window). There are also guest additions for OS/2 with somewhat reduced functionality.

  • Shared folders. Like many other virtualization solutions, for easy data exchange between hosts and guests, VirtualBox allows for declaring certain host directories as "shared folders", which can then be accessed from within virtual machines.

What's New

This is a maintenance release. The following items were fixed and/or added:

  • Audio: Added more fixes for switching host audio devices on Windows hosts using the WAS backend
  • 3D: Added general improvements
  • OCI: Fixed wrong guest RAM unit usage in VirtualSystemDescription, memory is provided in bytes, "Byte" is the base unit
  • Main: OVF Import/Export: Added support for importing and exporting VMs containing NVMe storage controllers (bug #19320)
  • Main: OVF Import/Export: Added support for exporting a VM which contains a medium inserted into a virtual CD/DVD drive which is attached to a Virtio-SCSI controller
  • Devices: Fixed a problem where Windows guests "forget" in-progress touch events when the user holds down a finger without moving it for a period of time.
  • macOS Host USB: Added support for newer storage devices
  • macOS Host: Fixed memory Leak in the VBoxIntNetSwitch process when VM was configured to use 'Internal Networking' (bug #21752)
  • Linux Host and Guest: Added initial support for RHEL 9.4 kernel
  • Linux Guest Additions: Fixed kernel panic on RHEL 8.9 kernel caused by vboxvideo (bugs #10381 and #21911)
  • Solaris Guest Additions: Added support for the Additions to be installed into an alternate root path ('pkgadd -R')
  • Solaris Guest Additions: Removed requirement to reboot VM after uninstalling GAs
  • RDP: Fix possible crash when connecting with the Apple Silicon variant of the Microsoft Remote Desktop application (bug #21820).
  • BIOS: Fixed handle number used for DMI OEM table (bug #19781)