Websites for downloading free and reliable virtual machines (and how to import them into VirtualBox/VMware)

The Virtual machines They are, in essence, a computer inside your computer: software that emulates hardware to run a guest operating system completely independent of the host system, and, yes, it's as useful as it sounds for testing, training, or security. What are the best websites for downloading virtual machines? That's what we talk about in this article.

We've compiled and organized all the reliable sources for downloading pre-built VMs, along with their pros and cons, requirements, disclaimers, and setup tips. We integrate official Microsoft resources, repositories such as OSBoxes, veteran projects, and alternatives for DevOpsSec development., as well as tips for importing them and getting them up and running without surprises.

What is a virtual machine and how does it fit into your workflow?

Before we explore websites for downloading virtual machines, here's a quick clarification: a VM is a sandbox with its own operating system, virtual disk, network, and simulated peripherals. Allows you to test, learn, or run software without putting your base system at risk., because everything is encapsulated in files that you can copy, pause or delete whenever you want.

There are two major families of hypervisors. Type 1 (bare metal) runs directly on the hardware and is typical in servers due to its efficiency. Type 2 runs as an application on your host system (the case of VirtualBox or VMware Workstation) and they dominate in user computers due to their simplicity.

Where to download ready-to-use virtual machines

If you'd rather save time and skip the ISO installation, there are repositories with pre-made OVA packages or discs. Download virtual machines from the following websites. Each one has its own approach, catalogue and limitations., so it's worth choosing based on what you need: evaluation Windows, recent Linux distros, older systems, or solutions with pre-installed software.

Microsoft: Official evaluation VMs for development

Microsoft offers Windows 11 Enterprise evaluation images for developers and testers. They are distributed for Hyper-V (Gen2), VirtualBox, VMware and Parallels, packaged for immediate import and use. They include Visual Studio 2022 Community with UWP payloads, .NET Desktop, Azure and Windows App SDK for C#, WSL2 with Ubuntu, Windows Terminal, and Developer mode enabled.

These VMs expire (they're Enterprise Evaluation editions), and upon expiration, the desktop background turns black, a warning appears stating that the system isn't genuine, and the computer shuts down every hour; you'll need to download an updated image. The usage window is usually around 90 days., and the download size can range from about 4,5 GB to over 20 GB depending on the package and hypervisor.

Requirements and FAQs: Minimum 8GB RAM and about 70GB free, no initial password set for the user, product key activation is not supported and there is no ARM version available today. If you see graphical artifacts in VirtualBox, it is a known behavior. under investigation by the team, and you can mitigate it by installing the Guest Additions.

Adguard: Official Microsoft ISOs (and old VMs)

Another website for downloading virtual machines is Adguard, which centralizes direct downloads of Microsoft products and makes it easy to obtain official, unmodified ISOs by selecting the edition and version. The modern web is focused on ISOs and no longer offers VMs.However, the old (unsupported) instance maintains a section with virtual machines, mainly Windows 10.

The good: Huge Windows catalog and version history, all clean and verified. The bad thing: the most recent editions are missing in the VM section., so if you are looking for Windows 11 as a VM you will have to download the ISO and create the machine yourself.

OSBoxes: Linux distros ready for VirtualBox and VMware

OSBoxes It collects pre-installed disks from countless Linux distributions, available in VDI (VirtualBox) and VMDK (VMware) formats. For legal reasons, it does not include WindowsIts extensive and frequently updated catalog makes it ideal for testing distros without having to go through the installer.

Default credentials: In most images, the normal user is usually "osboxes" or "osboxesorg" and the password is "osboxes.org"; for root, the password is usually the same. Always check the Readme of each image to confirm the exact user and other details. The language is usually English, and you can change it at startup.

Among the available distributions you will find a really extensive list: Android x86, Arch Linux, Debian, Fedora, Ubuntu, Kali, Manjaro, openSUSE and many more.

VirtualBoxes: images designed for VirtualBox

VirtualBoxes publishes disks ready for VirtualBox, with a predominance of Linux distros, as well as alternative systems such as FreeBSD, FreeDOS or Android. Many listings include documentation and screenshots., something useful to decide before downloading.

Advantages: alphabetically sorted catalog and plenty of additional material for each image. Drawbacks: The focus is on VirtualBox (no VMware) and the navigation is not the most intuitiveIf you use VMware you can convert or import, but there is no specific format.

DescargarMaquinasVirtuales.com: proposals in Spanish

More websites for downloading free, guaranteed virtual machines. This Spanish-language project shares OVAs with Linux distros (CentOS, Debian, Kali, Ubuntu) ready to import into VirtualBox and also usable in VMware. An interesting plus is that many images are in Spanish., something that is appreciated in training environments.

Pros: Desktop and server versions, and compatibility with VirtualBox and VMware. Cons: The site looks outdated (latest images from 2020) and does not offer much technical information prior to download.

SysProbs: a wide range of tools for VirtualBox (Windows and Linux)

SysProbs collects VDI images for VirtualBox for Windows 11, 10, 8.1 and 7, as well as multiple Linux distros and even Windows Server editions (2019, 2016, 2012 R2). Downloads are free and each image includes a Readme with requirements, username and password..

Pros: Wide variety and ready to copy and use in VirtualBox. Weaknesses: Some historical links to Microsoft no longer work due to lack of maintenance on old posts. It's one of the best websites for downloading virtual machines.

TurnKey Linux: Appliances with pre-installed applications

TurnKey Linux offers a different approach: machines that, in addition to the system, come with ready-to-use stacks and apps (LAMP, WordPress, Drupal, MongoDB, Nextcloud/ownCloud, etc.). It is excellent for setting up functional laboratories in minutes. and focus on testing the application, not on building it.

How to open and import a downloaded VM

In VirtualBox, if you downloaded an OVA, go to File > Import Virtualized Service and select the file; a wizard will let you review the name, RAM, and CPU before importing it. If you downloaded a standalone disk (VDI/VMDK), follow our guide to Install a VDI image in VirtualBox, creating a new VM and choosing “use an existing disk file” when you get to the storage section.

In VMware, the flow is similar: you can either open the OVF/OVA directly or create a new VM and attach the disk as an existing one. Once imported, on first boot you will see the initial setup wizard (language, keyboard, time zone) on Windows, and on Linux you can set the locale from the session.

For OSBox images, the typical procedure is: download the distro image, unzip, create the VM in VirtualBox or VMware, choose to use an existing disk and point it to the downloaded VDI/VMDK, complete the creation, and boot. Then log in with the default credentials and change the language if you need to..

Requirements, Limitations, and FAQs for Microsoft VMs

Before we finish, here are some key points about these websites for downloading virtual machines:

• Minimum requirements: 8 GB of RAM (16 GB is better if you're going to compile or use multiple guests) and about 70 GB of disk space per VM. Some images weigh between 4,5 and 20 GB, so use an SSD to speed up import and boot.
• Passwords: By default, Windows 11 dev VMs do not have a password set for the initial user. If you are connecting via RDP or another tool, set a password first. in the local user.
• Activation: These are Enterprise Evaluation editions and do not accept key activation. When they expire, download a new VMIf they are disabled prematurely, the Activation Troubleshooter can help correct the condition.
• Architectures: No ARM builds at this time. Compatibility focuses on x86_64, with packages for Hyper-V Gen2, VirtualBox, VMware and, in cycles, Parallels.
• Known issues: Visual glitches may occur in VirtualBox (Start menu with atypical rendering). Installing Guest Additions and enabling 3D acceleration may improve the experience. while the provider investigates.

Recommended settings in VirtualBox

• RAM: Allocate what is reasonable without going overboard. Do not exceed 50% of the total RAM of your host computerFor lightweight Linux, 2–4 GB is fine; for Windows 10/11, aim for 6–8 GB if your PC allows it.
• CPU: If your processor has multiple cores, assign more than one to the VM to improve fluidity. Do not exceed the physical cores to avoid penalizing the host; with two vCPUs you'll already notice the difference.
• Storage: Choose between dynamic disks (they grow with use) or fixed-size disks (better performance from the start at the cost of using all the allocated space). If you will be working with databases or heavy compilations, fixed size usually performs better..
• Guest Additions: Install these to enable better graphical integration, clipboard synchronization, and shared folders. You will notice a jump in experience when resizing the window or dragging files between guest and host. If your keyboard doesn't work in VirtualBox

Choose hypervisor: Hyper‑V, VMware or VirtualBox

Hyper‑V (Windows): Install the feature on Windows Pro/Enterprise and use VHD/VHDX disks or import prepared packages. It is Microsoft's native option and integrates very well with Windows, although it coexists poorly with other solutions if you have nested virtualization enabled.

VMware Workstation/Fusion: Create a new VM and attach the image or import OVF/OVA. It is a very solid platform in performance and snapshots, ideal for demanding laboratories.

VirtualBox: cross-platform, free, and with a large community. Create the VM, choose the OS type, assign resources, and link the VDI/OVA. With the extension pack you add USB 2.0/3.0, VRDP, disk encryption, PCI passthrough and webcam, in addition to integration with Oracle Cloud.

How to use offloaded VMs effectively

Unzip the image to an SSD to speed up import and startup; if you lose the virtual disk after upgrading your host, see How to recover your virtual disk after updating Windows 11. When importing, review the proposed resources and adjust them to your team..

On pre-installed Linux, change the language, update the system, and, if applicable, install Guest Additions. On Windows, adds hypervisor integration tools and configure the network in NAT or bridge mode depending on whether you need isolation or visibility on the LAN.

If your goal is web compatibility (for example, testing IE11 on Windows 10), use VMs designed for that purpose. For pipelines and demos, pre-configured Visual Studio, SQL, and Azure DevOps environments save you hours. of installation and initial tuning.

If you prefer full control and extended use, create your VM from the official ISO (Windows 11/10) and activate a valid license; on Linux, install from the ISO and customize packages. It's more work at first, but you'll have a guest without expiration.

Between official Microsoft VMs, repositories like OSBoxes, projects like VirtualBoxes, Virtual Disk Images, SysProbs, or TurnKey Linux, and Spanish-language sources like DescargarMaquinasVirtuales.com, you have plenty of website options for downloading virtual machines. Choose the source based on the objective (evaluation, lab, legacy or devops), apply good security practices and adjust VirtualBox/VMware to get the most out of your hosting without compromising it.