This is a guide for students and power users on installing VirtualBox on Windows 11, enabling the simultaneous setup of virtual machines on one physical computer. It includes instructions for enabling hardware virtualization, installing the VirtualBox software, and installing the extension pack for additional functionalities. The benefits consist of running multiple operating systems on a computer without needing extra hardware.
This post shows students and new users how to install VirtualBox on Windows 11 to install guest virtual machines.
VirtualBox is an x64 virtualization software or hosted hypervisor that allows power users or advanced system administrators to simultaneously set up independent virtual machines on a single physical computer.
When you install VirtualBox software in Windows, you can create multiple independent guest computers, each running its operating system without additional physical hardware or support.
This software is great for sys admins and power users who want to run multiple guest OS without adding new devices.
For example, when you install VirtualBox virtualization in Windows 11, power users can create additional virtual computers inside VirtualBox to run Mac OS, Linux, and Windows 11 without needing three separate computers.
When you’re ready to install VirtualBox in Windows 11, follow the steps below:
How to Install Oracle VirtualBox on Windows 11
VirtualBox virtualization requires that the host machine has Hardware Visualization enabled. Most computers today will have this feature. However, it might be turned off in the BIOS. You may have to reboot the system BIOS and enable Virtualization Technology (VTx) in the system BIOS settings.
Once you enable hardware virtualization, log back into Windows and go to the link below to download the latest copy of VirtualBox software for Windows.
https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads
You’ll be prompted with an installation wizard when you run the installer. On the Welcome setup wizard page, click Next to begin the installation wizard.
You’ll probably leave everything as is on the custom setup page and continue. In most cases, you wouldn’t change anything here except for special situations.
When you’re ready, click Next to continue.
On the next page, choose from the options presented. This will add shortcuts to your desktop, menu entries, and others.
When you’re ready, click Next to continue with the setup.
Choose Yes when prompted to install VirtualBox networking features on the next page. Choosing yes will interrupt your network connections briefly.
Then continue with the setup.
On the next page, when you click Install to begin the installation.
Finally, click Finish to complete the setup. If the check box is checked for Start Oracle VM VirtualBox, when you click Finish, VirtualBox will launch and open.
VirtualBox will open up and be ready to be used. You can start creating virtual machines at this moment.
Install VirtualBox Extension Pack
After installing VirtualBox above, you’ll want to install the extension pack for VirtualBox. You can download the extension pack from the same download page above.
Downloads – Oracle VM VirtualBox
Choose the link to All support platforms as highlighted below.
Download and save to your desktop. Then open VirtualBox and go to Preferences ==> Extensions.
Or you can simply double-click on the downloaded pack, and it should launch the VirtualBox extension package installation.
Click the Install button to install it.
The extension pack extends the functionality of the VirtualBox base package. It provides the following enhancements to VirtualBox:
- Virtual USB 2.0 (EHCI) device
- Virtual USB 3.0 (xHCI) device
- VirtualBox Remote Desktop Protocol (VRDP) support
- Host webcam passthrough
- Intel PXE boots ROM.
- Experimental support for PCI passthrough on Linux hosts
- Disk image encryption with AES algorithm
That’s it! You’re finally ready to start creating virtual machines.
Conclusion:
This post showed you how to download and install Oracle VirtualBox on Windows 11. If you find any error above, please use the comment form below to report.
VirtualBox (as of Sept 3, 2021) does not yet support Windows 11 as a host. You can install it but VMs will fail to run.
still not working on windows 11
Virtual box is not working on Windows 11 (27/09)
yes, because of fetal error. and what is that i don’t know
if you aware about that please let me know okay!!!
Don’t know what you are talking about guys. Virtual box is working on Windows 11 Pro (build 22000.194) (29/09)
it instal and start but you cant run any guest VM without turning off VM hypervisor .. and that break native WSL 2 – so on W11 cant run both at the same time
Can not install Virtual Box VirtualBox-6.1.26-145957-Win.exe on Windows 11
Version: Windows 11 Pro Insider Preview
Version: Dev
SO compilation: 22471.1000
Windows Feature Experience Pack 1000.22471.1000.0
Installer finished unsuccessfully …
Same problem as Irek (above) with the Windows 11 Home Insider Preview Dev version, Build: 22478
So it works but I get errors when I try to use telnet in ubuntu is that related to windows 11
6.1.30 won’t install on Windows 11
As of 14 dec 2021 windows 11 still does not allow us to host virtual machines 🙁
Notes: SOLUTION TO INSTALL IT ON WIN 11
You can also open the Core isolation page by selecting Start > Settings > Update & Security > Windows Security > Device Security and then under Core isolation, selecting Core isolation details.
Though the driver has a minor vulnerability that’s preventing it from loading, it’s most likely not malicious in any way.
The driver name and company name that appear in the notification are the only reliable pieces of information that we have been able to gather about the driver.
If an updated driver is unavailable from the driver manufacturer, it might be a good idea to contact them and inquire whether a fix is coming soon.