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Install VMware Tools on Ubuntu 20.04 Focal Fossa Linux

If you’re running Ubuntu 20.04 LTS (Focal Fossa) as a virtual machine (VM) on VMware (e.g., VMware Workstation, Player, Fusion, or vSphere), installing VMware Tools is critical to unlocking the full potential of your VM. VMware Tools is a suite of utilities and drivers that enhances the performance, usability, and integration between the host (your physical machine) and guest (Ubuntu VM) operating systems.

2026-02

Key Benefits of VMware Tools:#

  • Improved Performance: Optimizes CPU, memory, and disk I/O for smoother operation.
  • Seamless Mouse Integration: Eliminates the need to “release” the mouse from the VM (no more Ctrl+Alt to switch).
  • Shared Folders: Easily transfer files between host and guest via shared directories.
  • Drag-and-Drop & Clipboard Sharing: Copy/paste text/files between host and VM.
  • Enhanced Graphics: Better screen resolution, dynamic resizing, and video acceleration.
  • Guest OS Monitoring: Allows VMware to track VM resource usage (CPU, memory, disk).

In this guide, we’ll walk through two methods to install VMware Tools on Ubuntu 20.04:

  1. Using open-vm-tools (Recommended): The open-source alternative to VMware’s proprietary tools, pre-packaged in Ubuntu’s repositories.
  2. Using the VMware Tools ISO (Legacy Method): The traditional approach using VMware’s official ISO image.

Table of Contents#

  1. Prerequisites
  2. Method 1: Install open-vm-tools (Recommended)
    • 2.1 Update Package Repositories
    • 2.2 Install open-vm-tools
    • 2.3 Verify Installation
  3. Method 2: Install via VMware Tools ISO (Legacy)
    • 3.1 Mount the VMware Tools ISO
    • 3.2 Extract and Run the Installer
    • 3.3 Verify Installation
  4. Post-Installation: Enable Features
  5. Troubleshooting Common Issues
  6. Conclusion
  7. References

Prerequisites#

Before starting, ensure:

  • An Ubuntu 20.04 VM is running on VMware (Workstation Pro/Player, Fusion, or vSphere).
  • The VM has internet access (required for open-vm-tools).
  • You have sudo privileges on the Ubuntu VM (to install packages).

open-vm-tools is the official open-source implementation of VMware Tools, maintained by VMware and the Linux community. It is pre-included in Ubuntu’s default repositories, making installation fast and straightforward. VMware recommends this method for most users.

2.1 Update Package Repositories#

First, refresh Ubuntu’s package list to ensure you install the latest version of open-vm-tools:

sudo apt update

2.2 Install open-vm-tools#

Ubuntu 20.04 offers two open-vm-tools packages:

  • open-vm-tools: Core utilities for server/headless environments (no GUI).
  • open-vm-tools-desktop: Adds GUI-specific features (e.g., drag-and-drop, clipboard sharing, dynamic resizing).

For desktop users (with GNOME/KDE), install both packages:

sudo apt install open-vm-tools open-vm-tools-desktop -y

For server users (no GUI), install only the core package:

sudo apt install open-vm-tools -y

2.3 Verify Installation#

After installation, restart the VM to apply changes:

sudo reboot

Once rebooted, verify open-vm-tools is running:

systemctl status open-vm-tools

You should see output like:

● open-vm-tools.service - Service for virtual machines hosted on VMware  
     Loaded: loaded (/lib/systemd/system/open-vm-tools.service; enabled; vendor preset: enabled)  
     Active: active (running) since Wed 2024-03-20 12:34:56 UTC; 2min 10s ago

To check the version, run:

vmware-toolbox-cmd -v

Example output:

11.3.5.35604 (build-18557794)

Method 2: Install via VMware Tools ISO (Legacy)#

If open-vm-tools causes issues (rare), use VMware’s official Tools ISO. This method uses a proprietary installer bundled with VMware products.

3.1 Mount the VMware Tools ISO#

  1. Power on the Ubuntu VM and log in.

  2. In the VMware host application (Workstation/Player/Fusion):

    • For VMware Workstation/Player: Go to VM > Install VMware Tools (or Update VMware Tools if already installed).
    • For VMware Fusion: Go to Virtual Machine > Install VMware Tools.

    This mounts a virtual CD-ROM (ISO) containing the Tools installer to your Ubuntu VM.

3.2 Extract and Run the Installer#

  1. Open a terminal in Ubuntu and create a temporary directory to mount the ISO:

    mkdir -p /mnt/cdrom

  2. Mount the ISO (replace /dev/sr0 with your CD-ROM device if needed):

    sudo mount /dev/sr0 /mnt/cdrom

  3. List the contents of the mounted ISO to find the installer filename (e.g., VMwareTools-12.3.5-21835696.tar.gz):

    ls /mnt/cdrom

  4. Copy the .tar.gz file to your home directory (replace [VERSION] with the actual filename):

    cp /mnt/cdrom/VMwareTools-[VERSION].tar.gz ~/

  5. Unmount the ISO (optional but clean):

    sudo umount /mnt/cdrom

  6. Extract the installer:

    cd ~  
tar -xzf VMwareTools-[VERSION].tar.gz

  7. Run the installer script (accept default prompts by pressing Enter):

    cd vmware-tools-distrib  
sudo ./vmware-install.pl
    • When asked, confirm the default installation path (/usr/bin), and answer yes to install required components.

3.3 Verify Installation#

Reboot the VM:

sudo reboot

Check the Tools version:

vmware-toolbox-cmd -v

Post-Installation: Enable Features#

After installing VMware Tools, enable key features via the VMware host application:

Shared Folders#

  1. In VMware, go to VM > Settings > Options > Shared Folders.
  2. Click Add and select a folder on your host machine to share.
  3. In Ubuntu, access shared folders at: 
    /mnt/hgfs/[SHARED_FOLDER_NAME]

Dynamic Screen Resizing#

The VM’s screen will automatically resize when you drag the VM window. If not, log out and back in to your Ubuntu desktop.

Clipboard Sharing#

Copy text/files on the host, then paste directly into the VM (and vice versa).

Troubleshooting Common Issues#

1. open-vm-tools Not Starting#

If open-vm-tools fails to run:

sudo systemctl start open-vm-tools  
sudo systemctl enable open-vm-tools  # Start on boot

2. Shared Folders Not Visible#

  • Ensure the shared folder is enabled in VMware settings.
  • Install open-vm-tools-desktop (for GUI) and fuse (for mounting): 
    sudo apt install open-vm-tools-desktop fuse -y

3. Poor Graphics Performance#

  • Install open-vm-tools-desktop and restart the display manager: 
    sudo systemctl restart gdm  # For GNOME  
# or  
sudo systemctl restart lightdm  # For Xfce/LXDE

Conclusion#

Installing VMware Tools on Ubuntu 20.04 is essential for a seamless VM experience. The open-vm-tools method is recommended for its simplicity and maintenance via Ubuntu’s repositories. For legacy setups, the ISO method remains a reliable fallback.

With Tools installed, you’ll enjoy faster performance, easy file sharing, and seamless integration between your host and Ubuntu VM.

References#