To obtain the free hypervisor, you must now navigate the .
Once applied, you will see the product name change from "Evaluation Mode" to "VMware vSphere Hypervisor 8 Licensed," and the expiration date will disappear, indicating the license is perpetual.
In early 2024, after acquiring VMware, Broadcom for new registrations. Existing free keys still work, but new users cannot get an official free ESXi 8 license from Broadcom anymore. Instead: esxi 8 free license key
Once you have installed ESXi 8, it will run in "Evaluation Mode" for 60 days. To switch it to the Free Edition permanently:
Click on or look for the Free Software Downloads section. Search for VMware vSphere Hypervisor . To obtain the free hypervisor, you must now navigate the
: Go to the Broadcom Support Portal and log in with your account. Navigate to Downloads : Select VMware Cloud Foundation from the product categories.
You cannot find it on random keygen sites — those are malware traps. Instead: Existing free keys still work, but new users
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Broadcom Community
If you are using an older build or need to verify the license on your host: License key for the free edition of VMware ESXi 8.0U3e
The ESXi 8 free license key remains a valuable resource for learning and non-critical testing. While it lacks the enterprise-grade features like vMotion and vCenter integration, it provides a robust, bare-metal hypervisor for users who need a stable platform for a single host. By following the steps above, you can quickly register, license, and deploy your VMware environment.
Key limitations include: