VMware this week released a private tech preview version of Fusion for M1 Macs. Users can request access to the preview through an online form. A public tech version is expected in a few weeks.
Details of the latest iteration of VMware Fusion were outlined in an April blog post that notes a focus on Linux VMs. Windows is considered a “second priority” and isn’t currently officially supported, as Microsoft does not currently license Windows 10 ARM.
Windows is second priority behind Linux
- Microsoft currently does not sell licenses of Windows 10 ARM for virtual machines.
- Insider builds of Windows 10 ARM may only be installed on systems with a licensed version of Windows 10, which is currently not available on Apple hardware.
In a tweet, Roy said Windows 10 should still run when selecting the “other” operating system type, but VMware will not be shipping drivers or VMware Tools.
VMware Fusion will also not be able to virtualize Intel-based Windows or Linux distributions, while support for virtualizing macOS is not ready yet.
Microsoft does not yet offer a retail version of Arm-based Windows, but a preview version is available to Windows Insider program members.
No timeframe or pricing has been announced for the public release of VMware Fusion for M1 Macs.
