In an era where virtualization becomes increasingly essential for developers, testers, and IT professionals, Oracle’s VirtualBox has stood as a reliable option. After rigorous testing over the past few months, Oracle proudly announces the launch of VirtualBox 7, available to users across all supported platforms. This latest release stands out, particularly for its bolstered support for Windows 11, with its addition of SecureBoot and TPM 1.2/2.0 features. This ensures that users can run Windows 11 on VirtualBox without resorting to any software shortcuts or bypasses, aligning with the OS’s minimum hardware stipulations.
Furthermore, VirtualBox 7 isn’t just about Windows 11 compatibility. The update ushers in a slew of features such as comprehensive virtual machine encryption, support for cloud virtual machines, enhanced 3D support through DirectX 11, and the capability to operate a virtual machine even before user profile login. And while earlier versions allowed some workaround with registry tweaks, this update streamlines Windows 11 compatibility, eliminating the need for any such interventions.
New features in VirtualBox 7
- Virtual machines can be fully encrypted now, including the VM config logs and saved states (CLI only for now)
- Cloud virtual machines can be added to Virtual Machine Manager and controlled as local VMs.
- Cloud networks can now be configured via the Network Manager tool similarly to Host-only and NAT networks.
- Added a new utility similar to “top” or “resource monitor,” which lists performance statistics (CPU usage, RAM usage, disk I/O rate, etc.) of running guests
- Reworked the new VM wizard to integrate the unattended guest OS installation and to have a more streamlined workflow
- Added a new help viewer widget, which enables the user manual to navigate and search
- Adding a new notification center unifying most of the running progress and error reporting around the GUI
- It improved theme support on all platforms. Linux and macOS use native engines, which are separately implemented for Windows hosts.
- Large icon update.
- I am now using Vorbis as the default audio format for WebM containers.
- They added a “default” host driver type to make it possible to move VMs (appliances) between different platforms without changing the audio driver explicitly. When the “default” driver is selected, a platform’s best audio backend option will be used. This is the default for newly created VMs.
- Implemented initial support for automatic updating of Guest Additions for Linux guests
- Implemented the ability to wait for and reboot the guest when updating Guest Additions via VBoxManage
- Added Guest Control “waitrunlevel” sub-command to make it possible to wait for a guest to reach a certain run-level
- Dropped all kernel extensions. Then, VirtualBox relies entirely on the hypervisor and vmnet frameworks provided by Apple. At the moment, the implementation lacks “Internal Networking” functionality. This will be provided at a later date.
- We provide a Developer Preview package for systems with an Apple silicon CPU.
- Reworked guest screen re-size functionality and added essential integration with some guest Desktop Environments.
- Implemented new 3D support based on DirectX 11 (and DXVK on non-Windows hosts)
- Added virtual IOMMU devices (Intel and AMD variants)/
- Added virtual TPM 1.2 and 2.0 devices.
- The EHCI and XHCI USB controller devices are now part of the open-source base package.
- Added support for Secure Boot.
- Added experimental support for guest debugging through GDB and highly experimental support for guest debugging through KD/WinDbg.
Download VirtualBox 7
You can download VirtualBox 7 from the official website. The app is available for free for Windows, macOS, and Linux.
The latest versions of VirtualBox support TPM 1.2 and 2.0, as well as Secure Boot, making it easier to install Windows 11.
If you’ve installed Windows 11 on a virtual machine or an unsupported PC with minimum system requirements and find yourself unable to upgrade to the Windows 11 2022 Update, then refer to this guide on how to update or install Windows 11 22H2 on unsupported devices.
Conclusion
Oracle’s VirtualBox 7 emerges as a powerful tool in the age of virtualization, demonstrating the company’s commitment to evolving user needs and the ever-changing tech landscape. This release isn’t merely a superficial upgrade; it enhances compatibility, integrates cutting-edge features, and offers a seamless user experience across various platforms. From full virtual machine encryption to the support for cloud virtual machines and the inclusion of Secure Boot and TPM 1.2/2.0 for Windows 11 compatibility, VirtualBox 7 stands poised to redefine the standards for virtual machine tools.
