.VMX File Extension

VMware Virtual Machine Configuration File

Developer VMware
Popularity
3.5  |  48 Votes
 

What is a VMX file?

A VMX file is a configuration file created by VMware virtualization software, such as VMware Workstation and VMware Fusion. It stores plain text settings for a virtual machine (.VMWAREVM package), which includes a virtual machine's memory, hard disk, and processor limit settings. VMX files are typically created and saved within the VMWAREVM package for which they store the settings.

More Information

Screenshot of a .vmx file in Apple TextEdit
VMX file open in Apple TextEdit

Fusion is a high-end virtualization program that allows you to run Windows, Linux, and other operating systems in macOS. When you install an operating system (OS) with Fusion, the software creates a virtual machine (VMs) to store the OS.

As Fusion creates the VM, it also creates various data files, including VMX and .VMDK files, to configure the VM. VMX files are paired with and used to load the virtual disk saved in a VMDK file.

You can find the configuration files in a VMWAREVM package by right-clicking the VMWAREVM file and selecting Show Package Contents. The VMX file is named after the name of the VM. For example, if the VM name is Windows 11 x64, the VMX file is named Windows 11 x64.vmx.

VMX Format

VMX files are saved in a plain text format that stores settings in the form of property = value. For example, the setting for a VM's memory limit may be memsize = "512", which means that 512MB of RAM is the maximum memory allowed for that VM.

NOTE: If you created a VM with an earlier Linux version of VMware Workstation, that machine's configuration file may be a .CFG file.

Common VMX Filenames

[VM name].vmx - The name of the VMX file is the same name as the VM. For example, the VMX file for a "Windows 8" VM is Windows 8.vmx.

How to open a VMX file

You should not attempt to open a VMX file manually. VMware Fusion automatically loads the information in the VMX file when running a virtual machine.

However, if you need to manually edit a virtual machine's settings, you can open and edit a VMX file with a text editor, such as Apple TextEdit (Mac). Remember that if you incorrectly edit the file, you may inadvertently cause the VM not to run correctly.

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Programs that open or reference VMX files

Valve Map Backup File

Developer Valve
Popularity
3.0  |  13 Votes
 

Map backup file created by Source SDK, an SDK used to modify games provided by Valve's Steam gaming service; contains a backup of a .VMF map file created by the Hammer Editor component of the Source SDK.

More Information

Hammer Editor automatically create a VMX file when a VMF map file is saved. Therefore, they can be used to revert a map back to the last save point.

Programs that open or reference VMX files

Windows

Cubase Mixer Settings File

Developer N/A
Popularity
2.3  |  9 Votes
 

Configuration file used by Steinberg music production software programs, such as Cubase and V-STack; contains channel and effects settings for an audio mixer; used to save and load custom mixer configurations.

Programs that open VMX files

Windows
Steinberg V-STack
Mac
Steinberg V-STack

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