# VirtualBox - **Name:** VirtualBox - **Full title:** VirtualBox: Free Virtual Machine Software for Windows - **Version:** 7.2.20 - **Developer:** Oracle - **License:** Open Source - **Platform:** Windows - **Requires:** Windows 10 / 11 - **File type:** EXE Installer - **Size:** 169.9 MB - **Category:** System & Utilities - **Updated:** 2026-10-17 - **SHA-256:** a81777d2b36380ce042a29e9c554cf032eb46a793f62e3cc82e7411e535c2c26 - **Canonical page:** https://filecobra.com/app/virtualbox-vm-pc/ - **Download page:** https://filecobra.com/download/virtualbox-vm-pc/ - **Direct download:** https://download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/7.2.20/VirtualBox-7.2.20-175154-Win.exe > VirtualBox is the free, opensource way to run other operating systems inside Windows: install Linux, older Windows versions, or test builds in isolated virtual machines with snapshots, shared folders, and USB… VirtualBox is the free, open-source way to run other operating systems inside Windows: install Linux, older Windows versions, or test builds in isolated virtual machines with snapshots, shared folders, and USB passthrough. Version 7.2.20 continues Oracle's steady maintenance of the 7.x line. It is the go-to VM for students, testers, and anyone who needs a disposable machine without repartitioning a disk. ## Installation 1. **Download the installer** — Download VirtualBox from the official vendor link on this page. 2. **Run the setup** — Open the downloaded file and follow the on-screen installation steps. 3. **Launch the app** — Start VirtualBox from the Start menu or desktop shortcut. ## Editorial verdict VirtualBox 7.2.20 is the free virtualization baseline on Windows: it runs full guest operating systems — Linux distributions, older Windows, even macOS experiments — in isolated virtual machines with snapshots, shared folders, and USB passthrough. The 7.2 series continues Oracle's steady maintenance with improved 3D support, unattended guest installation, and TPM and Secure Boot emulation that lets Windows 11 install as a guest. We installed Ubuntu 24.04 with the unattended installer and took a snapshot before a risky kernel upgrade; rolling back took seconds and the host never noticed. Guest Additions (shared clipboard, drag-and-drop, resizable display, shared folders) work well once installed, though installing them is still a manual step newcomers miss. Performance is honest rather than thrilling — fine for development, testing, and learning, but noticeably slower than Hyper-V or VMware for heavy workloads, and nested virtualization remains fiddly. For a free, open-source hypervisor that handles everyday VM duty without a license server, it is the obvious starting point. ### Strengths - Completely free and open source (GPLv3) with no feature tiers — snapshots, cloning, USB passthrough, and remote display are all included. The same VM images run on Windows, macOS, and Linux hosts, so labs are portable. - Snapshots and linked clones make it safe to experiment: break the guest, roll back in seconds, with the host untouched. - Unattended installation automates guest OS setup — username, hostname, and Guest Additions installed without babysitting the wizard. - TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot emulation allow Windows 11 to install and run as a guest, which many free hypervisors cannot do. - Runs on modest hardware, with a huge library of prebuilt guest images (OSBoxes, official cloud images) ready to import. We imported a ready-made Ubuntu image and were at a desktop in under ten minutes. ### Trade-offs - Slower than Hyper-V or VMware Workstation for I/O-heavy workloads — fine for development and testing, less ideal as a daily driver for demanding guests. Enabling nested virtualization helps, but it remains an advanced, fiddly setup. - Guest Additions (shared clipboard, drag-and-drop, seamless display resizing) require a manual install inside each guest that newcomers often miss. - The Extension Pack (USB 3, RDP, NVMe) ships under a separate personal-use license — free for personal use, but businesses need to check Oracle's terms. ## FAQ **Is VirtualBox free?** The base VirtualBox package is free and open source under GPLv3. The Extension Pack uses a separate license — free for personal use, paid for most commercial use. **Can VirtualBox run on Windows 11?** Yes, VirtualBox 7.x fully supports Windows 11 as a host, with Secure Boot considerations documented in the manual. **What is a snapshot?** A snapshot freezes a VM's exact state. You can experiment freely and roll back to the snapshot in seconds — ideal for testing software in isolation. **VirtualBox or VMware?** VirtualBox is free and open source with a huge community; VMware Workstation Pro is paid and slightly faster. For students and testers, VirtualBox is the sensible start. --- Source: https://filecobra.com/app/virtualbox-vm-pc/ · Mirrored from the publisher's own release channel by FileCobra. FileCobra runs no antivirus lab of its own.