Determining VMware Software Version and Build Number

Products

VMware VMware Desktop Hypervisor VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

How do I determine what version of a VMware product I'm running?

Environment

VMware P2V Assistant

Resolution

VMware products use unique build numbers for each product release.

Depending on which VMware product you are running, there are several ways to determine the version information.

From the menu

Choose Help > About if you are using any of these applications:

ACE
GSX Server for Windows
Remote Console for Windows
VirtualCenter Client
Virtual Machine Console for Windows
Workstation for Windows
Player for Windows

In the ESXi/ESX 4.x, ESXi 5.x, and ESXi 6.0 Service Console

Determine the build number and the latest update applied by running the command:

vmware -vl

For more information, see:

In the ESX Server 3.5 Service Console

Get summary information about the base build number and subsequently installed patches by typing esxupdate query at the command line. For more information on determining detailed build number information for ESX Server hosts, see Determining detailed build number version information for VMware ESX 3.0.x and 3.5.x hosts (1001179).

From the command line

Get the information by typing vmware -v at a command prompt in the host operating system while running any of these:

GSX Server for Windows
GSX Server for Linux
Workstation for Windows
Workstation for Linux

Note: On Windows systems, include the full path to vmware.exe. For example, type (including the quotes):
"c:\Program Files\VMware\VMware Workstation\vmware" -v

Using the Management Interface

If you are using ESX Server or GSX Server, log onto the Management Interface. After you successfully log on, the product version information appears in the upper left corner of the page.

Using the vSphere Client

If you are using ESX/ESX:

Log in to the vSphere Client.
Go to the Summary tab. The product version displays at the top of the page.

For P2V Assistant

To determine the version of P2V Assistant you have installed, start P2V Assistant and click Version and License Info.

For vCenter Server

To identify which version of vCenter Server you are running, type (including the quotes):

"C:\Program Files\VMware\Infrastructure\VirtualCenter Server\vpxd.exe" -v

Note: The path shown above is the default. Adjust it to suit your particular installation.

For vCenter Server Appliance.

vCenter Server Appliance 5.x:

Open the console to the vCenter Server virtual machine from the vSphere Client or vSphere Web Client. The build number is available in the first line of the welcome screen formatted as:

VMware vCenter Server Appliance 5.x.x.xxxxx Build 1235310

For vCenter Server Appliance 6.0, see Determining the build number of VMware ESX/ESXi and VMware vCenter Server (1022196).

vSphere Web Client

Log in to the vSphere Web Client.
Click Help > About VMware vSphere.
The version will be to the right of vSphere Web Client.

For VMware Tools

VMware Tools releases also have build numbers. To identify the build number of the VMware Tools release:

When running VMware Tools in a Windows virtual machine, right-click the VMware Tools icon (generally in the system tray at the end of the taskbar), click Open VMware Tools and select About.
When running VMware Tools in a Linux or FreeBSD virtual machine, start vmware-toolbox in X-windows and choose Help > About. If X-windows is unavailable, use this command from a console prompt:

vmware-toolbox-cmd -v
To check the version of VMware Tools in a NetWare virtual machine:
- In X-windows, click Novell > Settings > VMware Tools for NetWare, then click the VMware Tools tab.
- At a console prompt, type:
  
  vmwtool version

Additional Information

For more information, see Correlating vCenter Server and ESXi/ESX host build numbers to update levels (1014508).

For translated versions of this article, see: