VMWare Fusion 12 Will Support macOS Big Sur And More

By Oliver Haslam
published

VMware on macOS
VMware on macOS (Image credit: iMore)

What you need to know

  • VMWare has announced a new version of its Fusion software.
  • Fusion 12 is ready for macOS 11 Big Sur.
  • There's no actual release date for it, though.

VMWare today announced (opens in new tab) Fusion 12, the next version of its popular virtualization software that allows people to run virtual machines on their computers. The new update has a raft of improvements to offer, but the addition of full support for macOS 11 Big Sur is one of the most notable.

The new update removes the need for any kerne; extensions, a move that Apple has been pushing for. It also makes full use of Apple's latest APIs to enable VMWare Fusion 12 to run as a first-class citizen on macOS.

In preparation for the next major version of macOS 11.0 Big Sur, VMware has made full use of Apple's hypervisor and other APIs, removing the need for kernel extensions and supporting macOS 11 as both host and guest.

Additional changes in this latest version include support for Dark Mode, eGPUs, and more.

  • DirectX 11 and OpenGL 4.1 –Running games and apps support with Direct3D version 11 or OpenGL 4.1
  • Windows 10 Hyper-V Mode – VMware Workstation products support running VMs, containers and Kubernetes clusters on PCs with Windows 10 version 2004 that have Hyper-V mode enabled.
  • Dark Mode – For Workstation Pro and Player UIs, a new Dark Mode feature will seamlessly align with the latest versions of Windows 10, including the recently released 2004 build.
  • eGPU Compatibility – Fusion Player and Pro will support eGPU devices, helping offload the resource-taxing graphics rendering process from the internal integrated or discrete GPU, to a much more powerful external one.
  • Improved Accessibility – Accessibility controls in compliance with VPAT Section 508, helping users get the full benefits of virtual machines.

Users who already bought Fusion 11.5 or Fusion 11.5 Pro after June 15 will get a free update to Fusion 12 Player or Fision 12 Pro, while everyone else will have to cough up. New licenses will cost $199 while an upgrade will cost $99.

Oliver Haslam
Oliver Haslam
Contributor

Oliver Haslam has written about Apple and the wider technology business for more than a decade with bylines on How-To Geek, PC Mag, iDownloadBlog, and many more. He has also been published in print for Macworld, including cover stories. At iMore, Oliver is involved in daily news coverage and, not being short of opinions, has been known to 'explain' those thoughts in more detail, too.

Having grown up using PCs and spending far too much money on graphics card and flashy RAM, Oliver switched to the Mac with a G5 iMac and hasn't looked back. Since then he's seen the growth of the smartphone world, backed by iPhone, and new product categories come and go. Current expertise includes iOS, macOS, streaming services, and pretty much anything that has a battery or plugs into a wall. Oliver also covers mobile gaming for iMore, with Apple Arcade a particular focus. He's been gaming since the Atari 2600 days and still struggles to comprehend the fact he can play console quality titles on his pocket computer.