Tips to open VMX file

Can't open the VMX file? You are not the only one. Thousands of users face similar problems every day. Below you will find tips on how to open VMX files as well as a list of programs that support VMX files.

VMX file extension

File Name VMware Configuration Format
File Developer VMware
File Category Settings Files

The VMX file is supported on 3 operating systems. Depending on your operating system, you may need different software to handle the VMX files. Below is a summary of the number of programs that support and open the VMX file on each system platform.

Operating systems
  • 4
  • 2
  • 1
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

What is VMX file?

The file with the extension VMX is the Settings Files file type. The creator of this file is VMware. In addition to this file, the Settings Files category includes 1305 related files. VMware Configuration Format is supported by 3 operating systems. These systems consist of Linux, Mac OS, Windows, although it may occasionally be found on another system, it will be non-functional. It is recommended to use VMware Fusion to handle this file. This is a program created by VMware, Inc.. Alternatively, you can use 6 other programs. You can use VMware Workstation, Parallels Workstation, VMware vSphere, VMware Player in case VMware Fusion cannot be used.

How to open VMX file?

The main problem with VMware Configuration Format is that the VMX file is incorrectly associated with programs. Thus, when you open VMX, the program selection wizard or some other program starts. How to solve such a problem?

The first thing you should do is just "doubleclick" on the VMX file icon you want to open. If the operating system has an appropriate application to support it and there is also an association between the file and the program, the file should be opened.

Step 1. Install VMware Fusion

The first step is to check if the computer has the VMware Fusion program installed. The easiest method is to use the system search engine by entering the program name VMware Fusion in it. If we do not have this program, it is worth installing it, as it will help you automatically associate the file VMX with VMware Fusion. Later in this article you will find a list of programs that can open VMX files.

Step 2. Create association of VMware Fusion with VMX files

If the application is or has been freshly installed, but the VMX file still does not use the VMware Fusion program, it means no association. The association can be created using the drop-down list available by right-clicking on the file and selecting Properties. The displayed window will contain information about the program that supports this type of file. Using the "Change" button we can select the desired program. It may happen that in the next window there will be no appropriate program - however, this can be corrected with the "Browse" option where you should manually indicate the program location. However, it is important to check the "Always use the selected program ..." box, this will allow you to permanently associate the VMX file with the VMware Fusion application.

Step 3. Update VMware Fusion to the latest version

The fault may also lie with the VMware Fusion program, it is possible that VMware Configuration Format requires a newer version of the program. In this case, use the VMware, Inc. website or update the program from the application.

Step 4. Check for the following problems with the VMX file

Of course, it may happen that despite the above steps, the file still does not work. This could be due to the file itself, the cleanest issues are:

The affected file may be 0 KB or smaller than expected. This is most often caused by a problem while downloading the VMX file. Downloading the file again should fix the problem.
The computer may have fallen victim to a computer virus or hacker. Perform a virus scan using available and up-to-date anti-virus software. Some antivirus vendors also provide free online scanners. The scan should cover the entire computer, not only the VMX file that we want to open. As a result of the scan, sometimes it is not possible to recover VMX files, which are deleted if there is a backup of this file, then after restoring it, it must also be scanned.
A typical compatibility error - the program does not support the older version of the VMX file. These problems are known and are often very easy to fix using the software developers's website.
There can be many reasons for this. Repairing is very dependent on the file type. Some programs offer the ability to automatically repair VMX file corruption. You can restore the file from a backup or use VMware help.
When reading, a message appears that the file was encrypted or corrupted. The encrypted VMX files can be used by the device on which they were encrypted, on any other device it is required to have the appropriate cryptographic key and decrypt the file before its recovery.
Some of the system directories are excluded from modification. The problem is only writing to the file, not reading it. Copying the VMX file to another location will fix the problem.
This problem only occurs with more complex files. In this case, the VMX file is blocked by the first application to open it. Running programs (including those in the background) should be verified. Sometimes it is necessary to wait a while before referencing the VMX file again. Antivirus programs or a backup being made may lock the file for a while without the user's knowledge. If this does not work either, restart the device.