How to export Virtual Machine in VMware

Many people use Virtual machines to run multiple operating systems on their PCs. However, there are times when you need to do some changes. It is better to keep a backup of your virtual machine so that you can use it in case of any issues.

If you are wondering how you can export your virtual machine in VMware, this article explains the process to export a virtual machine in OVF format. The OVF format to get a complete specification of the VM that is helpful for the administrators.

Carefully follow the below-mentioned steps in order to avoid any unnecessary complications later at any stages.

How do I export Virtual Machine in VMware?

1. Power off your Virtual Machine

1. First and foremost, select the virtual machine you want to export.
2. Right-click on the virtual machine go to Power and click Shut Down Guest.
3. Wait until the Shutdown process is complete and proceed to the next step.

2. Export To OVF Format

1. To export your virtual machine to OVF format, select your virtual machine and navigate to File >> Export >> Export OVF Template. 
2. Once the Export OVF Template window opens on your screen, specify the Name of OVF.
3. Choose the Directory where you want to save the OVF file and select OVF from the list of formats.
4. Click the OK button to begin the export process.
5. You can see the progress of the export process in the Exporting dialoge box. Wait until your system displays the Completed Successfully message.
6. Open the directory where you have saved the exported OVF file.

In this article, we have explored how we can export a Virtual Machine in VMware. We hope that this method helped you to export your VM. You can now import the OVF file as per your requirement. Feel free to leave your questions in the comments section below.