Microsoft Launches Preview of VM Conversion Tool in Windows Admin Center

Microsoft is rolling out a new feature for IT admins and enterprises. The VM Conversion tool is now available in public preview inside Windows Admin Center, giving organizations a streamlined way to move virtual machines from VMware to Hyper-V with little hassle.

The tool is agentless, cost-free, and quick to set up, making it especially useful for small and mid-sized companies still running workloads on-premises but eyeing future moves to the cloud. According to Microsoft, setup takes under five minutes, and once enabled, admins can begin converting VMs right away.

Built for flexibility and minimal downtime

The new conversion process has been designed with efficiency in mind. It uses change block tracking (CBT) to copy virtual machine data while keeping the source VM live, ensuring apps and services continue to run. Only during the final cutover does the source VM shut down briefly, keeping downtime to a minimum.

Admins can also migrate up to 10 VMs at once, with support for both Linux and Windows guests. Features like multi-disk support and automatic BIOS-to-UEFI mapping help ensure compatibility while reducing manual work.

Preparing for hybrid and cloud futures

While many businesses are already adopting Azure VMs, containers, and PaaS services, Microsoft recognizes that some workloads must remain on-premises due to compliance or governance. The VM Conversion tool bridges that gap, making it easier to modernize infrastructure today while leaving the door open for Azure integration later.

For now, the feature is in public preview, available in the Windows Admin Center v2 GA release under Extensions. Microsoft says support for Azure Arc-enabled servers will arrive in future updates.