VMware Tools can be manually updated inside guest OS without requiring ESXi host-side update

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

In some environments, administrators may wonder whether manually updating VMware Tools inside a virtual machine has the same effect as updating VMware Tools through the ESXi host, and whether the VMware Tools version installed in the guest operating system must match the version available on the host.

This article does not cover detailed procedures for downloading, installing, or upgrading VMware Tools. It focuses on explaining whether these actions are supported and interchangeable.

Environment

 

• vSphere 7.x / 8.x / 9.x

• VMware Tools (any standalone or host-bundled version)

• Supported guest operating systems

 

Resolution

Please refer to the following details for clarification and recommended practices.

1. Manual update inside guest OS is supported

Manually updating VMware Tools inside the guest operating system using the official MSI/standalone installer is a supported method and has the same functional effect as updating VMware Tools through the host. The manual method installs the same VMware Tools components directly within the guest OS without requiring ESXi host intervention.

2. VMware Tools can be independent from the ESXi host version

VMware Tools can be upgraded independently of the underlying ESXi or vSphere platform. It is not mandatory for the VMware Tools version inside the guest OS to exactly match the version bundled with the ESXi host.

3. VMware Tools in a virtual machine can be newer, the same, or older than the version bundled with the ESXi host:

• Newer version: when VMware Tools is manually upgraded inside the guest OS, or when a virtual machine is migrated from another host that has a newer VMware Tools version.
• Same version: when the VMware Tools version in the guest OS matches the one available on the current ESXi host.
• Older version: when a virtual machine is migrated from a host with an older VMware Tools version, deployed from an older template, or when the ESXi host has been upgraded but the virtual machines have not yet updated their VMware Tools.

In cases where VMware Tools inside the guest OS is older than the version provided by the host, the virtual machine will still function normally. Although upgrading is recommended to benefit from the latest drivers and features, it is not mandatory for normal operation or compatibility.

4. Administrators can safely use either of the following methods to update VMware Tools:

• Host-managed update: From vSphere Client → A virtual machine → Install or Upgrade VMware Tools
• Manual update: Download and install the standalone VMware Tools package inside the guest OS

5. For large-scale environments, maintaining consistent major versions (e.g., all 12.x or all 13.x) is recommended for manageability. In such environments, using host-managed VMware Tools updates is generally preferred, as it provides a more centralized and convenient way to maintain version consistency across multiple virtual machines.

Additional Information

If necessary, VMware Tools on the ESXi host can also be updated to a newer version, which makes it easier to upgrade VMware Tools in virtual machines managed by that host.