VMware Tools stops running and RDP access is lost upon logoff on Windows 11 Virtual Machines when OS power management is enabled

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

In a Windows 11 Virtual Machine (VM), VMware Tools may intermittently report a status of Not running in the vSphere Client. This behavior occurs specifically after a user logs off the Guest OS or disconnects an RDP session.

Symptoms:

• VMware Tools status changes to Not running on the VM summary page after logoff.
• Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) connections to the VM fail
• Accessing the VM via the vSphere HTML5 Console triggers the VMware Tools service to start, restoring RDP connectivity until the next logoff.

Environment

VMware vCenter Server

VMware vSphere ESXi 

Microsoft Windows 11 VM

Cause

The issue is caused by the Windows 11 Guest OS power management configuration. By default, the operating system may be configured to enter a sleep or standby state when no active user session is detected. When the VM enters this power-saving state, guest services—including the VMware Tools service—are suspended, causing the ESXi host to lose the heartbeat signal.

Resolution

To resolve this issue, sleep mode must be disabled within the Guest OS and the VMware Tools service must be configured for session-independent persistence.

I. Disable Guest OS Sleep Mode

1. Log in to the Windows 11 VM via the vSphere Console.
2. Open the Control Panel.
3. Navigate to Hardware and Sound > Power Options.
4. Click Choose when to turn off the display in the left-hand pane.
5. Set Turn off the display to Never.
6. Set Put the computer to sleep to Never.
7. Click Save changes.

II. Configure VMware Tools Service Persistence

1. Press Win + R, type services.msc, and press Enter.
2. Locate the VMware Tools service.
3. Right-click the service and select Properties.
4. On the General tab, ensure the Startup type is set to Automatic.
5. On the Log On tab, verify that Local System account is selected.
6. Click OK and restart the service if necessary.

Additional Information

Windows virtual machine sometimes prompts that VMware Tools is not running in the vSphere Client