Operation Steps
Visit the VMware website to download Workstation Player (free for personal use): go to the official download page.
Note: Broadcom discontinued Workstation Player, and downloads now require registering a free Broadcom account. You can also download VMware Workstation Pro (also free for personal use since 17.6); the installation flow is identical.
After the download finishes, double-click the installer to start the setup wizard:
Click Next on the welcome screen:
Check I accept the terms in the license agreement and click Next:
Choose the installation folder (the default is recommended) and click Next:
Keep the defaults (e.g., check for product updates on startup) and click Next again:
Keep the default shortcut options and click Next:
Click Install to begin:
Wait for the progress bar to complete; no action is needed in the meantime:
Click Finish to close the wizard:
Double-click the VMware icon on the desktop; the screen below means the installation succeeded:
Next, install Ubuntu inside the virtual machine: Ubuntu installation tutorial (VM way)
FAQ
The official download asks me to log in / register
After the Broadcom acquisition, Workstation Player/Pro downloads go through the Broadcom portal — register a free account to download. Player is discontinued, so downloading Workstation Pro (free for personal use) is recommended.
The installer asks for administrator rights
Run the installer as administrator: right-click the setup program and choose Run as administrator, then follow the prompts.
Have questions?
For any other questions, visit the unified Q&A and discussion board: Ai-Thinker Discussions