OMG! Ubuntu — Linux — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 15:39:00 +0000
Summary
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS is receiving a major update to open-vm-tools, the package that integrates Linux virtual machines with VMware hypervisors, with the version jumping from v12.3.5 to v13.0.10. The update is a full backport from Ubuntu 26.04 LTS, which Canonical's Lena Voytek said was necessary because users were experiencing issues running on more recent hypervisors without it. Changes in the release include using systemctl reboot directly in DeployPkg instead of legacy init commands, improved handling of transient cloud-init errors, security fixes, new developer controls, and better logging. The package provides features such as clock sync with the host, graceful power management, shared folder support, and guest OS monitoring, while the companion open-vm-tools-desktop package adds shared clipboard and window resizing for desktop sessions in VMware Workstation Pro. Ubuntu 24.04 LTS users can install the update through standard channels by running sudo apt update && sudo apt dist-upgrade.
A major update to open-vm-tools, a package that integrates Linux virtual machines with VMware hypervisors, is rolling out to users of Ubuntu 24.04 LTS.
“Without SRUing the newer version users get issues running on more recent hypervisors”, Canonical’s Lena Voytek explained in a backport request. It’s a full backport from Ubuntu 26.04 LTS to support platform enablement to benefit those running 24.04 LTS.
The open-vm-tool package goes from v12.3.5 to v13.0.10 (the same version in Ubuntu 26.04 LTS).
VMware’s open-vm-tools package enables clock sync with the hypervisor host, ‘graceful’ power management for clean shutdowns, vSphere API, shared folder support, relays guest OS stats back to hypervisor for monitoring – and a whole lot more.
If you run a Linux desktop sessions in VMware Workstation Pro (Fusion Pro on macOS), the open-vm-tools-desktop package offers further additional integrations, like a shared clipboard and guest window resizing. That package depends on and inherits features from the base one.
Among changes in the maintenance release rollup is using systemctl reboot directly in DeployPkg rather than legacy init commands, better handling of transient cloud-init errors, security fixes, a couple of new developer controls and better logging.
Nothing headline-grabby, no, but for practical reasons that’s a boon. Not everyone is playing with desktop distros but using virtualisation for task-specific workloads, be they headless or GUI, where stability is favoured above flashy new features.
If you run Ubuntu 24.04 LTS this update is winging its way to you via the standard update channels. Run sudo apt update && sudo apt dist-upgrade to install it.
Original article: https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2026/08/ubuntu-2404-open-vm-tools-update Source: OMG! Ubuntu