Oracle VirtualBox runs guest operating systems in virtual machines. Download the base package for your host computer and treat the optional Extension Pack as a separate licensing decision.
Current release and download source
The official downloads page lists VirtualBox 7.2.20. Oracle’s changelog dates it to 22 September 2026 and describes a Windows-host regression fix affecting VM startup.
Choose the host package for the operating system on your actual computer. The guest is the operating system you plan to run inside the virtual machine. Those two choices are easy to confuse when following an installation tutorial.
Is VirtualBox free for commercial use?
The base package is distributed under GPL version 3. The optional Extension Pack is governed separately by Oracle’s Personal Use and Educational License (PUEL) or commercial terms. Do not assume that a free base package gives an organisation free use of the Extension Pack.
PUEL defines personal use as non-commercial use by the downloader on a single host, with restrictions on remote access. Its educational permission concerns teachers or students using it as part of a curriculum; it explicitly excludes operating on behalf of an organisation or educational institution. Read the actual terms for your intended use and obtain the applicable commercial permission when needed.
Choose the right host and guest architecture
Oracle’s installation manual lists Windows x86_64, supported Intel and Apple-silicon macOS versions, and Linux x86_64 distributions. Windows 11 on Arm host support is labelled experimental.
On an Arm host, the guest operating system must also be Arm-based. Running an x86 guest on an Arm host is not supported. An Apple-silicon Mac therefore cannot use VirtualBox as a route to an ordinary x86 Windows ISO. Check the full host-and-guest requirements before downloading either installer or ISO.
A simple preparation checklist
- Identify your host OS and processor architecture.
- Select the matching platform package from Oracle’s downloads page.
- Obtain the guest OS image from its own publisher and check its licence.
- Set aside disk space for the virtual disk and any later snapshots.
- Decide whether you need the Extension Pack before installing it; record its licence separately.
A VM installation is a different approach from installing a hypervisor directly on a machine. Our Proxmox installation guide discusses the latter. Choose the deployment approach before changing disks or following a tutorial intended for a different environment.
Checksums and verification limits
Oracle links SHA-256 checksums from its downloads page. Match the version and exact platform filename before comparing a local hash. Our SHA-256 checker handles files up to 128 MiB; use a local command for larger downloads.
We reviewed the official download, changelog, installation and licensing pages on 30 September 2026 (UTC). We did not install VirtualBox, boot a guest or independently test the installer’s signature. This page records source findings, not a claim of hands-on compatibility testing.
