Read this article to learn how to recover data from a VMware Fusion virtual machine that no longer runs or has become damaged on macOS. You’ll discover what to do if the virtual machine refuses to start but contains important files. We’ll explain how to restore its functionality and extract information from the virtual disk file of the non-working machine.
Losing access to a virtual machine on a Mac can be stressful, especially if it contains critical documents, work projects, or personal data. VMware Fusion — one of the most popular virtualization tools for macOS — sometimes causes issues such as startup errors, corrupted .vmdk disks, freezes during boot, or even complete disappearance of the machine after a system update.
If your virtual machine suddenly stops booting or you accidentally delete it, don’t panic — your data can still be recovered. Even without a backup, there are reliable ways to retrieve information from VMware disks. In this article, we’ll describe recovery methods using both built-in macOS tools and third-party utilities suitable for beginners and experienced users alike.
Why You Might Lose Access to VMware Fusion Data
Let’s look at the most common reasons why you may lose access to files inside a VMware Fusion virtual machine:
- Errors during VMware Fusion or macOS updates.
- Damage to .vmwarevm or .vmdk files (the latter being the virtual disk).
- Sudden or improper system shutdowns.
- Lack of free disk space.
- File system errors on the Mac’s system drive.
Regardless of the cause, your main task is to locate the .vmdk virtual disk file and extract its data using recovery software.
VMware Fusion Virtual Machine File Types
- The .vmx file is the virtual machine configuration file. It stores settings such as the amount of RAM, the number of CPU cores, and the list of connected disks.
- The .vmdk file represents the virtual hard disk. It contains all the user data and the guest operating system’s file system.
- The .nvram file saves the BIOS or UEFI settings of the virtual machine.
- The .vmem file acts as a memory pagefile and stores the current state of the VM’s RAM.
- The .vmsd file contains snapshot metadata — information about all snapshots created for this virtual machine.
- The .vmsn file stores the system state captured at the moment a snapshot was taken.
- The .lck file serves as a lock to prevent simultaneous access to virtual machine files.
- The .log file records all events and errors that occur during the virtual machine’s operation.
- The .vmxf file is an additional configuration file used when working with other VMware products.
- Finally, the .plist file is a macOS Launch Services file that includes metadata created by macOS when the virtual machine starts.
If you didn’t change the default location during setup, VMware Fusion stores its virtual machines in:
/Users/user_name/Virtual Machines/
To recover data, find the .vmwarevm container. You can search for it quickly with Spotlight — press Command + Space and type the name.
How to Locate the .vmwarevm Container
A .vmwarevm file is actually a package (a folder shown as a single file in macOS).
Right-click on it and choose Show Package Contents.
Inside, locate the largest .vmdk file — it’s the virtual hard disk that stores all your documents, applications, and photos.
If several .vmdk files appear with sequential numbers, it means the virtual disk was split into parts.
Data Recovery Methods
Method 1. Recover Data from a .vmdk File Using Hetman Partition Recovery
Once you have located the .vmdk file, you can extract information from it with Hetman Partition Recovery — a professional data recovery tool.
This utility restores data from any device, regardless of the reason for data loss. It works with both healthy and damaged logical volumes and supports virtual disk formats.
Visit hetmanrecovery.com and download the macOS version. Install it like any other app and grant full disk access in macOS settings.
Run the program (administrator password may be required). You’ll see a list of all available drives — to work with the virtual disk, click Mount Disk, then select the .vmdk file and click Open.
The mounted disk will appear in the main window. Right-click on it and choose Open, then select a scan type — Fast Scan or Full Analysis.
Start with Fast Scan; if it doesn’t find your files, run a Full Analysis for deeper search.
After scanning, open the folders containing the needed files, preview them, and select those you want to recover. Click Recovery, specify the save path, and confirm.
Even if the virtual machine doesn’t boot, this method lets you retrieve data directly from its virtual disk.
Method 2. Recover VMware Fusion Data via Time Machine
If you’ve previously enabled Time Machine backups, you can restore your virtual machine or its virtual disk file.
Open the folder where the VM files were stored:
~/Documents/Virtual Machines.localized/
Launch Time Machine, select a date when the VM worked correctly, and restore the required version of the .vmwarevm package.
Your virtual machine should return to its earlier working state, though any changes made after that backup date will be lost.
Method 3. Recover Data Using Snapshots in VMware Fusion
If you created snapshots earlier, they can help you roll back the machine to a working condition.
Open VMware Fusion, select the problematic machine, go to the Snapshots tab, and choose Restore Snapshot for the latest stable version.
Note: This works only if snapshots were enabled beforehand. Any data created after the last snapshot will not be recovered.
Method 4. Restore a Deleted VMware Virtual Disk File
If you deleted the .vmdk file and it’s no longer in Trash, use Hetman Partition Recovery again.
Simply scan the disk where the file was stored — there’s no need to mount anything manually. After scanning, locate the virtual disk file and recover it.
Once restored, place it back in its original directory or attach it to a new virtual machine:
File → New → Create Custom Virtual Machine → Add Existing Disk, then specify the path to the .vmdk file.
Method 5. Mount a VMDK Disk Directly in macOS
Advanced users can convert a .vmdk file into a macOS-supported format, such as a raw .img disk image, using the qemu-img tool.
Install Homebrew, then run:
brew install qemu
qemu-img convert -O raw "Virtual Disk.vmdk" "Virtual Disk.img"
hdiutil attach "Virtual Disk.img"
This mounts the disk image in macOS so you can copy files directly. Writing to NTFS partitions may require additional drivers, but reading works natively.
How to Prevent VMware Fusion Failures and Data Loss
To avoid similar issues in the future:
- Regularly back up your virtual machines with Time Machine or snapshots.
- Don’t power off your Mac while VMware Fusion is running.
- Ensure your disk always has sufficient free space.
Conclusion
If your VMware Fusion virtual machine stops working, it doesn’t mean your data is lost forever. Even if the .vmdk disk is damaged or deleted, recovery is possible. The key is to stop writing new data and start recovery as soon as possible.
We’ve reviewed the key virtual machine file types and described practical recovery methods using both built-in and third-party tools. These solutions allow you to mount, scan, and recover files even without booting the virtual machine.
If you use VMware regularly, make it a habit to back up .vmdk and .vmx files and create snapshots before updates or system changes.
Remember: the sooner you begin recovery, the higher your chances of getting your valuable data back.
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