VirtualBox 7.2.0: Windows 11/Arm VMs on Arm Hosts with NVMe & UI Redesign

Oracle’s VirtualBox 7.2.0 ushers in the most consequential update to the desktop hypervisor in several years, delivering first-class support for Windows 11/Arm virtual machines on Arm hosts, a redesigned user interface, expanded hardware feature passthrough, and a long list of stability and performance fixes that address pain points raised by power users and administrators alike.

Background / Overview​

VirtualBox has long been the go-to free and open-source virtualization solution for hobbyists, developers, QA teams, and IT professionals who need an affordable, cross-platform hypervisor. The 7.2.0 release marks a new stable series for Oracle’s VirtualBox line and focuses heavily on modern platform parity: extending robust virtualization functionality to Arm-based hosts, polishing the user interface to better match contemporary workflows, and closing long-standing gaps in CPU feature reporting and storage handling.
This release is notable not only because it brings Windows 11/Arm guest support to Arm hosts (Windows, Linux, and macOS on Arm), but because it plugs several functional holes—adding a Windows/Arm Guest Additions package (including a WDDM driver for graphics), making NVMe controller emulation part of the open-source base, and improving VMM behavior when the Windows Hyper-V backend is involved. These changes represent meaningful engineering investment to modernize VirtualBox for a multi-architecture world.

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What’s new at a glance​

• Native Windows 11/Arm VM support on Arm hosts, including dedicated Guest Additions.
• WDDM graphics driver for Windows/Arm guests with 2D and 3D modes.
• Unified Windows installer that includes Arm virtualization capabilities.
• Redesigned GUI, moving global tools to a left vertical taskbar and VM tools to horizontal tabs for faster access.
• Hardware-accelerated video decoding on Linux hosts when 3D acceleration is enabled.
• Experimental 3D acceleration for macOS Arm hosts via DXMT; removal of 3D acceleration support on Intel-based macOS hosts.
• NVMe controller emulation included in the open-source base package.
• VMM improvements, including xsave/xrestor handling and x86_64-v3 instruction set passthrough (AVX, AVX2).
• Numerous critical bug fixes covering nested virtualization, VMDK corruption during resizing, TPM save-state issues, NAT/DNS handling, and more.

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Deep dive: Arm architecture support — why this matters​

Arm hosts running Windows 11/Arm guests​

This release is a pivotal moment for VirtualBox: for the first time, Oracle provides a documented pathway to run Windows 11/Arm virtual machines natively on Arm-based hosts. That includes Windows-on-Arm hosts as well as Linux and macOS machines that use Arm CPUs.
Arm hardware—driven by Apple Silicon in Macs and an increasing array of Windows laptops and ARM-based developer devices—is now a mainstream compute platform. VirtualBox 7.2 closes a capability gap that previously left users with limited or unofficial tooling to run ARM-targeted Windows images. For labs, developers targeting cross-architecture apps, or enterprise testers validating Arm-specific builds, this is a practical and welcome expansion.

Guest Additions and WDDM graphics driver​

One of the largest technical hurdles to a usable Windows VM experience is graphics integration. VirtualBox 7.2 includes Windows/Arm Guest Additions and ships a WDDM graphics driver with distinct 2D and 3D modes. That means shared folders, improved mouse/keyboard integration, and accelerated rendering paths are now available for Windows/Arm guests—not merely CPU emulation but a richer desktop experience.
This driver-level support is essential for use cases beyond headless testing: multimedia playback, GUI-driven productivity testing, and application development that relies on GPU acceleration all benefit. However, users should treat the WDDM implementation as a major step forward that still may have limitations compared to vendor-native drivers; real-world results depend on host GPU capabilities and the maturity of the driver stack.

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Unified installer and packaging refinements​

VirtualBox 7.2 updates the Windows installer to include Arm virtualization capability in a single unified package. This simplifies deployment by avoiding separate architecture-specific installers and reduces user confusion when installing on mixed-architecture fleets.
Additionally, some previously third-party or extension components have shifted into the open-source base: notably, NVMe storage controller emulation is now part of the OSS distribution. This inclusion removes a prior friction point for users who needed NVMe-backed virtual disks without relying on proprietary packs.

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User interface overhaul: more than skin-deep​

Desktop UI reorganization​

The UI changes are noticeable and purposeful. Global tools have migrated from obscure hamburger menus to a vertical taskbar on the left, exposing Machines, Extensions, Media, Network, Cloud, and Resources at a glance. On a per-VM level, commonly used controls now appear as horizontal tabs above the right-hand panel, reducing clicks and visual hunting.
These changes aim to modernize VirtualBox’s UX and improve discoverability for both new and experienced users. While subjective—some users may prefer the old compact menu layout—the new structure aligns VirtualBox with current desktop app conventions and reduces reliance on nested menus for everyday workflows.

Usability refinements​

The release also polishes Preferences and Settings, adds an option to make a Shared Folder global to all VMs, and improves soft keyboard LED handling. Small usability fixes like these compound into a smoother daily experience, particularly for developers and testers who frequently adjust VM settings.

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Performance and platform-specific improvements​

Linux hosts: hardware-accelerated video decoding​

Linux hosts get hardware-accelerated video decoding in guests when 3D acceleration is enabled. This improvement reduces CPU overhead for video playback and improves media-heavy workloads inside VMs. For labs running multimedia tests or for developers needing a responsive GUI in a Linux-hosted VM, this can materially improve performance.

macOS Arm hosts: DXMT replaces DXVK; Intel Macs lose 3D support​

Apple Silicon users receive experimental 3D acceleration through DXMT, which replaces the prior DXVK-on-MoltenVK approach that had limited reliability. This brings hope for improved OpenGL/DX compatibility in Arm-based macOS hosts.
Caveat: the release removes 3D acceleration on Intel-based macOS hosts. Users who rely on 3D acceleration on Intel Macs should plan accordingly—either remain on the 7.1.x branch or test the release carefully before rolling out broadly.

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Virtual Machine Monitor (VMM) and CPU feature passthrough​

7.2 delivers several important virtualization engine improvements:

• xsave/xrestor instruction handling has been added when Windows Hyper-V is used as the backend, which enables exposure of the x86_64-v3 instruction set extensions (notably AVX and AVX2) to guests when the host CPU supports them.
• Improved CPU feature reporting for both x86_64 and Arm when Windows Hyper-V is active as the virtualization engine.
• Fixes to nested virtualization on Intel CPUs, restoring functionality that is critical to developers and nested hypervisor testing scenarios.

These changes improve parity with hardware capability exposure and permit workloads that need advanced SIMD instructions to function correctly inside guests—assuming the host CPU and hypervisor backend support those extensions.

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Storage and I/O: NVMe and VMDK fixes​

NVMe controller emulation’s inclusion in the open-source base package is significant: it provides a modern virtual storage backend to all users without extension friction. This matters for guests that expect NVMe performance characteristics or for tests that aim to mimic contemporary storage setups.
The release also fixes VMDK corruption that occurred during resizing operations—a critical bug for anyone who resizes virtual disks as part of lifecycle operations. The data-safety implications for previously affected users are material; administrators should ensure their environments are patched to eliminate risk.

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Stability and bug fixes you need to know about​

VirtualBox 7.2 addresses a broad set of issues, including:

• TPM save-state load failures and related snapshot compatibility quirks.
• NAT networking improvements, including better DNS server handling and resilience when host name server information is absent.
• Video recording frame sync fixes and memory-leak reductions in the recording path.
• Audio crash fixes in rare circumstances.
• UEFI workarounds for known GRUB bugs that could cause guest crashes.
• Dropping build-time dependencies on legacy tooling (libIDL and IASL), easing packaging.

Each fix reduces operational friction and increases stability across varied workstation and CI environments.

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Important migration notes and upgrade guidance​

A few compatibility and migration details are critical to avoid disruption:

• Saved state incompatibility for Arm VMs: Saved states and snapshots with associated saved states created under VirtualBox 7.1 are incompatible with 7.2. Users must shut down Arm VMs (no saved state) before upgrading to avoid losing the ability to restore those VMs.
• macOS Intel 3D acceleration removal: Upgrading Intel-based macOS hosts will remove 3D acceleration support—test graphics workflows before upgrading or remain on 7.1.x if 3D acceleration is necessary.
• Test NVMe and VMDK workflows: While the VMDK resizing corruption bug is fixed, teams using VMDK-based automation should verify their post-upgrade resize scripts in staging to confirm expected behavior.
• Hyper-V backend passthrough: If using Windows Hyper-V as the engine, confirm that guests requiring AVX/AVX2 see those features post-upgrade—this depends on host CPU support and Hyper-V configuration.

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Practical pre-upgrade checklist​

To minimize disruption, follow a structured upgrade process:

• Back up VM definitions and disks (export OVF/OVA and copy VDI/VMDK files).
• Power off all Arm-based VMs and remove or consolidate any saved states/snapshots that rely on saved-state restore paths.
• Test the upgrade in a non-production environment: validate networking, storage resize paths, nested virtualization, and any GPU-accelerated workloads.
• If you rely on 3D acceleration on Intel macOS hosts, delay upgrade or maintain a parallel 7.1.x install for those machines.
• Update guest additions inside each VM after the hypervisor is upgraded, especially for Windows/Arm guests to get the WDDM and shared-folder benefits.
• Monitor logs during the first week after rollout to catch regression early.

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Enterprise and lab implications​

For enterprises and labs, VirtualBox 7.2 opens new possibilities and introduces operational considerations.

• Developers building cross-architecture solutions can now validate Windows/Arm behavior on local Arm hardware rather than relying solely on cloud emulation.
• QA teams can incorporate Arm-targeted Windows tests into CI pipelines hosted on Arm servers or Apple Silicon Macs, reducing reliance on remote or rented Arm hardware.
• IT teams must plan for the saved-state upgrade incompatibility and for the potential need to maintain dual VirtualBox branches in mixed-fleet environments—particularly where Intel-based Macs are in play.
• The inclusion of NVMe emulation in the open-source base is a boon for automation and reproducibility; teams that previously struggled with proprietary components will find lifecycle management simpler.

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Risks, limitations, and what to watch for​

While 7.2 is a strong step forward, several risks and limitations remain:

• Experimental features: DXMT-based 3D acceleration on macOS Arm is experimental. Expect iterations and fixes over subsequent releases before it reaches production reliability parity with non-experimental drivers.
• Saved-state incompatibilities: The Arm saved-state incompatibility can cause operational headaches if administrators upgrade without proper pre-upgrade shutdown procedures.
• Hardware and host-dependency: Many improvements (video decoding acceleration, AVX passthrough, nested virtualization fixes) depend on host hardware and underlying OS kernel or hypervisor support. Outcomes will vary by CPU model, GPU vendor, and host OS version.
• Performance parity: Although the WDDM driver and other guest-side additions improve usability for Windows/Arm guests, complete performance parity with native hardware or vendor-provided drivers is an aspirational target that depends on further driver maturity.
• Licensing and extension concerns: The VirtualBox ecosystem includes extension packs and optional modules with varying licensing terms. Organizations must continue to treat extension pack licensing as a compliance risk area and confirm policy adherence when deploying at scale.

Flagged claim caution: Any report on exact performance numbers, benchmark gains, or driver feature coverage should be treated as provisional until verified against targeted hardware with controlled benchmarks. Real-world behavior varies by host GPU, CPU, and guest workload.

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Developer and community impact​

By moving NVMe emulation into the open-source base and reducing build-time dependencies on older tooling, VirtualBox 7.2 reduces barriers for packagers and downstream distributions. This can accelerate adoption in Linux distros and community builds.
The Windows/Arm guest additions and the unified installer reduce fragmentation and make it easier for community contributors to test across architectures. The improved VMM CPU feature reporting and xsave/xrestor support will simplify debugging and enable more correct reporting of available ISA extensions to guests—an important win for developers targeting SIMD-accelerated workloads.

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Recommendations by user type​

• For developers targeting Windows/Arm: Adopt VirtualBox 7.2 in a test environment immediately to leverage native Arm VM support and the WDDM driver, but benchmark critical paths to confirm expected acceleration.
• For production virtualization admins: Treat 7.2 as a feature-rich release worth testing, but perform staged rollouts; pay particular attention to Arm saved-state handling and Intel macOS 3D removal.
• For Apple Silicon users: Evaluate DXMT experimental 3D acceleration for GUI-heavy tasks and media playback; plan to participate in feedback loops if adopting early.
• For Linux desktop users and distributions: The addition of NVMe in OSS and kernel 6.16/6.17 compatibility make 7.2 a strong candidate for inclusion in rolling and new-release ISOs—test host kernel combinations thoroughly.

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Final analysis: progress and prudence​

VirtualBox 7.2 is a substantive release that acknowledges the reality of a multi-architecture world. The addition of Windows 11/Arm guest support and a WDDM stack is the headline—one that delivers practical value to developers and testers who need local Arm virtualization. UI improvements and performance tweaks across Linux and macOS hosts modernize the user experience and close functional gaps that had held VirtualBox back relative to other hypervisors.
However, the release is not purely “drop-in” for every environment. Experimental features and platform-specific removals (notably 3D support on Intel macOS hosts) introduce migration friction that administrators must manage. The incompatibility of Arm saved states between 7.1 and 7.2 is particularly critical: it demands pre-upgrade discipline to avoid data and workflow loss.
Overall, VirtualBox 7.2 balances ambitious platform expansion with practical fixes. The release lays the groundwork for more mature Arm virtualization across desktop platforms while addressing pressing stability issues across storage, networking, and CPU feature passthrough. For organizations and individual users, the prudent path is a staged adoption: back up, test, validate workloads (especially those dependent on GPU and nested virtualization), and only then proceed to a broad upgrade.

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VirtualBox 7.2 is available through standard distribution channels and installer packages. Administrators and power users should plan upgrades carefully, update Guest Additions where appropriate, and use the release as an opportunity to modernize testing and CI strategies for Arm-targeted workloads.

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Source: Cyber Press VirtualBox 7.2 Adds Windows 11/Arm VM Support and Bug Fixes