Multipass is a lightweight VM manager for Linux, Windows and macOS.
It's designed for developers who want a fresh Ubuntu environment with a single command.
It uses KVM on Linux, Hyper-V on Windows and HyperKit on macOS to run the VM with minimal overhead.
It can also use VirtualBox on Windows and macOS.
Multipass will fetch images for you and keep them up to date.
Publisher’s description
What is Multipass?
Multipass by Canonical, Ltd is open-source Windows software in the virtualisation category. It ranks 8th by popularity among virtualisation in this catalogue. It is written in C++.
Installation and requirements
The publisher provides MSI installers for 64-bit Windows. Installation asks for administrator rights. A silent install is possible with the installer’s documented switches. An MSI package is available for deployment with Group Policy, Intune or Configuration Manager.
Updates and version history
The current version is 1.16.4, released on September 7, 2026. The version history goes back to March 30, 2021: 26 releases, all linked to the official files. That is about 4.8 releases a year.
Popularity and file types
The Chocolatey package has been downloaded 27,719 times. The source code on GitHub (canonical/multipass) has 9,290 stars. Similar programs include Sandboxie, Oracle VirtualBox and Vagrant.
Project description on GitHub: “Multipass orchestrates virtual Ubuntu instances”
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- MSI package for managed deployment
- Documented silent install
- Updated in the last two months
- Large user base
Cons
- No native ARM64 build
- Installation needs administrator rights
In short: Multipass is an open-source virtualisation tool for 64-bit PCs. It is actively maintained. Administrators can deploy it unattended.
Is Multipass safe to download?
- The file is served by github.com, the publisher’s own domain
- The download link uses HTTPS
- A SHA256 hash is published, so you can verify the file:
B0C417FB8254FA61E4AA63895F59354BB3717C58100816651A9300DD98124AEA· Open the VirusTotal report for this hash - The link has not been checked yet
- The source code is public
- ExeAtlas does not host, wrap or modify installers
Related guide: How to check a file’s SHA256 hash on Windows
Security practices (OpenSSF Scorecard)
Automated checks of the canonical/multipass repository on GitHub by the Open Source Security Foundation, last run on October 19, 2026.
- Code review10
- Actively maintained10
- Security policy10
- No dangerous workflows10
- Licence declared10
- No binaries in the repository9
- Branch protection8
- Restricted token permissions0
- OpenSSF Best Practices badge0
- Fuzzing0
- Signed releases0
- Pinned dependencies0
- Static code analysis0
The score rates how the project is developed and released, not whether the program is safe to install. scorecard.dev
Recent versions
All 26 versions ›26 versions over 5 years · about 4.8 a year
| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.16.4Latest | September 7, 2026 | — | 64-bit MSI |
| 1.16.3 | May 26, 2026 | — | 64-bit MSI |
| 1.16.2 | April 21, 2026 | — | 64-bit MSI |
| 1.16.1 | August 27, 2025 | — | 64-bit MSI |
| 1.16.0 | July 9, 2025 | — | 64-bit MSI |
| 1.15.1 | February 26, 2025 | — | 64-bit MSI |
| 1.14.1+win | October 17, 2024 | — | 64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 1.14.0+win | July 24, 2024 | — | 64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id Canonical.Multipass -echoco install multipass -ymsiexec /i multipass-1.16.4+win-win64.msi /qn /norestartmsiexec /x {A7AD2F65-C450-4440-9AD9-59591C1AA15E} /qn /norestartRelated guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Also for other systems
brew install --cask multipassInformation
- Publisher
- Canonical, Ltd
- Category
- Virtualisation
- Licence
- GPL-3.0
- Price
- Free
- Source code
- github.com/canonical/multipass
- Written in
- C++
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 64-bit
- Installer
- MSI
- Version
- 1.16.4
- Released
- September 7, 2026
- Added to the catalogue
- March 30, 2021
- Versions listed
- 26
- Updates / year
- 4.8
- Chocolatey downloads
- 27,719
- GitHub stars
- 9,290
- GitHub forks
- 830
- Website
- github.com
- winget ID
- Canonical.Multipass
- Chocolatey package
- multipass
- MSI product code
- {A7AD2F65-C450-4440-9AD9-59591C1AA15E}
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Multipass free?
Yes. Multipass is open-source software under the GPL-3.0 licence.
Is Multipass safe to download?
The download comes from github.com, which belongs to the publisher; ExeAtlas does not host or change the file. Compare its SHA256 hash with the one shown here, or open the VirusTotal report for that hash.
How do I install Multipass with winget?
Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal and run the winget command shown on this page. winget downloads the official installer and checks its SHA256 hash before running it.
Can Multipass be installed silently?
Yes. The silent install page lists the exact command for each installer, including msiexec for the MSI package.
Does Multipass run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
There is no ARM64 build; Windows 11 on Arm can run the 64-bit version through emulation.
Where can I download an older version of Multipass?
The versions page lists all 26 versions with links to their official installer files, back to March 30, 2021.
What are alternatives to Multipass?
Sandboxie, Oracle VirtualBox, Vagrant, QEMU and BlueStacks. The alternatives page compares them.
