Oracle VirtualBox (formerly Oracle VM VirtualBox, Sun VirtualBox, Sun xVM VirtualBox and InnoTek VirtualBox) is a hosted hypervisor for x86 and ARM virtualization developed by Oracle Corporation. VirtualBox was originally created by InnoTek Systemberatung GmbH, which was acquired by Sun Microsystems in 2008, which was in turn acquired by Oracle in 2010.
VirtualBox may be installed on Microsoft Windows, macOS, Linux, Solaris and OpenSolaris. There are also ports to FreeBSD and Genode. It supports the creation and management of guest virtual machines running Windows, Linux, BSD, OS/2, Solaris, Haiku, and OSx86, as well as limited virtualization of macOS guests on Apple hardware. For some guest operating systems, a "Guest Additions" package of device drivers and system applications is available, which typically improves performance, especially that of graphics, and allows changing the resolution of the guest OS automatically when the window of the virtual machine on the host OS is resized.
What is Oracle VirtualBox?
Oracle VirtualBox by Oracle and/or its affiliates (developed by Oracle Corporation) is open-source Windows software in the virtualisation category. It ranks 2nd by popularity among virtualisation in this catalogue. The first release dates back to 2007. It is written in C, C++, and Python. Besides Windows, it is available for Linux, macOS, Solaris and Genode OS Framework.
Installation and requirements
The publisher provides EXE installers for 64-bit Windows. The main installer is 178.1 MB. Installation asks for administrator rights. A silent install is possible with the installer’s documented switches.
Updates and version history
The current version is 7.2.22, released on October 20, 2026. The version history goes back to July 8, 2021: 51 releases, all linked to the official files. That is about 9.2 releases a year. The last update is less than a month old.
Popularity and file types
The Chocolatey package has been downloaded 2,323,800 times. Wikipedia has an article about it in 33 of our languages. On Windows it registers 5 file types, including .vhd, .vdi, .vmdk, .ova and .ovf. Similar programs include Sandboxie, HashiCorp Packer and QEMU.
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- Documented silent install
- Frequent updates (about 9.2 a year)
- Also runs on Linux, macOS and Solaris
- Large user base
- Mature project (since 2007)
Cons
- No native ARM64 build
- Installation needs administrator rights
In short: Oracle VirtualBox is an open-source virtualisation tool for 64-bit PCs. It is actively maintained. Administrators can deploy it unattended.
Screenshots
Is Oracle VirtualBox safe to download?
- The file is served by download.virtualbox.org, the publisher’s own domain
- The download link uses HTTPS
- A SHA256 hash is published, so you can verify the file:
AFD0FF1656CBE04ED88CE619594AE021419D97CCE89FA9BDC443E9A963F1713F· Open the VirusTotal report for this hash - The link answered when we last checked it (October 22, 2026)
- 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
Recent versions
All 51 versions ›51 versions over 6 years · about 9.2 a year
| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7.2.22Latest | October 20, 2026 | 178.1 MB | 64-bit EXE |
| 7.2.20 | September 22, 2026 | 178.2 MB | 64-bit EXE |
| 7.2.18 | September 15, 2026 | 178.0 MB | 64-bit EXE |
| 7.2.16 | August 14, 2026 | 177.7 MB | 64-bit EXE |
| 7.2.14 | July 20, 2026 | 178.1 MB | 64-bit EXE |
| 7.2.12 | June 29, 2026 | 177.9 MB | 64-bit EXE |
| 7.2.10 | June 12, 2026 | 177.8 MB | 64-bit EXE |
| 7.2.8 | April 20, 2026 | 177.9 MB | 64-bit EXE |
Release cycle and support
Version 7.2.22 belongs to the 7.2 release line, still supported, with no end date announced.
| Release line | Released | Support ends | Latest version | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.2 | August 14, 2025 | not announced | 7.2.22 | Supported |
| 7.1 | September 9, 2024 | March 31, 2026 | 7.1.18 | End of life |
| 7.0 | October 10, 2022 | March 31, 2025 | 7.0.26 | End of life |
| 6.1 | December 10, 2019 | January 31, 2024 | 6.1.50 | End of life |
| 6.0 | December 18, 2018 | July 31, 2020 | 6.0.24 | End of life |
| 5.2 | October 17, 2017 | July 31, 2020 | 5.2.44 | End of life |
| 5.1 | July 12, 2016 | April 30, 2018 | 5.1.38 | End of life |
| 5.0 | July 9, 2015 | May 31, 2017 | 5.0.40 | End of life |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id Oracle.VirtualBox -echoco install virtualbox -yVirtualBox-7.2.22-175245-Win.exe --silentRelated guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Also for other systems
brew install --cask virtualboxInformation
- Publisher
- Oracle and/or its affiliates
- Developer
- Oracle Corporation
- Category
- Virtualisation
- Licence
- GPL-3.0-only
- Price
- Free
- Source code
- virtualbox.org
- Written in
- C, C++, and Python
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 64-bit
- Installer
- EXE
- Other platforms
- Linux, macOS, Solaris, Genode OS Framework
- Version
- 7.2.22
- Released
- October 20, 2026
- First release
- 2007
- Added to the catalogue
- March 30, 2021
- Versions listed
- 51
- Updates / year
- 9.2
- Chocolatey downloads
- 2,323,800
- Website
- virtualbox.org
- winget ID
- Oracle.VirtualBox
- Chocolatey package
- virtualbox
File types it opens (5)
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Oracle VirtualBox free?
Yes. Oracle VirtualBox is open-source software under the GPL-3.0-only licence.
Is Oracle VirtualBox safe to download?
The download comes from download.virtualbox.org, 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 Oracle VirtualBox 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 Oracle VirtualBox be installed silently?
Yes. The silent install page lists the exact command for each installer.
Does Oracle VirtualBox 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 Oracle VirtualBox?
The versions page lists all 51 versions with links to their official installer files, back to July 8, 2021.
What are alternatives to Oracle VirtualBox?
Sandboxie, HashiCorp Packer, QEMU, Multipass and BlueStacks. The alternatives page compares them.
