This guide will show you how to take a snapshot of an operating system in a virtual machine using VMware Fusion 12 Pro on your Apple Mac. If you’re using VMware’s software on macOS to create virtual computers, you can quickly back them up using these.
Snapshots let you undo everything you’ve done on your guest system with just one click. This means you can go back to how things were before without reinstalling an operating system, which is really handy for testing or development work. Please keep reading to find out how to use them on your Mac.
Credit: VMware
How to Make Virtual Machine Backups Easy with the Snapshot Feature in VMware Fusion
VMware Fusion is a standard choice for macOS users who want to run Windows or Linux on their Macs. One big thing about this software is that it lets you make backups of your virtual machines using virtual backups.
When you take a snapshot, you’re saving how your VM looks right now. That means all the stuff like data, settings, and configurations you have in there. After you’ve made it, you can change things in the virtual device without stressing about losing any data.
If you ever want to go back to how your virtual PC was before, you can do it with just one click. This means you can quickly reverse any changes you’ve made without reinstalling the operating system or starting over from scratch.
This instance tool is excellent for software folks who want to try out different setups. It lets you quickly switch between different versions of your virtual machine. This makes it easier to test and fix problems in your apps. They also help you keep backups of your virtual PC and make your work smoother.
How to Use Snapshot on the Mac PC
With a snapshot, you can save a copy of your virtual computer. Just watch this video or follow the simple steps below to do it on your Mac with Fusion.
- If you need help installing Fusion software on your Mac, check out this easy-to-follow video tutorial. It’ll walk you through the whole process step by step, making it super simple for you.
- Once Fusion is installed on your Mac, the next step is to set up a new virtual machine and install Win10 on it. Just watch the instructions in the video tutorial to finish the installation smoothly. This way, you can use Windows 10 on your Mac without switching between operating systems.
- After you’ve got your Windows 10 guest machine up and running, you can use this feature. Just click on the Snapshots icon or go to Virtual Machine > Snapshots in the Fusion menu. This lets you save a virtual backup of your VM at any time, so you can quickly go back to a previous setup if you need to.
- When you first install Windows 10, your computer will be completely fresh, with no files or programs installed. So, it’s essential to make a clean backup right after the installation is done.
- To do this, go to its window and right-click or select snapshot on your system’s current state. This lets you know how your system looks right now. If something goes wrong later or you lose data, you can use this virtual backup to get everything back to how it is now.
- When you save the VM state, give it a name and a short description in the window that pops up, then click the “Take” button to start the backup process.
- While VMware Fusion software takes the snapshot of your VM, you’ll need to be patient. It might take a little while because it saves everything about your virtual machine, like its settings, data, and memory. Once it’s done, you can go back to this saved state anytime.
- After you’ve backed up your virtual computer, you can start working as usual. You can create new documents on the desktop or install any programs you need. This makes sure you’ve got everything ready to go for your tasks.
- After you’ve made changes to your system, it’s wise to save a backup backup of how it looks now. If something goes wrong later, you can quickly go back to this backup. To do this, open the Snapshots window and right-click on the backup one you made earlier. Then, choose “Restore Snapshot” to get your system back to its clean setup.
- Restoring your system from a snapshot means you can quickly return it to its initial state. That means you revert all the changes you made. Moreover, in short, you will instantly return to your old self.
Conclusion
To sum up, using snapshots of your virtual machine is a great way to back up your system and go back to an earlier setup if anything goes haywire. VMware Fusion snapshot feature makes this really easy for Mac users.
Just follow the steps in this detailed guide to snap a picture of your virtual machine and bring it back to how it was before if needed. Whether you’re a developer or just an average user, these virtual backups can save you a lot of hassle and time. So, make sure to use this feature to keep your VM state backups straightforward, simple, and reliable.
If you want to copy using Clone a VM in VMware Fusion, our guide can help. It gives simple steps to duplicate an existing VM. This makes it easy to create backups or try out different setups without starting over.