Download VMware Workstation for Windows without a Broadcom Account

download_workstation.ps1

<#
.SYNOPSIS
    Download VMware Workstation for Windows without a Broadcom Account
.DESCRIPTION
    This script fetches available VMware Workstation versions from Broadcom's update servers,
    allows the user to select a version in a two-step process (base, then full), and downloads 
    the installer using a Cloudflare CDN mirror. It then extracts the installer from the downloaded .tar archive.
.PARAMETER KeepCompressed
    If specified, the script will not extract the .exe from the downloaded .tar file.
.PARAMETER Version
    Specifies the version of VMware Workstation to download (e.g., "17.5.2"), bypassing the interactive prompts. 
    If not provided, the script will prompt the user to select from a list of available versions.
.EXAMPLE
    .\download_workstation.ps1
    Prompts the user to select a base version, then a full version, and then downloads and extracts it.
.EXAMPLE
    .\download_workstation.ps1 -Version 17.6.3
    Downloads and extracts VMware Workstation version 17.6.3 directly.
.EXAMPLE
    .\download_workstation.ps1 -Version 17.5.1 -KeepCompressed
    Downloads the .exe.tar file for version 17.5.1 without extracting it.
#>
param(
    [switch]$KeepCompressed,
    [string]$Version
)

$ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'

$BaseUrl = "https://softwareupdate-prod.broadcom.com/cds/vmw-desktop/"
$CdnHost = "softwareupdate-prod.broadcom.com"
$CdnAlias = "softwareupdate-prod.broadcom.com.cdn.cloudflare.net"

[xml]$XmlData = @"
<metalist>
  <metadata>
    <version>12.0.0</version>
    <url>ws/12.5.0/4352439/windows/core/</url>
  </metadata>
  <metadata>
    <version>14.0.0</version>
    <url>ws/14.1.0/7370693/windows/core/</url>
  </metadata>
  <metadata>
    <version>17.0.0</version>
    <url>ws/17.0.2/21581411/windows/core/</url>
  </metadata>
  <metadata>
    <version>16.0.0</version>
    <url>ws/16.2.1/18811642/windows/core/</url>
  </metadata>
  <metadata>
    <version>17.0.0</version>
    <url>ws/17.0.1/21139696/windows/core/</url>
  </metadata>
  <metadata>
    <version>14.0.0</version>
    <url>ws/14.1.6/12368378/windows/core/</url>
  </metadata>
  <metadata>
    <version>15.0.0</version>
    <url>ws/15.5.2/15785246/windows/core/</url>
  </metadata>
  <metadata>
    <version>14.0.0</version>
    <url>ws/14.0.0/6661328/windows/core/</url>
  </metadata>
  <metadata>
    <version>14.0.0</version>
    <url>ws/14.1.4/10722678/windows/core/</url>
  </metadata>
  <metadata>
    <version>14.0.0</version>
    <url>ws/14.1.7/12989993/windows/core/</url>
  </metadata>
  <metadata>
    <version>12.0.0</version>
    <url>ws/12.5.1/4542065/windows/core/</url>
  </metadata>
  <metadata>
    <version>16.0.0</version>
    <url>ws/16.2.5/20904516/windows/core/</url>
  </metadata>
  <metadata>
    <version>12.0.0</version>
    <url>ws/12.5.9/7535481/windows/core/</url>
  </metadata>
  <metadata>
    <version>15.0.0</version>
    <url>ws/15.0.0/10134415/windows/core/</url>
  </metadata>
  <metadata>
    <version>12.0.0</version>
    <url>ws/12.5.7/5813279/windows/core/</url>
  </metadata>
  <metadata>
    <version>16.0.0</version>
    <url>ws/16.1.0/17198959/windows/core/</url>
  </metadata>
  <metadata>
    <version>17.0.0</version>
    <url>ws/17.6.0/24238078/windows/core/</url>
  </metadata>
  <metadata>
    <version>17.0.0</version>
    <url>ws/17.6.1/24319023/windows/core/</url>
  </metadata>
  <metadata>
    <version>17.0.0</version>
    <url>ws/17.6.2/24409262/windows/core/</url>
  </metadata>
  <metadata>
    <version>17.0.0</version>
    <url>ws/17.6.3/24583834/windows/core/</url>
  </metadata>
  <metadata>
    <version>16.0.0</version>
    <url>ws/16.2.3/19376536/windows/core/</url>
  </metadata>
  <metadata>
    <version>16.0.0</version>
    <url>ws/16.0.0/16894299/windows/core/</url>
  </metadata>
  <metadata>
    <version>15.0.0</version>
    <url>ws/15.0.4/12990004/windows/core/</url>
  </metadata>
  <metadata>
    <version>14.0.0</version>
    <url>ws/14.1.2/8497320/windows/core/</url>
  </metadata>
  <metadata>
    <version>12.0.0</version>
    <url>ws/12.0.1/3160714/windows/core/</url>
  </metadata>
  <metadata>
    <version>12.0.0</version>
    <url>ws/12.1.0/3272444/windows/core/</url>
  </metadata>
  <metadata>
    <version>12.0.0</version>
    <url>ws/12.1.1/3770994/windows/core/</url>
  </metadata>
  <metadata>
    <version>15.0.0</version>
    <url>ws/15.5.5/16285975/windows/core/</url>
  </metadata>
  <metadata>
    <version>15.0.0</version>
    <url>ws/15.0.2/10952284/windows/core/</url>
  </metadata>
  <metadata>
    <version>17.0.0</version>
    <url>ws/17.5.0/22583795/windows/core/</url>
  </metadata>
  <metadata>
    <version>12.0.0</version>
    <url>ws/12.5.4/5192485/windows/core/</url>
  </metadata>
  <metadata>
    <version>12.0.0</version>
    <url>ws/12.5.5/5234757/windows/core/</url>
  </metadata>
  <metadata>
    <version>16.0.0</version>
    <url>ws/16.2.4/20089737/windows/core/</url>
  </metadata>
  <metadata>
    <version>15.0.0</version>
    <url>ws/15.0.1/10737736/windows/core/</url>
  </metadata>
  <metadata>
    <version>15.0.0</version>
    <url>ws/15.0.3/12422535/windows/core/</url>
  </metadata>
  <metadata>
    <version>14.0.0</version>
    <url>ws/14.1.1/7528167/windows/core/</url>
  </metadata>
  <metadata>
    <version>15.0.0</version>
    <url>ws/15.5.1/15018445/windows/core/</url>
  </metadata>
  <metadata>
    <version>14.0.0</version>
    <url>ws/14.1.5/10950780/windows/core/</url>
  </metadata>
  <metadata>
    <version>15.0.0</version>
    <url>ws/15.1.0/13591040/windows/core/</url>
  </metadata>
  <metadata>
    <version>16.0.0</version>
    <url>ws/16.1.1/17801498/windows/core/</url>
  </metadata>
  <metadata>
    <version>15.0.0</version>
    <url>ws/15.5.6/16341506/windows/core/</url>
  </metadata>
  <metadata>
    <version>15.0.0</version>
    <url>ws/15.5.0/14665864/windows/core/</url>
  </metadata>
  <metadata>
    <version>12.0.0</version>
    <url>ws/12.5.8/7098237/windows/core/</url>
  </metadata>
  <metadata>
    <version>12.0.0</version>
    <url>ws/12.5.6/5528349/windows/core/</url>
  </metadata>
  <metadata>
    <version>12.0.0</version>
    <url>ws/12.0.0/2985596/windows/core/</url>
  </metadata>
  <metadata>
    <version>15.0.0</version>
    <url>ws/15.5.7/17171714/windows/core/</url>
  </metadata>
  <metadata>
    <version>17.0.0</version>
    <url>ws/17.0.0/20800274/windows/core/</url>
  </metadata>
  <metadata>
    <version>12.0.0</version>
    <url>ws/12.5.2/4638234/windows/core/</url>
  </metadata>
  <metadata>
    <version>12.0.0</version>
    <url>ws/12.5.3/5115892/windows/core/</url>
  </metadata>
  <metadata>
    <version>17.0.0</version>
    <url>ws/17.5.2/23775571/windows/core/</url>
  </metadata>
  <metadata>
    <version>14.0.0</version>
    <url>ws/14.1.3/9474260/windows/core/</url>
  </metadata>
  <metadata>
    <version>17.0.0</version>
    <url>ws/17.5.1/23298084/windows/core/</url>
  </metadata>
  <metadata>
    <version>16.0.0</version>
    <url>ws/16.2.0/18760230/windows/core/</url>
  </metadata>
  <metadata>
    <version>16.0.0</version>
    <url>ws/16.1.2/17966106/windows/core/</url>
  </metadata>
</metalist>
"@

$availableVersions = @{}
$baseVersions = [System.Collections.Generic.List[string]]::new()
foreach ($node in $XmlData.metalist.metadata) {
    if (-not $baseVersions.Contains($node.version)) {
        $baseVersions.Add($node.version)
    }
    if ($node.url -match "ws/(\d+\.\d+\.\d+)/(\d+)/windows/core/") {
        $fullVersion = $matches[1]
        $buildNumber = $matches[2]
        if (-not $availableVersions.ContainsKey($fullVersion)) {
            $availableVersions[$fullVersion] = $buildNumber
        }
    }
}

if ($PSBoundParameters.ContainsKey('Version')) {
    if (-not $availableVersions.ContainsKey($Version)) {
        Write-Error "Version '$Version' was not found in the available metadata."
        exit 1
    }
    $Build = $availableVersions[$Version]
}
else {
    $sortedBaseVersions = $baseVersions | ForEach-Object { [System.Version]$_ } | Sort-Object -Descending | ForEach-Object { $_.ToString() }
    $title = "Available Base Versions"
    $message = "Please select a base product version:"
    $choiceIndex = $Host.UI.PromptForChoice($title, $message, $sortedBaseVersions, 0)
    $selectedBaseVersion = $sortedBaseVersions[$choiceIndex]
    $majorVersion = ($selectedBaseVersion.Split('.'))[0]

    $filteredFullVersions = $availableVersions.Keys | Where-Object { $_.StartsWith("$majorVersion.") } | ForEach-Object { [System.Version]$_ } | Sort-Object -Descending | ForEach-Object { $_.ToString() }
    
    if ($filteredFullVersions.Count -eq 0) {
        Write-Error "No full versions found for the selected base version '$selectedBaseVersion'."
        exit 1
    }

    $title = "Full Versions for $selectedBaseVersion"
    $message = "Please select the full version you wish to download:"
    $choiceIndex = $Host.UI.PromptForChoice($title, $message, $filteredFullVersions, 0)
    
    $Version = $filteredFullVersions[$choiceIndex]
    $Build = $availableVersions[$Version]
}

Write-Host "Selected VMware Workstation $Version (Build $Build)" -ForegroundColor Green

$TarFileName = "VMware-workstation-${Version}-${Build}.exe.tar"
$ExeFileName = "VMware-workstation-${Version}-${Build}.exe"
$DownloadUrl = "${BaseUrl}ws/$Version/$Build/windows/core/$TarFileName"
$OutDir = $env:USERPROFILE + "\Downloads"
$TarOutPath = Join-Path -Path $OutDir -ChildPath $TarFileName
$ExtractDir = Join-Path -Path $OutDir -ChildPath "VMware-Workstation-$Version-$Build"
$FinalExePath = Join-Path -Path $ExtractDir -ChildPath $ExeFileName

if (-not (Test-Path -Path $OutDir)) {
    New-Item -ItemType Directory -Path $OutDir -Force | Out-Null
}

try {
    $cdnIPs = (Resolve-DnsName -Name $CdnAlias -Type A).IPAddress
    if ($cdnIPs.Count -eq 0) {
        throw "No IPs found for CDN alias."
    }
}
catch {
    Write-Error "Failed to resolve Cloudflare CDN hostname: $CdnAlias"
    exit 1
}

Write-Host "Attempting to download from URL:"
Write-Host $DownloadUrl -ForegroundColor Cyan

$downloadSuccess = $false
foreach ($ip in $cdnIPs) {
    $ResolveArg = "${CdnHost}:443:${ip}"
    
    $CurlArgs = @(
        "--progress-bar",
        "--fail",
        "--location",
        "--output", $TarOutPath,
        "--resolve", $ResolveArg,
        $DownloadUrl
    )

    $process = Start-Process curl.exe -ArgumentList $CurlArgs -Wait -NoNewWindow -PassThru
    
    if ($process.ExitCode -eq 0) {
        $downloadSuccess = $true
        Write-Host "`nDownload successful." -ForegroundColor Green
        break
    } else {
        Write-Warning "Download failed using IP: $ip (curl exit code: $($process.ExitCode)). Trying next IP if available..."
    }
}

if (-not $downloadSuccess) {
    Write-Error "Download failed after trying all available CDN IPs."
    exit 1
}

if ($KeepCompressed) {
    Write-Host "File saved to: $TarOutPath"
    exit 0
}

Write-Host "Extracting installer..."
try {
    if (Test-Path -Path $ExtractDir) {
        Remove-Item -Path $ExtractDir -Recurse -Force
    }
    New-Item -ItemType Directory -Path $ExtractDir -Force | Out-Null
    
    tar.exe -xf $TarOutPath -C $ExtractDir
    
    Write-Host "Extraction successful." -ForegroundColor Green
}
catch {
    Write-Error "Extraction failed. Please ensure 'tar.exe' is available in your system's PATH. Error: $_"
    exit 1
}
finally {
    if (Test-Path -Path $TarOutPath) {
        Remove-Item -Path $TarOutPath -Force
    }
}

if (Test-Path -Path $FinalExePath) {
    Write-Host "`nFinished." -ForegroundColor Cyan
    Write-Host "Installer location: $FinalExePath"
} else {
    Write-Error "Extraction seems to have completed, but the installer EXE was not found at the expected path."
}

• Run script to download without sign-up
• Supports VMware Workstation 12+
• Use -KeepCompressed to keep download file compressed, exiting after download
• Use -Version <Version> to specify the desired version (12.0.0 or higher required)

Run directly with:

irm https://gist.github.com/jetfir3/25a4693549473792b90cfbdf20f9b567/raw/download_workstation.ps1 | iex

or

powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Command "irm https://gist.github.com/jetfir3/25a4693549473792b90cfbdf20f9b567/raw/download_workstation.ps1 | iex"

Supports all Windows Workstation builds 12.0.0 - 17.6.3 (as of July 2025).

• Linux script
• macOS script