8.2. Commands overview

When running VBoxManage without parameters or when supplying an invalid command line, the below syntax diagram will be shown. Note that the output will be slightly different depending on the host platform; when in doubt, check the output of VBoxManage for the commands available on your particular host.

Usage:

VBoxManage [-v|--version]    print version number and exit
VBoxManage [-q|--nologo] ... suppress the logo

VBoxManage list [--long|-l] vms|runningvms|ostypes|hostdvds|hostfloppies|
                            bridgedifs|hostonlyifs|dhcpservers|hostinfo|
                            hostcpuids|hddbackends|hdds|dvds|floppies|
                            usbhost|usbfilters|systemproperties|extpacks

VBoxManage showvminfo       <uuid>|<name> [--details]
                            [--machinereadable]
VBoxManage showvminfo       <uuid>|<name> --log <idx>

VBoxManage registervm       <filename>

VBoxManage unregistervm     <uuid>|<name> [--delete]

VBoxManage createvm         --name <name>
                            [--ostype <ostype>]
                            [--register]
                            [--basefolder <path> | --settingsfile <path>]
                            [--uuid <uuid>]

VBoxManage modifyvm         <uuid|name>
                            [--name <name>]
                            [--ostype <ostype>]
                            [--memory <memorysize in MB>]
                            [--pagefusion on|off]
                            [--vram <vramsize in MB>]
                            [--acpi on|off]
                            [--ioapic on|off]
                            [--pae on|off]
                            [--hpet on|off]
                            [--hwvirtex on|off]
                            [--hwvirtexexcl on|off]
                            [--nestedpaging on|off]
                            [--largepages on|off]
                            [--vtxvpid on|off]
                            [--synthcpu on|off]
                            [--cpuidset <leaf> <eax> <ebx> <ecx> <edx>]
                            [--cpuidremove <leaf>]
                            [--cpuidremoveall]
                            [--hardwareuuid <uuid>]
                            [--cpus <number>]
                            [--cpuhotplug on|off]
                            [--plugcpu <id>]
                            [--unplugcpu <id>]
                            [--cpuexecutioncap <1-100>]
                            [--rtcuseutc on|off]
                            [--monitorcount <number>]
                            [--accelerate3d on|off]
                            [--accelerate2dvideo on|off]
                            [--firmware bios|efi|efi32|efi64]
                            [--chipset ich9|piix3]
                            [--bioslogofadein on|off]
                            [--bioslogofadeout on|off]
                            [--bioslogodisplaytime <msec>]
                            [--bioslogoimagepath <imagepath>]
                            [--biosbootmenu disabled|menuonly|messageandmenu]
                            [--biossystemtimeoffset <msec>]
                            [--biospxedebug on|off]
                            [--boot<1-4> none|floppy|dvd|disk|net>]
                            [--nic<1-N> none|null|nat|bridged|intnet|hostonly|
                                        vde]
                            [--nictype<1-N> Am79C970A|Am79C973|
                                            82540EM|82543GC|82545EM|
                                            virtio]
                            [--cableconnected<1-N> on|off]
                            [--nictrace<1-N> on|off]
                            [--nictracefile<1-N> <filename>]
                            [--nicspeed<1-N> <kbps>]
                            [--nicbootprio<1-N> <priority>]
                            [--bridgeadapter<1-N> none|<devicename>]
                            [--hostonlyadapter<1-N> none|<devicename>]
                            [--intnet<1-N> <network name>]
                            [--natnet<1-N> <network>|default]
                            [--vdenet<1-N> <network>|default]
                            [--natsettings<1-N> [<mtu>],[<socksnd>],
                                                [<sockrcv>],[<tcpsnd>],
                                                [<tcprcv>]]
                            [--natpf<1-N> [<rulename>],tcp|udp,[<hostip>],
                                          <hostport>,[<guestip>],<guestport>]
                            [--natpf<1-N> delete <rulename>]
                            [--nattftpprefix<1-N> <prefix>]
                            [--nattftpfile<1-N> <file>]
                            [--nattftpserver<1-N> <ip>]
                            [--natdnspassdomain<1-N> on|off]
                            [--natdnsproxy<1-N> on|off]
                            [--natdnshostresolver<1-N> on|off]
                            [--nataliasmode<1-N> default|[log],[proxyonly],
                                                         [sameports]]
                            [--macaddress<1-N> auto|<mac>]
                            [--mouse ps2|usb|usbtablet
                            [--keyboard ps2|usb
                            [--uart<1-N> off|<I/O base> <IRQ>]
                            [--uartmode<1-N> disconnected|
                                             server <pipe>|
                                             client <pipe>|
                                             file <file>|
                                             <devicename>]
                            [--guestmemoryballoon <balloonsize in MB>]
                            [--gueststatisticsinterval <seconds>]
                            [--audio none|null|dsound|solaudio|oss|alsa|pulse|
                                     oss|pulse|coreaudio]
                            [--audiocontroller ac97|hda|sb16]
                            [--clipboard disabled|hosttoguest|guesttohost|
                                         bidirectional]
                            [--vrde on|off]
                            [--vrdeextpack default|<name>
                            [--vrdeproperty <name=[value]>]
                            [--vrdeport <hostport>]
                            [--vrdeaddress <hostip>]
                            [--vrdeauthtype null|external|guest]
                            [--vrdeauthlibrary default|<name>
                            [--vrdemulticon on|off]
                            [--vrdereusecon on|off]
                            [--vrdevideochannel on|off]
                            [--vrdevideochannelquality <percent>]
                            [--usb on|off]
                            [--usbehci on|off]
                            [--snapshotfolder default|<path>]
                            [--teleporter on|off]
                            [--teleporterport <port>]
                            [--teleporteraddress <address|empty>
                            [--teleporterpassword <password>]

VBoxManage import           <ovf/ova> [--dry-run|-n] [more options]
                            (run with -n to have options displayed
                             for a particular OVF)

VBoxManage export           <machines> --output|-o <ovf/ova>
                            [--legacy09]
                            [--manifest]
                            [--vsys <number of virtual system>]
                                    [--product <product name>]
                                    [--producturl <product url>]
                                    [--vendor <vendor name>]
                                    [--vendorurl <vendor url>]
                                    [--version <version info>]
                                    [--eula <license text>]
                                    [--eulafile <filename>]

VBoxManage startvm          <uuid>|<name>
                            [--type gui|sdl|headless]

VBoxManage controlvm        <uuid>|<name>
                            pause|resume|reset|poweroff|savestate|
                            acpipowerbutton|acpisleepbutton|
                            keyboardputscancode <hex> [<hex> ...]|
                            setlinkstate<1-N> on|off |
                            nic<1-N> null|nat|bridged|intnet|hostonly
                                     [<devicename>] |
                            nictrace<1-N> on|off
                            nictracefile<1-N> <filename>
                            natpf<1-N> [<rulename>],tcp|udp,[<hostip>],
                                          <hostport>,[<guestip>],<guestport>
                            natpf<1-N> delete <rulename>
                            guestmemoryballoon <balloonsize in MB>]
                            gueststatisticsinterval <seconds>]
                            usbattach <uuid>|<address> |
                            usbdetach <uuid>|<address> |
                            vrde on|off |
                            vrdeport <port> |
                            vrdeproperty <name=[value]> |
                            vrdevideochannelquality <percent>
                            setvideomodehint <xres> <yres> <bpp> [display] |
                            setcredentials <username> <password> <domain>
                                           [--allowlocallogon <yes|no>] |
                            teleport --host <name> --port <port>
                                   [--maxdowntime <msec>] [--password password]
                            plugcpu <id>
                            unplugcpu <id>
                            cpuexecutioncap <1-100>

VBoxManage discardstate     <uuid>|<name>

VBoxManage adoptstate       <uuid>|<name> <state_file>

VBoxManage snapshot         <uuid>|<name>
                            take <name> [--description <desc>] [--pause] |
                            delete <uuid>|<name> |
                            restore <uuid>|<name> |
                            restorecurrent |
                            edit <uuid>|<name>|--current
                                 [--name <name>]
                                 [--description <desc>] |
                            showvminfo <uuid>|<name>

VBoxManage closemedium      disk|dvd|floppy <uuid>|<filename>
                            [--delete]

VBoxManage storageattach    <uuid|vmname>
                            --storagectl <name>
                            --port <number>
                            --device <number>
                            [--type dvddrive|hdd|fdd]
                            [--medium none|emptydrive|
                                      <uuid>|<filename>|host:<drive>|iscsi]
                            [--mtype normal|writethrough|immutable|shareable|
                                     readonly|multiattach]
                            [--comment <text>]
                            [--passthrough on|off]
                            [--bandwidthgroup <name>]
                            [--forceunmount]
                            [--server <name>|<ip>]
                            [--target <target>]
                            [--port <port>]
                            [--lun <lun>]
                            [--encodedlun <lun>]
                            [--username <username>]
                            [--password <password>]
                            [--intnet]

VBoxManage storagectl       <uuid|vmname>
                            --name <name>
                            [--add ide|sata|scsi|floppy|sas]
                            [--controller LSILogic|LSILogicSAS|BusLogic|
                                          IntelAHCI|PIIX3|PIIX4|ICH6|I82078]
                            [--sataideemulation<1-4> <1-30>]
                            [--sataportcount <1-30>]
                            [--hostiocache on|off]
                            [--bootable on|off]
                            [--remove]

VBoxManage bandwidthctl     <uuid|vmname>
                            --name <name>
                            [--add disk|network]
                            [--limit <megabytes per second>
                            [--delete]

VBoxManage showhdinfo       <uuid>|<filename>

VBoxManage createhd         --filename <filename>
                            --size <megabytes>|--sizebyte <bytes>
                            [--format VDI|VMDK|VHD] (default: VDI)
                            [--variant Standard,Fixed,Split2G,Stream,ESX]

VBoxManage modifyhd         <uuid>|<filename>
                            [--type normal|writethrough|immutable|shareable|
                                    readonly|multiattach]
                            [--autoreset on|off]
                            [--compact]
                            [--resize <megabytes>|--resizebyte <bytes>]

VBoxManage clonehd          <uuid>|<filename> <outputfile>
                            [--format VDI|VMDK|VHD|RAW|<other>]
                            [--variant Standard,Fixed,Split2G,Stream,ESX]
                            [--existing]

VBoxManage convertfromraw   <filename> <outputfile>
                            [--format VDI|VMDK|VHD]
                            [--variant Standard,Fixed,Split2G,Stream,ESX]
VBoxManage convertfromraw   stdin <outputfile> <bytes>
                            [--format VDI|VMDK|VHD]
                            [--variant Standard,Fixed,Split2G,Stream,ESX]

VBoxManage getextradata     global|<uuid>|<name>
                            <key>|enumerate

VBoxManage setextradata     global|<uuid>|<name>
                            <key>
                            [<value>] (no value deletes key)

VBoxManage setproperty      machinefolder default|<folder> |
                            vrdeauthlibrary default|<library> |
                            websrvauthlibrary default|null|<library> |
                            vrdeextpack null|<library> |
                            loghistorycount <value>

VBoxManage usbfilter        add <index,0-N>
                            --target <uuid>|<name>|global
                            --name <string>
                            --action ignore|hold (global filters only)
                            [--active yes|no] (yes)
                            [--vendorid <XXXX>] (null)
                            [--productid <XXXX>] (null)
                            [--revision <IIFF>] (null)
                            [--manufacturer <string>] (null)
                            [--product <string>] (null)
                            [--remote yes|no] (null, VM filters only)
                            [--serialnumber <string>] (null)
                            [--maskedinterfaces <XXXXXXXX>]

VBoxManage usbfilter        modify <index,0-N>
                            --target <uuid>|<name>|global
                            [--name <string>]
                            [--action ignore|hold] (global filters only)
                            [--active yes|no]
                            [--vendorid <XXXX>|""]
                            [--productid <XXXX>|""]
                            [--revision <IIFF>|""]
                            [--manufacturer <string>|""]
                            [--product <string>|""]
                            [--remote yes|no] (null, VM filters only)
                            [--serialnumber <string>|""]
                            [--maskedinterfaces <XXXXXXXX>]

VBoxManage usbfilter        remove <index,0-N>
                            --target <uuid>|<name>|global

VBoxManage sharedfolder     add <vmname>|<uuid>
                            --name <name> --hostpath <hostpath>
                            [--transient] [--readonly] [--automount]

VBoxManage sharedfolder     remove <vmname>|<uuid>
                            --name <name> [--transient]

VBoxManage guestproperty    get <vmname>|<uuid>
                            <property> [--verbose]

VBoxManage guestproperty    set <vmname>|<uuid>
                            <property> [<value> [--flags <flags>]]

VBoxManage guestproperty    enumerate <vmname>|<uuid>
                            [--patterns <patterns>]

VBoxManage guestproperty    wait <vmname>|<uuid> <patterns>
                            [--timeout <msec>] [--fail-on-timeout]

VBoxManage guestcontrol     exec[ute] <vmname>|<uuid>
                            <path to program>
                            --username <name> --password <password>
                            [--arguments "<arguments>"]
                            [--environment "<NAME>=<VALUE> [<NAME>=<VALUE>]"]
                            [--flags <flags>] [--timeout <msec>]
                            [--verbose] [--wait-for exit,stdout,stderr||]

                            copyto|cp <vmname>|<uuid>
                            <source on host> <destination on guest>
                            --username <name> --password <password>
                            [--dryrun] [--follow] [--recursive] [--verbose]

                            createdir[ectory]|mkdir|md <vmname>|<uuid>
                            <directory to create on guest>
                            --username <name> --password <password>
                            [--parents] [--mode <mode>] [--verbose]

                            updateadditions <vmname>|<uuid>
                            [--source <guest additions .ISO>] [--verbose]

VBoxManage debugvm          <uuid>|<name>
                            dumpguestcore --filename <name> |
                            info <item> [args] |
                            injectnmi |
                            osdetect |
                            osinfo |
                            getregisters [--cpu <id>] <reg>|all ... |
                            setregisters [--cpu <id>] <reg>=<value> ... |
                            statistics [--reset] [--pattern <pattern>]
                            [--descriptions]

VBoxManage metrics          list [*|host|<vmname> [<metric_list>]]
                                                 (comma-separated)

VBoxManage metrics          setup
                            [--period <seconds>] (default: 1)
                            [--samples <count>] (default: 1)
                            [--list]
                            [*|host|<vmname> [<metric_list>]]

VBoxManage metrics          query [*|host|<vmname> [<metric_list>]]

VBoxManage metrics          enable
                            [--list]
                            [*|host|<vmname> [<metric_list>]]

VBoxManage metrics          disable
                            [--list]
                            [*|host|<vmname> [<metric_list>]]

VBoxManage metrics          collect
                            [--period <seconds>] (default: 1)
                            [--samples <count>] (default: 1)
                            [--list]
                            [--detach]
                            [*|host|<vmname> [<metric_list>]]

VBoxManage hostonlyif       ipconfig <name>
                            [--dhcp |
                            --ip<ipv4> [--netmask<ipv4> (def: 255.255.255.0)] |
                            --ipv6<ipv6> [--netmasklengthv6<length> (def: 64)]]
                            create |
                            remove <name>

VBoxManage dhcpserver       add|modify --netname <network_name> |
                                       --ifname <hostonly_if_name>
                            [--ip <ip_address>
                            --netmask <network_mask>
                            --lowerip <lower_ip>
                            --upperip <upper_ip>]
                            [--enable | --disable]

VBoxManage dhcpserver       remove --netname <network_name> |
                                   --ifname <hostonly_if_name>

VBoxManage extpack          install <tarball> |
                            uninstall [--force] <name> |
                            cleanup

Each time VBoxManage is invoked, only one command can be executed. However, a command might support several subcommands which then can be invoked in one single call. The following sections provide detailed reference information on the different commands.