You can set whether a USB device connects to your Mac or to your virtual machine whenever you attach the device.

This setting can be different for each virtual machine. If you set the default plug-in action for a virtual machine, but the virtual machine is not powered on when you attach the device, the device attaches to the Mac.

Prerequisites

Fusion must be open, with a virtual machine powered on.

Procedure

  1. Select Window > Virtual Machine Library.
  2. Select a virtual machine in the Virtual Machine Library window and click Settings.
  3. Under Removable Devices in the Settings window, click USB & Bluetooth.
  4. Select the USB device in the list.
  5. Under Advanced USB options, select the plug-in behavior for the device.

    Option

    Description

    Ask what to do

    Fusion asks if you want to attach the device to the Mac or the virtual machine.

    Connect to this virtual machine

    Only the virtual machine recognizes the device. The Mac does not recognize the device.

    Connect to your Mac

    Only the Mac recognizes the device. The virtual machine does not recognize the device.

    This option is the default behavior. VMware recommends that printers connect to the host, not to the guest.