A USB controller is required to use a USB device in a virtual machine. You can add one USB controller to a virtual machine.

When you create a virtual machine in Workstation Pro, a USB controller is added by default. If you remove the USB controller, you can add it back.

Note: Remote virtual machines are created without a USB controller by default. You can add a USB controller manually after you finish creating a remote virtual machine.
Note: Bluetooth device support is removed in VMware Workstation 17.6 and later.

Prerequisites

Power off the virtual machine.

Procedure

  1. Select the virtual machine and select VM > Settings.
  2. On the Hardware tab, click Add.
  3. In the New Hardware wizard, select USB Controller.
  4. Click Finish to add the USB controller.
  5. Configure the USB connection settings.
    You can select multiple settings.
    Note: You typically cannot configure USB connection settings for a remote virtual machine.
    Option Description
    USB Compatibility

    Selecting USB 2.0 or 3.0 enables support for isochronous USB devices, including Web cams, speakers, and microphones.

    Automatically connect new USB devices

    This feature only appears when you use Workstation Pro on a Linux host.

    Connect new USB devices to the virtual machine. If this setting is not selected, new USB devices are connected only to the host system.

    Show all USB input devices

    Human interface devices (HIDs), such as USB 1.1 and 2.0 mouse and keyboard devices, appear in the Removable Devices menu. Icons for HIDs appear in the status bar. An HID that is connected to the guest operating system is not available to the host system. The virtual machine must be powered off when you change this setting.

    Share Bluetooth devices with the virtual machine

    Enable support for Bluetooth devices.