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Install umbrelOS on your own hardwareUpdated September 2, 2026

Installing umbrelOS in a virtual machine

Run umbrelOS in a virtual machine on your existing hardware

umbrelOS runs in a virtual machine using any virtualization software that supports EFI boot — such as Proxmox, VirtualBox, or VMware. See Running umbrelOS on your own hardware for what to expect.

Minimum VM requirements

  • RAM: 4 GB (8 GB+ recommended)
  • Storage: 32 GB virtual hard drive (more depending on your use case)

Install umbrelOS

  1. Download the latest umbrelOS USB installer ISO.
  2. Create a new VM and allocate at least 4 GB of RAM and a 32 GB virtual hard drive.
  3. Attach the ISO to the VM's virtual CD-ROM drive.
  4. Important: Set the VM to boot in EFI mode, not legacy BIOS. The installer requires EFI mode.
  5. Boot the VM. The installer will show a drive selection screen — select your virtual hard drive and confirm.
  6. Once installation is complete, shut down the VM.
  7. Remove the installer ISO from the VM's virtual drives.

Boot and access

  1. Boot the VM.
  2. Wait about 5 minutes for the first boot to complete, then open http://umbrel.local in your browser.

See Connecting to your Umbrel if you need help accessing it.

Notes

  • You may see a terminal login prompt on the VM's console — this is for terminal access only. Use the web interface at http://umbrel.local instead.
  • If your VM doesn't have a bridged network adapter, http://umbrel.local may not resolve from your host machine. Make sure your VM's network is set to bridged mode so it gets its own IP on your local network.