How to Enable Copy-Paste in ESXi/vCenter
Starting from ESXi/vCenter version 4.1, the copy-paste function between host and VM is disabled by default for security reasons.
However, it is possible to manually re-enable this feature either per VM or globally on the ESXi host.
Enable copy-paste for a single virtual machine
To enable the feature for a specific VM:
- Go to VM > Edit Settings
- Select the VM Options tab
- Navigate to Advanced > Edit Configuration
- Add the following entries:
isolation.tools.copy.disable = "false"
isolation.tools.paste.disable = "false"Note: In some localized versions, the settings may appear as:
isolamento.strumenti.copia.disabilita = FALSO
isolamento.tools.paste.disable = FALSO
Alternative: editing the .vmx file directly
You can also directly edit the VM’s .vmx file:
- Using vSphere File Browser
- Or via SSH access to the ESXi host
Add the same two lines, while the VM is powered off, and save the file.
Enable copy-paste globally on the ESXi host
To enable the feature for all VMs on the host:
- Edit the configuration file:
/etc/vmware/config - Add the following lines using a text editor (via SSH):
vmx.fullpath = "/bin/vmx"
isolation.tools.copy.disable = "false"
isolation.tools.paste.disable = "false"Save and close the file. Changes will apply to newly created VMs or after rebooting existing ones.
Important note
Make sure the VM is powered off before applying changes. If you modify the global configuration, you must reboot the ESXi host to apply the changes.
Additionally, if you use VMRC (Virtual Machine Remote Console), the copy-paste function will also be available within that session.
