All VMware licenses are now managed through the Broadcom Support Portal.
So what are your actual options?
The machines have grown from "ghosts" in a single PC to a global engine, but the goal remains the same: making the impossible, digital reality. Key Takeaways on "New" VMware 9 Licensing vmware 9 license key new
Perpetual licenses are gone. All version 9 products are strictly subscription-based and licensed per CPU core. Centralized Management: Licenses must be managed via the VCF Operations 9.0 interface, which verifies usage against the Broadcom Business Services Portal 2. Legacy Era: VMware Workstation 9 If you are looking for a "new" key for the old VMware Workstation 9 All VMware licenses are now managed through the
, Broadcom has officially retired static keys in favour of a strictly subscription-based, file-activated model. Key Licensing Changes in Version 9 No More Static Keys : Traditional keys are replaced by subscription license files that must be cryptographically signed by Broadcom servers. Mandatory VCF Operations : You must now use a VCF Operations 9.0 Key Takeaways on "New" VMware 9 Licensing Perpetual
For enterprise accounts, the portal allows you to generate or "downgrade" keys to match your specific version. ⚠️ A Warning on "Free Key" Lists
In the transition to (specifically vSphere 9 and VCF 9), the traditional concept of a "license key" has fundamentally changed under Broadcom's management. The era of perpetual license keys—where you could buy a static string once and own the software forever—has ended. The Core Shift: Subscription & Tokens No More Static Keys : VMware has transitioned to a subscription-only model