macOS - Software Lifecycle - Install VMware-Tools

What the VMware Tools installer does

This Automox Worklet™ installs VMware Tools on macOS virtual machines by extracting and deploying the VMware-provided installation package. The Worklet locates the VMware Tools.zip file attached to the policy, extracts the ISO image, and runs the native macOS installer to complete the deployment.

VMware Tools is a suite of utilities and drivers that enhance communication between your guest operating system and the VMware hypervisor. Without VMware Tools, virtual machines operate with reduced functionality and performance.

The Worklet includes verification logic to confirm successful installation by checking for the vmware-tools-cli binary, verifying that all required components were properly deployed.

Why deploy VMware Tools on macOS

VMware Tools provides critical functionality that bridges the gap between your macOS guest operating system and the VMware hypervisor infrastructure. Without VMware Tools installed, your virtual endpoints operate in a disconnected state, missing essential features and performance optimizations that modern virtualization requires.

Installing VMware Tools enables disk shrinking, memory optimization, and allows hypervisor commands to communicate with your guest OS. It also unlocks advanced capabilities like clipboard sharing between host and guest, folder sharing, and improved network performance through optimized drivers.

Automating this deployment across your macOS virtual fleet maintains consistent configuration and eliminates manual installation overhead. The Worklet validates that VMware Tools is properly installed, preventing configuration drift in your virtualized infrastructure.

How VMware Tools installation works

1. Evaluation phase: The Worklet checks for the presence of the VMware Tools application directory at /Library/Application Support/VMware Tools. If this directory exists, VMware Tools is already installed and the Worklet exits without making changes.

2. Remediation phase: The Worklet locates the attached VMware Tools.zip file, extracts it to find the ISO image, mounts the ISO using hdiutil, and executes the macOS installer utility with the VMware Tools.pkg file. After installation completes, the Worklet verifies that the vmware-tools-cli binary is present, confirming successful deployment.

VMware Tools installation requirements

• macOS endpoint running as a VMware virtual machine (ESXi, Workstation, or Fusion hosted)

• VMware Tools.zip file attached to the Automox policy before execution (required - Worklet will not proceed without it)

• Root or administrator privileges on the macOS endpoint to execute the installer package

• Sufficient disk space for extraction and installation of VMware Tools components

Expected VMware Tools installation state

After successful execution, your macOS endpoint will have VMware Tools fully installed and operational. The Worklet verifies this by confirming the presence of the vmware-tools-cli binary at /Library/Application Support/VMware Tools/vmware-tools-cli, which indicates that all VMware Tools components were properly deployed.

Your virtual machine will immediately have access to enhanced performance features, network optimization, and advanced VMware capabilities like folder sharing and clipboard integration. Subsequent policy runs will detect that VMware Tools is already installed and skip remediation, maintaining consistent deployment state across your macOS virtual infrastructure.

How to validate install vmware-tools changes

1. Run this Worklet on a pilot macOS endpoint and review evaluation output for install vmware-tools.

2. Confirm Automox activity logs show successful completion and exit code 0.

3. Verify endpoint state using checks aligned to evaluation script logic, such as exit, else.

4. Validate remediation effects from script operations such as function, hdiutil, exit, then rerun evaluation for compliance.