If you found this useful, bookmark it or share it with another VMware admin. Have another method? Let me know in the comments below.
Below are three proven methods that work for and free ESXi as well. Method 1: Using the vSphere Client (Datastore Browser) – Easiest This is the quickest method if you have direct access to vCenter Server or the ESXi host’s web client. vmware download vmdk from datastore
scp root@esxi-ip:/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/MyVM/MyVM-flat.vmdk ~/Desktop/ ✅ This method is and supports resume on large files. Method 3: Using vmkfstools + Export (Advanced) If you want to export only a thin-provisioned VMDK as a thick disk or clone it without snapshots, use the command line directly on ESXi. If you found this useful, bookmark it or
Always ensure your VM is either powered off or the disk is not actively writing data when you download the -flat.vmdk – otherwise, you may end up with a corrupted or inconsistent file system inside the disk. Below are three proven methods that work for
But the option isn’t always obvious. You won’t find a shiny “Download VMDK” button in most modern vSphere clients. So, how do you actually get that file onto your local machine?