Export & Import VM Packages

A VM package (.vmpkg) bundles a VM's config + disks + boot files + network settings into a single file. Use it to back up a whole VM, send it to someone else, or move it to another device.

How Is This Different From "Export Config"?

"Export config to file" in App Settings saves only the configuration (JSON), without disks — very small. A VM package includes the disk images: much larger, but ready to run as soon as you have it.

Exporting

📷 Screenshot placeholder: Export VM screen (disk selection + compression method)

1. On the VMs tab, long-press the target VM and choose Export as package
2. Tick the disks to include (all selected by default, except CD-ROMs)
3. Pick a compression method
4. Tap Create package and choose where to save it
5. When packing finishes, you can share the file directly

Stop the VM First

A running VM cannot be exported; you'll see "the VM must be stopped before exporting".

Choosing a Compression Method

Method	Characteristics
Zstandard (default)	Fast and small — recommended
Gzip	Fast, low CPU use, but the largest package
XZ	Smallest package, but slowest and most CPU-hungry
None	No compression: fastest, package as large as the disks

The screen shows how many disks are selected and their total size, with progress and a percentage while packing.

Importing

📷 Screenshot placeholder: Import VM package screen (package info + network import mode)

1. On the Home tab, tap Import VM (or open the import screen from the VM list)
2. Pick a .vmpkg file
3. The app reads the package info first: VM name, size, included disks and networks
4. If the package carries network config, choose a network import mode
5. Tap Import

Network Import Modes

Mode	Description
Create networks automatically (default)	Create new networks from the package config
Use existing network by name	Reuse a local network with the same name instead of creating one
Skip networks	Don't import networks; pick one yourself in the VM later

Insufficient Space Is Caught Early

Available space is checked before importing. If there isn't enough, you'll see how much is needed and how much is left — nothing gets half-written.

What's in a Package

• VM configuration (CPU, memory, boot, display, and all other settings)
• The selected disk images
• Boot-related files (custom kernel, initramfs, and so on)
• Attached network configuration

After importing, the VM and disks are registered in their lists just like ones you created yourself.