Setting Up Kali Linux in VMware Fusion on Apple Silicon
If you are getting into cybersecurity, penetration testing, or just want a dedicated environment to learn and experiment with security tools, Kali Linux is the go-to distribution. In this guide, I'll walk you through setting up a Kali Linux VM in VMware Fusion on an Apple Silicon Mac. This is one of the first things I recommend setting up when building out your home lab on a Mac.
What You'll Need
Before we get started, make sure you have the following:
An Apple Silicon Mac (M1, M2, M3, M4 or newer)
VMware Fusion installed (the free Personal Use version works great)
The Kali Linux ARM64 installer ISO
If you don't have VMware Fusion yet, you can download it from Broadcom's website. Since Broadcom acquired VMware, the download process has changed a bit. You'll need to create a Broadcom account, then navigate to the VMware Fusion download page. The Personal Use license is free.
For the Kali ISO, head over to the official Kali downloads page and grab the Installer image for ARM64. Since we are on Apple Silicon, we need the ARM64 version. Do not download the AMD64 version, that is for Intel-based systems.
Creating the Virtual Machine
Once you have VMware Fusion installed and the Kali ISO downloaded, follow these steps:
Open VMware Fusion
Go to File → New (or click the + button)
Select Install from disc or image
Click Use another disc or image and browse to your downloaded Kali ISO
VMware will try to auto-detect the OS. It may detect it as Debian, which is fine since Kali is Debian-based
Click Continue
When VMware asks you to choose the operating system, select:
Linux → Debian 12.x ARM
Kali is built on top of Debian, so this is the closest match. Don't worry if the exact Debian version doesn't perfectly align. This setting mainly just affects the default VM hardware profile, not the actual installation.
Configuring VM Settings
Before you start the installation, I recommend adjusting the VM settings. You can do this by clicking Customize Settings before the first boot. Here are my recommended settings:
RAM
4 GB minimum (8 GB if you can spare it)
CPU Cores
2 or more
Disk Size
80 GB
Network
NAT (default)
A few notes on these settings:
RAM - Kali's desktop environment (Xfce by default) runs pretty lean but if you plan on running resource-heavy tools or multiple services, give it more RAM
Disk - 80 GB gives you plenty of room for tools and wordlists. VMware uses thin provisioning by default, so it won't actually consume 80 GB on your Mac right away
Network - NAT is the safest default. It lets your VM access the internet through your Mac's connection. If you need the VM to appear as a separate device on the network (useful for pentesting labs), switch to Bridged mode later
Installing Kali Linux
Now for the fun part. Boot up the VM and you should see the Kali installer boot menu.
Select Graphical Install
Choose your language, location, and keyboard layout
Set a hostname (e.g.,
kali)When asked for a domain name, you can leave it blank
Set up your user account and password (remember these, you'll need them to log in)
For disk partitioning, select Guided - use entire disk
Choose All files in one partition (recommended for new users)
Confirm the partition changes and select Yes to write changes to disk
The installation will begin copying files. This may take a little while
When asked about software selection, keep the defaults. The Xfce desktop and standard system utilities are a great starting point
Install GRUB to the primary disk when prompted
Finish the installation and let it reboot
After the reboot, you should be greeted with the Kali Linux login screen. Log in with the username and password you set during installation.
Post-Installation Setup
After your first login, open a terminal and run the following commands to get your system fully up to date and install VMware's guest tools for a better experience:
The open-vm-tools-desktop package gives you some really nice quality of life features:
Auto screen resizing - The VM display will resize when you resize the window
Clipboard sharing - Copy and paste between your Mac and the VM
Drag and drop - Move files between your Mac and the VM
Shared folders - Access Mac folders from within Kali
Take a Snapshot
This is a step I always recommend. Before you start installing additional tools or making changes, take a snapshot of your clean installation:
Go to Virtual Machine → Snapshots (or press Command + Shift + S)
Click Take Snapshot
Name it something like "Clean Install"
This gives you a restore point you can always come back to if something breaks or you want to start fresh without reinstalling.
Tips and Next Steps
Now that you have Kali up and running, here are some tips:
Shared Folders - Enable via Virtual Machine → Settings → Sharing to easily pass files between your Mac and Kali
Bridged Networking - Switch from NAT to Bridged if you want the VM on your actual network. This is useful for practicing with tools like Nmap and Responder in a lab environment
Explore the tools - Kali comes loaded with security tools. Open the Applications menu and browse through the categories to see what's available
Practice legally - Set up vulnerable VMs like DVWA, Metasploitable, or sign up for Hack The Box to practice your skills in a legal and ethical way
Building a Kali VM is one of the most practical first steps you can take in your cybersecurity journey. It gives you a dedicated environment to learn, break things, and build your skills without affecting your main system. If you found this guide helpful and want more lab setup content, feel free to connect with me on Discord. I'd love to hear about what you're building.
Keep learning!
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