Developers worldwide can now utilize Microsoft’s updated free virtual machines to test their applications and ensure compatibility with the new features of the Windows 11 “Moment 5” update.
Windows 11 Moment 5 is now offering virtual machines for free.
Four virtual machine images are accessible for download and are compatible with various virtualization software such as VMWare, Hyper-V (Gen2), Oracle VirtualBox, and Parallels. These images enable individuals to promptly initiate Windows application development within their preferred virtualization environment.
These virtual machines can be used for free in a trial period lasting up to 90 days until July 15, 2024. Once the trial period ends, certain functions will be restricted, such as a black desktop background, system authenticity notifications, and frequent shutdowns.
The virtual machine image named Windows Development Environment 2405 contains Windows 11 along with the Windows Subsystem for Linux 2 featuring Ubuntu. It also includes various development tools from Visual Studio 2022 Community Edition. By default, the operating system is set to developer mode to make application development easier.
A minimum of 8 GB of RAM and 70 GB of available storage space in a PC is needed to utilize these virtual machines. It’s worth mentioning that the images are currently only compatible with x86 processors, which means developers focusing on ARM-optimized applications may be temporarily restricted.
