$Date: 2025-08-11 19:18:47 +0200 (Mon, 11 Aug 2025) $

VBoxManage clonevm

VBoxManage-clonevm 1
VBoxManage-clonevm create a clone of an existing virtual machine &product-name;
`VBoxManage clonevm` vmname|uuid --basefolder=basefolder --groups=group, --mode=machine --mode=machinechildren --mode=all --name=name --options=option, --register --snapshot=snapshot-name --uuid=uuid

## Description

The `VBoxManage clonevm` command creates a clone of an existing virtual machine (VM). The clone can be a full copy of the VM or a linked copy of a VM.

You must specify the name or the universal unique identifier (UUID) of the VM you want to clone.

## Command Operand and Options

The following list describes the operand and the options that you can use with the `VBoxManage clonevm` command:

vmname|uuid

  Specifies the name or UUID of the VM to clone.

`--basefolder=basefolder`

  Specifies the name of the folder in which to save the configuration for the new VM.

`--groups=group,...`

  Assigns the clone to the specified group or groups. If you specify more than one group, separate each group name with a comma.

  Note that each group is identified by a group ID that starts with a slash character (`/`) so that groups can be nested. By default, a clone is always assigned membership to the `/` group.

`--mode=machine|machineandchildren|all`

  Specifies which of the following cloning modes to use:

  - `machine` mode clones the current state of the existing VM without any snapshots. This is the default mode.

  - `machineandchildren` mode clones the snapshot specified by by the `--snapshot` option and all child snapshots.

  - `all` mode clones all snapshots and the current state of the existing VM.

`--name=name`

  Specifies a new name for the new VM. The default value is `original-name Clone` where original-name is the original name of the VM.

`--options=option,...`

  Specifies how to create the new clone.

  The `--options` argument can be used multiple times to enable multiple options, or the options can be given as a comma separated list. The options are case insensitive.

  The following options (case-insensitive) are recognized:

  `Link`

    Creates a linked clone from a snapshot only.

  `KeepAllMACs`

    Specifies that the new clone reuses the MAC addresses of each virtual network card from the existing VM.

    If you do not specify this option or the `--options=keepnatmacs` option, the default behavior is to reinitialize the MAC addresses of each virtual network card.

  `KeepNATMACs`

    Specifies that the new clone reuses the MAC addresses of each virtual network card from the existing VM when the network type is NAT.

    If you do not specify this option or the `KeepAllMACs` option, the default behavior is to reinitialize the MAC addresses of each virtual network card.

  `KeepDiskNames`

    Specifies that the new clone reuses the disk image names from the existing VM. By default, disk images are renamed.

  `KeepHwUUIDs`

    Specifies that the new clone reuses the hardware IDs from the existing VM. By default, new UUIDs are used.

`--register`

  Automatically registers the new clone in this &product-name; installation. You can manually register the new VM later by using the `VBoxManage registervm` command. See .

`--snapshot=snapshot-name`

  Specifies the snapshot on which to base the new VM. By default, the clone is created from the current state of the specified VM.

`--uuid=uuid`

  Specifies the UUID for the new VM. Ensure that this ID is unique for the &product-name; instance if you decide to register this new VM. By default, &product-name; provides a new UUID.

## Examples

The following command creates and registers an exact clone of the `ol7` VM. The clone is called `ol7-dev-001`.

The new clone includes all of the source VM's snapshots. The new VM also reuses all network interface MAC addresses, disk names, and UUIDs from the source VM.

    $ VBoxManage clonevm ol7 --name="ol7-dev-001" --register --mode=all \
        --options=keepallmacs --options=keepdisknames --options=keephwuuids

The following command creates and registers a clone of the `Snapshot 1` snapshot of the `ol7` VM. The clone is called `ol7-dev-002`.

    $ VBoxManage clonevm ol7 --name="ol7-dev-002" --register --snapshot="Snapshot 1"

## See Also