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<topic xml:lang="en-us" id="separate-mode">
  <title>Separate Mode</title>
  <body>
    <p>Separate mode is an alternative front end for local and remote virtual machines. Separate mode is based on the <userinput>VBoxHeadless</userinput> front end but uses the <ph conkeyref="vbox-conkeyref-phrases/vbox-mgr"/> user interface to control and display virtual machines, rather than an RDP viewer program. The VirtualBox Remote Desktop Extension (VRDE) is not required for separate mode.</p>
    <p>Separate mode enables the guest graphical user interface to easily attach to and detach from a running VM. Users with several running VMs can use separate mode to display the required VM, while keeping all other VMs in the background until they are needed. </p>
    <p>Separate mode has some security advantages, compared to using the <userinput>VBoxHeadless</userinput> front end.</p>
    <section id="vbox-headless-separate-mode-using">
      <title>Using Separate Mode</title>
      <p>The following list describes some typical operations in separate mode.</p>
      <ul>
        <li>
          <p>To start a virtual machine in separate mode:</p>
          <p>In <ph conkeyref="vbox-conkeyref-phrases/vbox-mgr"/>, click <uicontrol>Machines</uicontrol> and select the machine you want to start. Choose <uicontrol>Start with detachable GUI</uicontrol> from the <uicontrol>Start</uicontrol> options on the toolbar or right-click menu.</p>
        </li>
        <li>
          <p>To <b>detach</b> from a virtual machine in separate mode:</p>
          <p>On the virtual machine's <b>Machine</b> menu, select <b>Detach GUI</b>.</p>
        </li>
        <li>
          <p>To <b>attach</b> to a virtual machine in separate mode:</p>
          <p>Select the VM name in the <uicontrol>Machines</uicontrol> list in <ph conkeyref="vbox-conkeyref-phrases/vbox-mgr"/> and then click <b>Show</b>.</p>
        </li>
        <li>
          <p>To <b>stop</b> a virtual machine that is running in separate mode:</p>
          <p>Right-click the VM name in the machine list in <ph conkeyref="vbox-conkeyref-phrases/vbox-mgr"/> and select an option in the <b>Stop</b> menu.</p>
        </li>
      </ul>
    </section>
  </body>
</topic>
