VirtualBox ships with an ISO image containing the VirtualBox guest additions.

Any directory on your host can be configured as a shared folder, allowing you to access it from the guest.

A shared clipboard can be enabled in your virtual machine for copy-pasting text between the host and the guest.

A better video driver that enables you to resize the virtual machine window or work with it in full screen mode.

Some example functionality included in the guest additions: The VirtualBox Guest additions is a collection of drivers that can be installed in the guest virtual machine.

You just need to adjust some of the commands to make it work for other Linux distributions. However, your can of course install whatever desktop environment your prefer.Įven though the instructions presented in this article target a Debian 10 virtual machine, the concept applies to other Linux distributions as well. It assumes that you have a freshly installed Debian 10 virtual machine with desktop environment. This article explains step-by-step how to install the VirtualBox guest additions in Debian 10. The VirtualBox guest additions contains this (and other) drivers to improve the integration between the host and the guest. But wait.your screen didn’t resize!ĭoes this scenario sound familiar? The cause of this problem is that the optimal video driver is not yet installed. The virtual machine window looks a bit small, so you resize or maximize its window. The login manager appears and with full anticipation you log in and wait for your desktop environment to show up. BackgroundĪfter installing your shiny new Linux operating system as a virtual machine in VirtualBox, you boot it up for the first time. A newer version of this article is availabe, which covers the topic of how to install the VirtualBox Guest Additions in Debian 11 “bullseye”. On the 14th of August 2021, the Debian team released the successor Debian 11 “bullseye”. This article shows you how to install the VirtualBox guest additions in Debian 10. For example, it allows you to resize the screen and share folders and a clipboard between the host and the guest.

It makes it easier and more enjoyable to work with your virtual machine. The VirtualBox guest additions comprise of a driver collection that improves the integration between the host and the guest.

Install virtualbox debian