How to install Guest Additions on Mac

Discussions about using Mac OS X guests (on Apple hardware) in VirtualBox.
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RD82
Posts: 1
Joined: 17. Aug 2021, 20:46

How to install Guest Additions on Mac

Post by RD82 »

I am using MacOS Big Sur 11.5.1. I have virtual box 6.1.18 installed and have a Ubuntu 20.04 Server VM running on it. I want to install the Guest Additions for Mac. From where can I get this?
scottgus1
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Posts: 20965
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows, Linux

Re: How to install Guest Additions on Mac

Post by scottgus1 »

Since your VM is an Ubuntu VM you'd install Linux Guest Additions, not Mac Guest Additions. Guest Additions go in the guest, the VM, not on the host. (Otherwise they'd be called Host Additions :lol: )

The Guest Additions come bundled with Virtualbox, see the VM window's Devices menu, "Insert Guest Additions CD Image" command. This inserts the bundled GAs ISO into the VM's CD drive. Before you run the GAs from the VM's CD drive, there are prerequisites (in modern Linux, usually only the headers, see https://www.virtualbox.org/manual/ch02. ... nux-prereq the prerequisites for GAs in a VM are the same as for Virtualbox on a Linux host.)
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