Sharing VM Folders with Host OS

[tmjj85]

Hello,

I am running VM Fusion Player Version 13.0.2 (casual use version) and created a virtual machine of Windows 11 (guest) on my MacOS Ventura 13.4.1 (host). My Mac is an Intel-based MacBook Pro. I want to open files that have been downloaded on the guest VM with apps installed on the host OS. Like opening .docx file on the guest VM with Microsoft Word on the host Mac OS. 

I already have sharing enabled in the VM's settings (but there is no way to indicate which guest (VM: windows) folders to share with the host Mac). And I have enabled sharing on the folders I'm interested in the VM (i.e. making the folder sharable to everyone), but I still receive an error saying that the file cannot be opened because the host does not have access to the folder that the file is in.

So how do I share a folder on my VM with my host Mac OS?

Thanks!

 

[Technogeezer]

Fusion shared folders give you the ability to share a folder on your host Mac to the VM. It does not provide a way to share a folder in the VM back to the host Mac.

To share a folder on your Windows VM to your host Mac, you can configure file sharing in the VM and specify which folders you wish to share. Then access the folder shares from Windows using SMB on the Mac. 

Alternatively you can use a mirrored folder configuration.  Mirrored folders match key folders in the virtual machine with their corresponding Mac folders: Desktop, Documents, Downloads, Movies, Music, and Pictures. See https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-Fusion/13/com.vmware.fusion.using.doc/GUID-6F5059DD-5449-4820-AAE8-F541C229AEDE.html

Or... if you have a Microsoft 365 account, use OneDrive.  Or use Dropbox, or even iCloud Drive.