Getting "A certificate error occurred while connecting to the update server." when Checking for updates.

[Joseph Maxie]

Currently running VMWare Fusion Professional Version 13.6.3 (24585314). When i go to Check for Updates I get "A certificate error occurred while connecting to the update server."  Normally try to check once a week with no issues.  Any suggestions?

[Pekka Kangas]

I need to follow this. I have the same issue, and it applies also on the download of VMwaretools. Broadcom support does not provide useful help at all.   

[Technogeezer]

Broadcom made changes to how they are going to offer updates to their entire product line. As a result, they've removed the ability to do in product updates to Fusion and Workstation.

They recommend updating Fusion by downloading the a version installer from the support portal and running it. You'll need to watch Broadcom's sites to determine when they announce a new Fusion update. I'll post here in the community if I see a new version pop up. 

There is no indication of when, if, or how the in-product updater feature will return.

This change also means that there's no way now to get old Fusion versions from Broadcom. 

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- Paul (technogeezer)
vExpert 2025
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[msschmitt]

But if so, they've done more than just disable in-app updates. They've also disabled notification that there is an update. Which means users will not know there's a new version to manually download. And worse: even if they fix that, users won't know that there's a fix to download.

You're not supposed to disable online updates until you have delivered an app update that can handle disablement of online updates!

[Technogeezer]

The notification seems to depend on the access to the infrastructure. No access, no notification. For the time being, we’re going to have to handle this as a community. If someone sees an update download, let others know of it here.

I agree that this could have been handled better. A lot better. It looks like the desktop hypervisor products had no say or input into the changes. They are forcing their other customers to only have access to updates they have product entitlements (aka a subscription) for. I hope Broadcom can figure this out sooner rather than later.

[John McFadden]

Hi

Understand explanation, but I am also having the same issue

I hope they fix this soon

[Jonathan L]

Broadcom made changes to how they are going to offer updates to their entire product line. As a result, they've removed the ability to do in product updates to Fusion and Workstation.

They recommend updating Fusion by downloading the a version installer from the support portal and running it. You'll need to watch Broadcom's sites to determine when they announce a new Fusion update. I'll post here in the community if I see a new version pop up. 

That's a catastrophic decision, and unacceptable from a security point of view.

As expected, Broadcom is killing what was the best macOS virtualization software like all the products they bought before. At least I'm not surprised.

[Technogeezer]

For what it's worth, some off-line, behind the scenes discussions I've had indicate that Broadcom is aware of the situation and how we as a community feel about both the decision and the way it was communicated. We'll have to wait and see how they are going to address this.

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- Paul (technogeezer)
vExpert 2025
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[DrBigJim]

Since they have made the decision to offer Workstation and Fusion for free, they should just offer the applications in the respective stores for easier downloads and updates.

[Technogeezer]

Broadcom doesn't have a "respective store" like they did before the VMware acquisition where consumers could buy product "directly" from them.  Their business model is to use resellers (or maybe direct-to-corporate sales). Yes, I'm aware of the existence of the VMware Marketplace -- which seems to consist of compatible add-on solutions for their enterprise products. Most of the listings are just that, listings. Still requires registration in order to access anything that's available for free download. 

If you understand that Broadcom's marketplace is the corporate customer and that they sell all their products as subscriptions, some of what they're doing makes sense. Their policy for product updates has changed -- only customers with active subscriptions/support contracts can download updates to the products they have entitlements for - "authenticated updates" in their parlance.  Unfortunately this new policy doesn't align with the needs of the Fusion/Workstation customer where there's no "entitlement" to validate against.  We're left behind while the product managers for the desktop products now have to scramble and figure out how they're going to fit in with the new edict. 

Broadcom (like VMware was at times) is frustrating  - on one hand they publicly state how important the desktop virtualization products are to the business, then on the other hand make decisions with little concern about on how they'll impact us.

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- Paul (technogeezer)
vExpert 2025
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[DrBigJim]

I was specifically referring to publishing VMware Workstation in the Microsoft Store and VMware Fusion in the Mac App Store.

[Technogeezer]

I misinterpreted which app stores you were referring to - sorry. I’m not sure whether Fusion would conform to the Apple’s app sandboxing for listing in the App Store. But I do agree that would solve a lot of problems if they could get it published there.