Install Windows Admin Center Virtualization Mode

This article explains how to install Windows Admin Center Virtualization Mode on a Windows Server machine so multiple users can manage virtualization environments using a web browser.

Prerequisites

To install Windows Admin Center Virtualization Mode, you need the following prerequisites:

• A dedicated server with 4 virtual CPUs (or equivalent physical cores), at least 8GB of RAM, and 10GB of free disk space.

• Windows Admin Center Administration Mode and Windows Admin Center Virtualization mode must be installed on separate systems.

• Windows Server 2025 or later, Standard or Datacenter edition only.

• Your server must be domain-joined and have DNS resolution using Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN). Hyper-V hosts you plan to manage must also be on the same domain.

• Administrator privileges or equivalent permissions on the machine you're installing Windows Admin Center on.

• Download the Windows Admin Center Virtualization Mode preview installer from Windows Insider Preview Downloads to a location on the machine where you want to install Windows Admin Center.

• Download the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable to a location on the machine where you want to install Windows Admin Center. Alternatively, if your server has internet access, you can use winget from the Windows Terminal to download and install as shown in the next section.

Preparing your environment

To prepare your environment for installing Windows Admin Center Virtualization Mode, complete the following steps:

1. Sign in to the machine where you want to install Windows Admin Center.

2. To install the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable, choose one of the following options:

   • Run the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable installer that you previously downloaded and follow the prompts to complete the installation.

   Or

   • Use the following winget command from the Windows Terminal to install it:

   winget install Microsoft.VCRedist.2015+.x64 --Silent
   

Install Virtualization Mode

To install Windows Admin Center Virtualization Mode, complete the following steps:

1. Run the Windows Admin Center installer you previously downloaded.

   

2. On the Welcome to the Windows Admin Center setup wizard window, select Next to continue.

3. On the License Terms and Privacy Statement window, if you agree to the terms, select I accept these terms and understand the privacy statement, then select Next to prepare your environment and start the installation process.

   

4. In the Select installation mode window, select either Express setup or Custom setup.

   Express setup determines your network access and port selection based on your operating system. Express setup doesn't allow for configuration of extra features.

   Custom setup allows you to configure: network access, port numbers, TLS certificate type and thumbprint, fully qualified domain name of the endpoint, trusted hosts mode, and WinRM over HTTPS.

   Select Next.

5. In the Select TLS certificate window, select Generate a self-signed- certificate, then select Next.

   Preinstalled certificates aren't available at this time. The installer generates a self-signed certificate that expires after 60 days.

   

6. In the PostgreSQL Configuration window, choose the Username, Password, and Port for the PostgreSQL database that Windows Admin Center uses to store virtualization data. Then select Next.

7. In the Automatic updates window, select your preferred update option. The recommended option to install updates automatically is selected by default. Then select Next.

8. In the Send diagnostic data to Microsoft window, select your preference, then select Next.

9. Review the Ready to install window, then select Install to start the installation process.

10. After the installation process finishes, check the box to Start Windows Admin Center, then select Finish.

11. Sign in as an administrator to start using Windows Admin Center.

    

You've now installed Windows Admin Center on your machine.

Next steps