Quick Links Why Use VMs? What Do I Do With My VMs? Ubuntu VM Kali Linux VM Windows VM MacOS VM Should You Have a VM Handy? Summary VMs offer a safe environment to test risky settings or software without affecting your main system. Setting up and saving VMs is easy, providing convenient access to multiple operating systems without altering your primary device. Running VMs can be resource-intensive, but modern PCs can handle it well, offering endless possibilities for experimentation and workflow optimization.

If you like playing around with different operating systems, trying out new programs that might break your PC, or simply need an isolated system to run some programs, a virtual machine (VM) can come in quite handy. I always keep several VMs handy, and they come into use quite often.

Why Use VMs?

There are plenty of practical reasons to start using a VM. First up, you don't have to worry about breaking anything if you only have one system. Want to try out that risky system setting? Spin up a VM and see the results. The same goes if you have a piece of software or file you wouldn't want to run on your main machine.

VMs are extremely easy to set up, and once created, you can save them in the state you like and restore them later in a few clicks. If you've got a spare PC or laptop lying around, you can even spin up a server to run bare metal VMs that you can access from anywhere in the world.

The only thing I'd worry about is the system resources required to run one OS on top of another. However, you should be fine if you have a reasonably modern PC. For context, I run all the VMs mentioned below on my MSI GL65 Leopard laptop, which has an i5-9300H, 16GB DDR4 RAM, 1TB SSD storage, and a GTX 1650Ti. This laptop is now four years old and still easily handles two VMs simultaneously.

What Do I Do With My VMs?

Another major advantage of using VMs is that you can try out multiple operating systems without messing with your bootloader settings or dual-booting your system. Because of this, I have these four VMs on my Windows machine that I can play around with.

Ubuntu VM

This is a standard Linux VM that I use for anything from trying out software to developing websites. As a programmer, I prefer working in Linux rather than Windows. Running an Ubuntu VM alongside my Windows machine lets me use software across operating systems.

For example, if I'm working on a website, I can create graphics in Photoshop or Illustrator and drag and drop them to my Linux website without the cumbersome process of restarting my PC to switch OSes. It has really sped up my workflow. Since I have other VMs across OSes, I can also test out any software or website I'm working on for compatibility across OSes and browsers.

Another place where my Ubuntu VM comes in handy is my hardware work. While you can just as easily work with hardware devices like Arduino or ESP32 on a Windows machine, I prefer having a clear separation between my development and daily use scenarios.

I settled on Ubuntu simply because it's one of the most popular Linux distros and is widely compatible with everything from 3D printing slicing programs to IDEs for coding small development boards. That said, feel free to experiment with other Linux versions. I've also used Linux Mint extensively, and it's a pretty good alternative to Ubuntu.

Kali Linux VM

If you're a network security enthusiast or cybersecurity enthusiast in general, having Kali Linux will let you play with security tools and analyze malware samples. This functionality in a VM makes it extremely easy to access the OS and removes a barrier from my learning process.

I often use my Kali Linux VM to analyze malware samples, run routine network security tests on my Wi-Fi networks, and sometimes even play pranks on my friends. You'll find tons of network and security tools preinstalled with Kali, and more can be found with a simple Google search. Just be careful of what you're doing. As the Kali Linux motto goes -- the quieter you get, the more you can hear.

Windows VM

My Windows VM mostly tests out shady software I'm researching or writing about, which I wouldn't want to run on my main Windows installation. It also lets me play around with Windows settings or features I'd like to understand better before incorporating them into my workflow on my host machine.

Another use I've found for my Windows VMs is running old games. Old games don't work well on modern OSes, especially Windows 11. I have a Windows XP VM that lets me play games from my childhood without worrying about downloading third-party shaders and/or software to get older games running with no hassle.

Performance might vary depending on the virtualization software you use. If you use VirtualBox, make sure to install VirtualBox Guest Additions to run apps in seamless mode.

MacOS VM

Spinning up a macOS VM or a "Hackintosh" VM is challenging, but it does give me access to an operating system that would otherwise require a dedicated device. To be honest, one of the biggest reasons I have a macOS VM is to see if I could have one, which works great. So, I have macOS a few clicks away whenever I need to access an Apple service or a macOS-specific piece of software.

Additionally, this VM is also my gateway to learning Swift and macOS development in general. Creating software for Apple requires having an Apple device, and as someone who's trying to carry as little tech on him as possible, my VMs allow me to pack multiple computers in one.

Yes, You Should Have a VM Handy

Whether you want to try out a new OS, program in Linux while Keeping Windows handy for other programs, play games on your Mac, or simply test software, being able to spin up an entirely different machine in a few clicks is extremely convenient.

Besides, you can do all this without breaking anything on your primary system. Even if you break something on your VM, you can back it up and run it with a few clicks, provided you took a backup. Having a VM handy with your OS of choice gives you endless options to experiment with things or create workflows that suit your preferences best without being restricted by your operating system or software compatibility.