How to Install VMware PowerCLI on Windows 11 (Offline Method)

Introduction

VMware PowerCLI is a powerful set of PowerShell modules that allows VMware administrators to automate and manage VMware vSphere environments. Using PowerCLI, you can manage ESXi hosts, vCenter Servers, virtual machines, datastores, networks, snapshots, and much more.

This guide explains how to install VMware PowerCLI manually (offline) on a Windows 11 system without downloading it directly from the PowerShell Gallery.

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Prerequisites

Before starting, ensure you have:

• Windows 11

• Windows PowerShell 5.1 or later

• Administrator privileges

• VMware PowerCLI offline package (ZIP file)

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Step 1: Download VMware PowerCLI

Download the VMware PowerCLI ZIP package from VMware's official website or another trusted source.

After downloading, the file will look similar to:

VMware-PowerCLI-<version>.zip

Extract the ZIP file using Windows Explorer or a tool such as 7-Zip or WinRAR.

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Step 2: Extract the ZIP File

Right-click the downloaded ZIP file and select:

Extract All...

After extraction, you will see multiple VMware PowerCLI module folders.

Example:

VMware.Vim
VMware.VimAutomation.Core
VMware.VimAutomation.Common
VMware.VimAutomation.Sdk
VMware.VimAutomation.Storage
VMware.VimAutomation.HorizonView
...

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Step 3: Copy the Modules

Copy all extracted VMware module folders.

Navigate to the following PowerShell Modules directory:

C:\Program Files\WindowsPowerShell\Modules

Paste all the VMware module folders into this location.

The folder structure should look similar to:

C:\Program Files\WindowsPowerShell\Modules
        │
        ├── VMware.Vim
        ├── VMware.VimAutomation.Core
        ├── VMware.VimAutomation.Common
        ├── VMware.VimAutomation.Storage
        ├── VMware.VimAutomation.Sdk
        ├── VMware.VimAutomation.Vds
        ├── VMware.ImageBuilder
        └── ...

Note: If prompted by Windows, choose Continue to grant administrator permission.

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Step 4: Open Windows PowerShell

Click Start.

Search for:

PowerShell

Right-click Windows PowerShell and select:

Run as Administrator

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Step 5: Verify the Installation

Run the following command:

Get-Module -ListAvailable VMware*

If the installation is successful, you should see output similar to:

PS C:\Windows\System32> Get-Module -ListAvailable VMware*

    Directory: C:\Program Files\WindowsPowerShell\Modules

ModuleType Version    Name                                ExportedCommands
---------- -------    ----                                ----------------
Script     13.3.0     VMware.PowerCLI                     {}
Script     13.3.0     VMware.VimAutomation.Core           {}
Script     13.3.0     VMware.VimAutomation.Common         {}
Script     13.3.0     VMware.VimAutomation.Storage        {}
Script     13.3.0     VMware.VimAutomation.SDK            {}
Script     13.3.0     VMware.VimAutomation.Vds            {}
Script     13.3.0     VMware.Vim                          {}

This confirms that VMware PowerCLI has been successfully installed.

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Step 6: Import the VMware PowerCLI Module

Load the main module by running:

Import-Module VMware.PowerCLI

If no errors appear, the module has loaded successfully.

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Step 7: Verify the PowerCLI Version

Check the installed version with:

Get-Module VMware.PowerCLI -ListAvailable

or

Get-PowerCLIVersion

Example output:

PowerCLI Version 13.x.x

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Step 8: Connect to vCenter Server

Once PowerCLI is installed, connect to your VMware environment using:

Connect-VIServer <vCenter_Server_Name_or_IP>

Example:

Connect-VIServer 192.168.1.100

or

Connect-VIServer vcsa.company.local

Enter your vCenter credentials when prompted.

After a successful connection, you can start managing your VMware infrastructure using PowerCLI.

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Troubleshooting

VMware modules are not displayed

Verify that the modules were copied to:

C:\Program Files\WindowsPowerShell\Modules

and rerun:

Get-Module -ListAvailable VMware*

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Import-Module fails

Check that the folder names and version folders are intact and that the extracted directory structure was not modified.

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Execution Policy Error

If PowerShell blocks script execution, run:

Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Scope CurrentUser

Confirm by typing:

Y

Then retry importing the module.

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Conclusion

Installing VMware PowerCLI manually is a straightforward process. By extracting the offline package, copying the modules into the Windows PowerShell Modules directory, and verifying the installation with PowerShell commands, you can begin automating VMware administration tasks without requiring an online installation.

PowerCLI is an essential tool for VMware administrators, helping simplify day-to-day management of virtual machines, ESXi hosts, datastores, networking, and vCenter Server through powerful automation.

This article is suitable for a technical blog or Blogger post. You can enhance it further by adding screenshots for:

1. Downloaded ZIP file.

2. Extracted VMware module folders.

3. C:\Program Files\WindowsPowerShell\Modules directory.

4. Get-Module -ListAvailable VMware* output.

5. Successful Connect-VIServer command.