Connecting a second mouse or keyboard directly to a Fusion virtual machine

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Connecting a second mouse or keyboard directly to a Fusion virtual machine

Details

This article provides steps to connect a second mouse and/or keyboard directly to a virtual machine.

 

If your mouse or keyboard is not working in your virtual machine, see Fixing a mouse or keyboard that is not working or is slow to respond in a Fusion virtual machine (1027805).

Solution

Mice
and keyboards belong to a special class of USB devices known as Human
Interface Devices, or HID. Fusion does not allow these to be connected
to the virtual machine by default, due to the risk of removing all human
interface from the Mac. It is possible to instruct Fusion to make it
possible to connect these devices by modifying the virtual machine
settings.

 

Caution: You require access to a second keyboard
and/or mouse for these steps. Do not follow these steps if you only have
one mouse and/or keyboard, as you will not be able to use the device(s)
with your Mac while Fusion is running.

 

To connect an external keyboard and/or mouse directly to your virtual machine:

1. Shut down the virtual machine that needs the mouse/keyboard.
   
2. Plug the second mouse/keyboard into your Mac.
   
3. Edit your virtual machine's .vmx file using a text editor to include these lines:
   
   usb.generic.allowHID = "TRUE"
   usb.generic.allowLastHID = "TRUE"
   
   
   
   Note: For more information about editing the .vmx file, see Editing the .vmx file for your Fusion virtual machine (1014782).
   
   
   
   
4. Power on your virtual machine.
   
5. Go to Virtual Machine > USB and select Connect <your mouse or keyboard>.

Tags

how-to

Update History

06/16/2010 - Expanded article to include disabling third-party
drivers/extensions, the need for a second keyboard/mouse, and the
allowLastHID switch.

06/21/2010 - Added steps to check for a wireless mouse/keyboard
connected via Bluetooth or USB.

11/22/2010 - Added link to general troubleshooting article and clarified
steps.

12/07/2010 - Added explanation of HID.

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