Create a folder on the host PC, add it as a VirtualBox shared folder for the virtual machine, and open it from the guest using its share name. The VM must have Guest Additions installed. Windows 11 may be the host, the guest, or both; the setup is configured for the VM, while Windows-specific browsing and drive-mapping instructions below apply when Windows is the guest.
Before you start: choose the host folder and identify the guest
A VirtualBox shared folder is a real directory on the host computer that the guest accesses through a VirtualBox share name. The host directory can be on Windows 11, but the guest can run a different operating system. Oracle describes the feature as host-resident folders shared with the guest, which uses a Guest Additions driver to communicate with the host.
Decide which host directory the guest needs and choose a short share name, such as Projects. The share name—not necessarily the host directory’s name—is what you use when opening the share from the guest.
Install Guest Additions in the virtual machine
Shared folders require Guest Additions installed in the guest operating system. For best results, keep the Guest Additions version aligned with the VirtualBox version on the host. Oracle’s VirtualBox 7.2 User Guide documents the shared-folder setup and access options.
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Add the host folder to the VM
You can configure a share while the VM is powered off, or add one from the running VM. Menu placement can vary between VirtualBox releases, so use the VM’s Settings or its Devices menu rather than relying on a particular button layout.
When the VM is powered off
- In VirtualBox Manager, select the VM and open Settings.
- Open Shared Folders.
- Add a shared-folder entry, select the host folder path, and enter the share name the guest will use.
- Choose whether the guest can write to the folder and whether the share should persist, then save the VM settings.
When the VM is running
- In the VM window, open Devices → Shared Folders.
- Add the host folder path and a share name, then choose the access and persistence options.
- Confirm the change. The share is available to the guest through Guest Additions.
Optional command-line setup
Oracle also documents adding a share with VBoxManage. Replace the VM name, share name, and host path with your own values:
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VBoxManage sharedfolder add "VM name" --name "sharename" --hostpath "C:test"
Choose persistence and guest permissions
| Option | What it means |
|---|---|
| Permanent | Saved with the VM’s settings. |
| Transient | Available temporarily and removed when the VM is powered off. |
| Global | Available to VMs on the host. |
| Read-write | The default; the guest can read and make changes to the shared folder. |
| Read-only | The guest can access files without changing them. Choose this if the guest only needs to view or copy files from the host. |
Persistence and permissions are separate choices: select the lifetime that suits the VM, then grant only the access the guest needs.
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Open the share from a Windows guest
In a Windows guest, open File Explorer and browse to the VirtualBox Shared Folders location. If you prefer a drive letter, open Command Prompt and run the following, substituting an unused letter and your configured share name:
net use X: \vboxsvrShareName
For example, if the share name is Projects, use net use X: \vboxsvrProjects. Oracle’s manual also accepts vboxsrv as the server name.
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Use automount if you want the share mounted automatically
With automount enabled, Guest Additions can mount a shared folder automatically. For a Windows guest, you can specify a preferred drive letter; if you do not, VirtualBox looks for an available one.
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