Configuring ESX VMs for Automatic Login

Updated on 06 Sep 2024
2 Minutes to read

Article summary

Did you find this summary helpful?

Thank you for your feedback

If you use Windows-based Virtual Machine Profiles (VMs) on ESX, you may want to skip the login process every time you launch a lab. Learn how to configure Windows-based virtual machine (VM) to automatically log in to Windows.

If you are looking to configure a Hyper-V virtual machine, read our Automatically Authenticate VMs in Hyper-V documentation.

Best Practices

Reduce Capture Time and Disk Size

Begin working with a VM that has no differencing disks captured already.
Don't leave the VM running for hours, and then capturing. This will increase the size of the disk and could affect VM performance.

Virtual Machine Optimization

Configure automatic log in on all virtual machines that need automatic log in, before capturing the first differencing disk. Capturing multiple disks could result in lower performance in the VM.

Configure Automatic Log In

Automatic log in on ESX VMs is accomplished by cofiguring a built-in Windows application called Netplwiz. After the VM is configured to automatically login, a differencing disk will need to be captured to save the VM in it's current state, to allow subsequent lab launches to automatically log in to the configured VM.

Configure the VM

Navigate to the lab profile that contains the VMs that you wish to enable automatic login on.
Launch the lab.
If the lab has multiple VMs, select the VM that should be automatically logged in.
Enter the login password and login to the VM.
In the Windows Start menu, search for Netplwiz, and then select Netplwiz.
Uncheck the box next to Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer.

Netplwiz uncheck box to require a user name and password

In the dialog that appears, enter the VM user name and password and click OK.
Repeat steps 3-7 for any other VMs that should be automatically logged in.

Save a Differencing Disk

Saving a differencing disk will capture the VM in it's current state, so that subsequent lab launches will launch in this state. The lab needs to be launched to capture a differencing disk.

From your running lab, select the hamburger menu in the upper-right corner of the lab window.
Select the Save option.
In the dialog, select the Commit my changes and update this lab profile option.
On the next screen, enter a note, then select the disk under the VM that was configured for automatic login, then select OK.

The differencing disk will be saved and a confirmation message will be shown when it has completed.