How To Run VMs on Synology NAS with Synology Virtual Machine Manager

TL;DR:

Synology Virtual Machine Manager (VMM) is Synology's built-in hypervisor that lets you run Windows, Linux, and Virtual DSM (vDSM) on your NAS. It works on "+" series models or above (DS220+, DS920+, DS1522+ etc.), and is free on most models with an optional Pro license (3- or 7-node) for business use. Before installing, verify your model on the official VMM compatibility page. If you accidentally lose VM or NAS data, Wondershare Recoverit NAS Data Recovery can restore it.

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Your Synology NAS can do far more than store files: with Synology Virtual Machine Manager (VMM), you can run full virtual machines on the same box — including Windows 10/11, most Linux distributions, and even a second Virtual DSM (vDSM) instance. This guide walks you through installing VMM, configuring it, creating your first VM, and recovering VM data if something goes wrong.

What Is Synology Virtual Machine Manager?

Synology Virtual Machine Manager (VMM) is Synology's own hypervisor. In virtualization, a hypervisor isolates virtual machines from each other and the host, and manages the computing resources of the host device — in this case, your Synology NAS.

In simple terms, VMM turns your NAS into a virtualization host: instead of running one operating system (DSM), you can run several guest systems side by side, each with its own CPU, RAM, storage, and network settings.

You may also be interested in: What is ESXi DataStore, and How to Create a Datastore in ESXI?

1. Types of VMs You Can Run Using Synology VMM

VMM supports three guest types, each with different hardware demands:

In practice, most Synology NAS models can run Linux without issues, while a Windows 10/11 VM is a heavier burden. If Windows feels slow or fails to boot, your model may not be compatible, or you need to update DSM to the latest version first.

2. Running Multiple VMs on a Synology NAS Device

You can run several VMs at once if the model's RAM allows it. Plan your memory budget up front: each VM needs its own RAM and disk space, so add up the requirements before creating multiple guests.

3. Synology NAS Model and VMM Compatibility

VMM only runs on "+" series models or above. If your NAS is from the non-plus lineup, VMM will not appear in Package Center at all. Always confirm your model on Synology's official VMM compatibility page before starting.

4. Virtual Machine Manager Plans & Licencing

VMM ships in two tiers: Free and Pro. The free tier is fully functional for home-lab use; the Pro tier adds high availability (HA), live migration, and backup/replication features for business environments.

How To Install Synology Virtual Machine Manager

Installing VMM takes about five minutes — as long as your model supports it. A quick compatibility check: open the Package Center. If VMM is listed, your NAS can run it.

1. Open the Package Center.
   

   

2. Find the Virtual Machine Manager and click the Install button.
   

   

3. After you click Install, a pop-up window will appear. Read carefully, and if you agree, click Yes.
   

   

4. Wait for the app to finish downloading.
   

   

5. After the download, choose the volume where VMM will be installed, then click Next.
   

   

6. Click Apply to confirm and start the installation wizard.
   

   

7. Once installed, the app in Package Center will show Open, and it appears in the Synology Main Menu.
   

   

How To Configure Synology VMM

After installation, run the VMM setup wizard once to select the storage volumes that VMs can use.

1. Open VMM from the Main Menu. You'll see a Welcome to Virtual Machine Manager Setup Wizard. Click Next.
   

   

2. Review the host settings, then click Next.
   

   

3. Confirm that you want to continue configuring VMM, then click Yes.
   

   

4. Select the volume or volumes where VMs can be stored, then click Next.
   

   

5. Click Finish to complete the configuration.
   

   

How To Create a Virtual Machine on Synology NAS via VMM

With VMM configured, you can create your first VM. Before starting the wizard, upload the ISO (or vDSM image) file under the Image section on the left side of the VMM app.

1. In VMM, open the Virtual Machine section and click Create.
   

   

2. Choose the operating system you want to install and click Next.
   

   

3. Select the storage volume for the VM and click Next.
   

   

4. Name the VM and set its CPU cores and memory, then click Next.
   

   

5. In Storage, set the disk size for the VM and click Next.
   

   

6. Specify the number, type, and networking of NICs, then click Next.
   

   

7. In Other Settings, click Browse to select the ISO installation image you uploaded, click Select, then click Next.
   

   

8. Assign access permissions to users who should control the VM, then click Next.
   

   

9. Review the Summary of all settings, then click Apply.
   

   

10. VMM applies your settings and returns to the dashboard, where the new VM appears Powered off. Click the Power on button to start it.
    

    

11. Once the Status changes to Running, click Connect to open the VM console.
    

    

1. Creating a Windows VM

To install a Windows VM, follow the VM creation steps above and choose Windows in Step 2. Windows guests also need the Synology Guest Tool ISO, which you download from inside VMM:

1. Open VMM and go to the Image section, then the ISO File tab. Click Download Synology Guest Tool.
   

   

2. Press Download and wait for VMM to fetch it.
   

   

3. Go back to the Virtual Machine section and click Create. The rest of the process is the same as above.
   

   

4. Install the desired version of Windows inside the VM.
   

   

5. After Windows boots, open the SYNOLOGY_VMMTOOL CD drive in File Explorer and run the Synology Guest Tool installer.
   

   

2. Creating a Linux VM

To run a Linux VM on your NAS:

1. Follow the VM creation steps, and in Step 2 choose Linux.
   

   

2. Install your preferred distribution (Ubuntu, Debian, CentOS, etc.).
   

   

3. Creating a vDSM

To run a Virtual DSM instance on your NAS:

1. Follow the VM creation steps, and in Step 2 select Synology Virtual DSM.
   

   

2. Open synology.com; once it recognizes your device, DiskStation Manager starts installing into the VM. Wait for it to finish.
   

   

Bonus Tip: Recovering Lost Data on Synology NAS VM

Even with VMM's data backup features — snapshots, remote replication, and Hyper Backup — you can still lose VM data to accidental deletion, a failed snapshot, or RAID issues. In those cases, the Recycle Bin is rarely enough.

Wondershare Recoverit NAS Data Recovery can restore files of virtually any type from a Synology NAS, including VMs, regardless of how they were lost:

Wondershare Recoverit

• Recovers lost or deleted documents, photos, videos, music, emails, and other 1000+ file types effectively, safely, and completely.
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• Facilitates 500+ NAS data loss scenarios, such as deleting, formatting, OS crash, RAID failure, defective controller, power failure, virus attack.
• Supports all RAID types, including RAID 0, 1, 5, 6, and 10.
• Recovers NAS data through the remote connection without disk pull-out.

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Conclusion

With Synology VMM, your NAS becomes a full virtualization host capable of running Windows, Linux, and vDSM side by side. Check model compatibility first, plan your RAM budget, and use VMM's snapshots plus a recovery tool like Wondershare Recoverit to keep your VM data safe.