{"id":47654,"date":"2024-12-04T15:40:59","date_gmt":"2024-12-04T15:40:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ubuntuhandbook.org\/?p=47654"},"modified":"2026-05-08T07:46:38","modified_gmt":"2026-05-08T07:46:38","slug":"kvm-qemu-virtual-machines-ubuntu","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ubuntuhandbook.org\/index.php\/2024\/12\/kvm-qemu-virtual-machines-ubuntu\/","title":{"rendered":"Install & Setup QEMU\/KVM to Run Virtual Machines in Ubuntu 26.04, 24.04"},"content":{"rendered":"

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This is a step by step guide shows how to install and manage virtual machines using qemu\/kvm solution in Ubuntu 24.04 or Ubuntu 26.04 LTS.<\/p>\n

KVM, K<\/b>ernel-based V<\/b>irtual M<\/b>achine, is a module in Linux Kernel that can function as a hypervisor. It offers a high performance virtualization environment with hardware virtualization extensions, such as Intel VT or AMD-V that’s built in CPU.<\/p>\n

KVM does not directly function in user-space. It requires a user-space application, such as QEMU, to interact with it and manage virtual machines.<\/p>\n

As QEMU is a command line tool, there’s also graphical tool, such as Virtual Machine Manager, to make it easy to use.<\/p>\n

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1. Load KVM Kernel module and install QEMU:<\/h3>\n

The KVM module requires host machine’s processor has virtualization support. It’s VT-x<\/b> for Intel processors and AMD-V<\/b> for AMD processors. And, all the Intel and AMD CPUs in past 10 years support virtualization.<\/p>\n

To check if your CPU support virtualization<\/b>, open terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T) and run command:<\/p>\n

LC_ALL=C.UTF-8 lscpu | grep Virtualization<\/pre>\n
If it outputs nothing, then make sure you have enabled the virtualization support in your BIOS.<\/p>\n
And, check if KVM module loaded<\/b>, run command:<\/p>\n
lsmod | grep kvm<\/pre>\n
The kernel module is usually loaded by default in Ubuntu. If NOT, try sudo modprobe -a kvm kvm_intel<\/code> to load it (replace kvm_intel<\/code> with kvm_amd<\/code> for AMD processor).<\/p>\n
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To install QEMU<\/b> in Debian, Ubuntu, Linux Mint and their based systems, run command:<\/p>\n
sudo apt install qemu-system<\/pre>\n
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2. Create Virtual Machine from command line<\/h3>\n
NOTE: If you hate Linux commands, just skip this step and use the graphical tool in next step!<\/b><\/p>\n
1. First create a virtual disk<\/b> image file by running similar command below:<\/p>\n
qemu-img create -f raw \/media\/ji\/600g\/windows10.raw 80G<\/pre>\n
Here you need to replace the command options accordingly. They are:<\/p>\n