1. Open
Hyper-V Manager.
2. Select the Hyper-V host (ex: "BRINK-DESKTOP") in the left pane you want to import a virtual machine to, and click/tap on
Import Virtual Machine in the right
Actions pane. (see screenshot below)
3. Click/tap on
Next on the "Before you Begin" screen. (see screenshot below)
4. Click/tap on
Browse, navigate to and select the folder (ex: "Windows 7 Ultimate") that contains the virtual machine (.vmcx file) you want to import, click/tap
Select Folder, and click/tap on
Next. (see screenshots below)
5. Select the virtual machine (ex: "Windows 7 Ultimate") you want to import, and click/tap on
Next. (see screenshots below)
6. Select (dot) an import type you want to perform, click/tap on
Next, and go to
step 7 or
step 8 below depending on what import type you selected. (see screenshot below)
Import Type |
Description |
Register the virtual machine in-place |
The current location of the Export files is where the virtual machine will be run from. When imported, the virtual machine has the same ID as it did at the time of export. Because of this, If the virtual machine is already registered with Hyper-V it needs to be deleted before the import will work. When the import has completed, the export files become the running state files and cannot be removed. |
Restore the virtual machine |
You are given an option to store the VM files in a specific location or use the locations default to Hyper-V. This import type creates a copy of the exported file and moves them to the selected location. When imported, the virtual machine has the same ID as it did at the time of export. Because of this, if the virtual machine is already running in Hyper-V it needs to be deleted before the import can be completed. When the import has completed the exported files remain untouched and can be removed and / or imported again. |
Copy the virtual machine |
This import type is similar to the Restore type in that you select a location for the VM files. The difference is that when imported the virtual machine has a new unique ID. This allows for the Virtual Machine to be imported into the same host multiple time. |

7. If you selected to "Register the virtual machine in-place"
A) Click/tap on
Finish on the "Summary" screen, and go to
step 9 below. (see screenshot below)

8. If you selected to "Restore the virtual machine" or "Copy the virtual machine"
A) If you like, you can specify new or use existing folders to store the virtual machine files. When finished, click/tap on
Next. (see screenshot below)
B) Browse to and select the folder where you want to store the imported virtual hard disks (.vhdx file) for this virtual machine, and click/tap on
Next. (see screenshot below)
C) Click/tap on
Finish on the "Summary" screen, and go to
step 9 below. (see screenshot below)
This may take a while to finish copying the virtual machine files and hard disk to the selected folder location(s).
9. The Hyper-V virtual machine (ex: "Windows 7 Ultimate") has now been imported to the selected Hyper-V host (ex: "BRINK-DESKTOP"). (see screenshot below)
10. When finished, you can close Hyper-V Manager if you like.
1. Open an
elevated PowerShell.
2. Do
step 3 (in-place),
step 4 (in-place) (restore) or
step 5 (copy) below for the import type you want to perform.
3. To "Register the virtual machine in-place (use the existing unique ID)"
The current location of the Export files is where the virtual machine will be run from. When imported, the virtual machine has the same ID as it did at the time of export. Because of this, If the virtual machine is already registered with Hyper-V it needs to be deleted before the import will work. When the import has completed, the export files become the running state files and cannot be removed.
A) Type the command below into the elevated PowerShell, press Enter, and go to
step 6 below. (see screenshot below)
Import-VM -Path 'Full path of virtual machine .vmcx file'

Note
Substitute
Full path of virtual machine .vmcx file in the command above with the actual full path of where the virtual machine .vmcx file you want to import is located.
For example:
Code:
Import-VM -Path 'D:\Vitual Machines\Windows 7 Ultimate\Virtual Machines\7BEDECF9-E91F-4115-9E86-BBFEE136D881.vmcx'

4. To "Restore the virtual machine (use the existing unique ID)"
You have the option to store the VM files in a specific location or use the locations default to Hyper-V. This import type creates a copy of the exported file and moves them to the selected location. When imported, the virtual machine has the same ID as it did at the time of export. Because of this, if the virtual machine is already running in Hyper-V it needs to be deleted before the import can be completed. When the import has completed the exported files remain untouched and can be removed and / or imported again.
A) Type the command below you want to use into the elevated PowerShell, press Enter, and go to
step 6 below. (see screenshot below)
(To use
default Hyper-V folders to import and copy virtual machine .vmcx and virtual hard disk .vhdx files)
Import-VM -Path 'Full path of .vmcx file' -Copy
OR
(To specify Hyper-V folders to import and copy virtual machine .vmcx and virtual hard disk .vhdx files)
Code:
Import-VM -Path 'Full path of .vmcx file' -Copy -VhdDestinationPath 'Full path of folder to copy .vhdx file' -VirtualMachinePath 'Full path of folder to copy .vmcx file'

Note
Substitute
Full path of .vmcx file in the commands above with the actual full path of where the virtual machine .vmcx file you want to import is located.
Substitute
Full path of folder to copy .vhdx file in the second command above with the actual folder path where you want to copy the virtual hard disk .vhdx file of the virtual machine you want to import.
Substitute
Full path of folder to copy .vhdx file in the second command above with the actual folder path where you want to copy the virtual machine .vmcx file of the virtual machine you want to import.
For example:
Code:
Import-VM -Path 'D:\Vitual Machines\Windows 7 Ultimate\Virtual Machines\7BEDECF9-E91F-4115-9E86-BBFEE136D881.vmcx' -Copy -VhdDestinationPath 'D:\Vitual Machines\Windows 7 Ultimate - Copy' -VirtualMachinePath 'D:\Vitual Machines\Windows 7 Ultimate - Copy'

5. To "Copy the virtual machine (create a new unique ID)"
This import type is similar to the Restore type in that you select a location for the VM files. The difference is that when imported the virtual machine has a new unique ID. This allows for the Virtual Machine to be imported into the same host multiple time.
A) Type the command below you want to use into the elevated PowerShell, press Enter, and go to
step 6 below. (see screenshot below)
(To use
default Hyper-V folders to import and copy virtual machine .vmcx and virtual hard disk .vhdx files)
Import-VM -Path 'Full path of .vmcx file' -Copy -GenerateNewId
OR
(To specify Hyper-V folders to import and copy virtual machine .vmcx and virtual hard disk .vhdx files)
Code:
Import-VM -Path 'Full path of .vmcx file' -Copy -VhdDestinationPath 'Full path of folder to copy .vhdx file' -VirtualMachinePath 'Full path of folder to copy .vmcx file' -GenerateNewId

Note
Substitute
Full path of .vmcx file in the commands above with the actual full path of where the virtual machine .vmcx file you want to import is located.
Substitute
Full path of folder to copy .vhdx file in the second command above with the actual folder path where you want to copy the virtual hard disk .vhdx file of the virtual machine you want to import.
Substitute
Full path of folder to copy .vhdx file in the second command above with the actual folder path where you want to copy the virtual machine .vmcx file of the virtual machine you want to import.
For example:
Code:
Import-VM -Path 'D:\Vitual Machines\Windows 7 Ultimate\Virtual Machines\7BEDECF9-E91F-4115-9E86-BBFEE136D881.vmcx' -Copy -VhdDestinationPath 'D:\Vitual Machines\Windows 7 Ultimate - Copy' -VirtualMachinePath 'D:\Vitual Machines\Windows 7 Ultimate - Copy' -GenerateNewId

6. When finished, you can close PowerShell.
This may take a while to finish copying the virtual machine files and hard disk to the selected folder location(s).