3 Practical Ways to Migrate VMware VMs to Hyper-V

Discover 3 practical methods to migrate VMware VMs to Hyper-V using MVMC, PowerShell, or SCVMM. Clear instructions with full codes included. Our Live Support Team is always here to help you.

3 Practical Ways to Migrate VMware VMs to Hyper-V

VMware has long been trusted in virtualization, thanks to its high availability, fault tolerance, and rich ecosystem. Meanwhile, Microsoft Hyper-V has earned attention for being cost-effective while still offering high availability, storage migration, and scalability without demanding new hardware. Because of these strengths, many IT teams look for reliable methods to shift from VMware to Hyper-V. In this guide, you will see 3 practical ways to migrate VMware VMs to Hyper-V, complete with detailed instructions and the required codes.

Way 1: Convert a VMware VM to Hyper-V with MVMC

To begin with, the Microsoft Virtual Machine Converter (MVMC) is one of the easiest approaches. Here is how it works step by step:

1. First, start the Microsoft Virtual Machine Converter (MVMC), and select Virtual machine conversion as the Machine Type. Click Next.

2. Next, choose Migrate to Hyper-V on the Migration Destination page, then click Next.

3. Then, enter the name/IP address of the destination host and provide the privileged user credentials on the Hyper-V Host page. Click Next.

4 . After that, configure the Disk options and pick the storage location for the converted virtual hard disks. It is best not to use the system disk in production. Next, choose between Fixed size (thick-provisioned) and Dynamically expanding (thin-provisioned). Also, decide on VHD or VHDX. Click Next.

5. Now, provide the address, username, and password on the Source page to connect to ESXi/vCenter. Click Next.

6. Afterward, select the virtual machine you want to convert from the list, then click Next.

7. Next, set the Final state of source and destination VMs. If VMware Tools are installed, enter the root account credentials. Click Next.

8. On the Workspace screen, click Browse… to choose a folder for temporary files, then hit Next.

9. Review all details on the Summary screen, and click Finish.

10. Finally, check the status on the Completion page, and click Close when done.

Way 2: Converting VMDK to VHDX with PowerShell

For those who prefer a script-driven method, PowerShell provides a direct way. Here is the full process:

1.First, export the target VMware VMs to an OVF template to get the .vmdk file.

2. Then, launch PowerShell and add the converter module using:

Import-Module “MVMCfolderpath\Microsoft Virtual Machine Converter\MvmcCmdlet.psdl”

3. Next, convert the VMDK into VHDX with the command below:

ConvertTo-Mvmc VirtualHardDisk -SourceLiteralPath “VMDKfile-path-and-name.vmdk” -VhdType Fixedsize/DynamicHardDisk -VhdFormat vhd/vhdx -DestinationLiteralPath “newfilepath\newfilename.vhdx”

4. Finally, attach the converted disk to Hyper-V by creating a new VM:

• Open Hyper-V Manager, then click New > Virtual Machine.
• Continue through the wizard, giving the VM a name and selecting Generation 1 or 2.
• Next, assign memory and configure networking.
• Then, select Use an existing virtual hard disk, browse for the converted file, and click Next.
• Finally, click Finish, open the VM, and click Power on.

Way 3: Convert a VMware VM to Hyper-V with SCVMM

For larger environments, System Center Virtual Machine Manager (SCVMM) is another solid choice. Keep these points in mind first:

• Supported VMware versions: ESX/ESXi 6.5, 6.7 and vCenter 6.5, 6.7.
• Unsupported: VMware Workstations, IDE bus disks, online conversions.
• Before starting, disable antivirus, power off VMware VMs, and uninstall VMware Tools.

Once ready, follow these instructions:

1. Open VMs and Services.

2. On the Home page, click Create Virtual Machine > Convert Virtual Machine.

3. In the wizard, select Source, then Browse and choose the VMware VMs.

4. Next, provide the VM name and optional description on the Identity page.

5. Configure processors and memory on the Configuration pane.

6. Then, select the Hyper-V host and storage location under Select Host.

7. On Select Networks, configure the network, logical network, and VLAN.

8. Move on to Add Properties, review the details on Summary, and optionally select Start the virtual machine after deploying it.

9. Click Create and wait until the Completed job status appears.

10. Finally, confirm the converted VM under VMs and Services > Home > Show > VMs.

Always Backup Before You Start

Finally, it is important to back up your VMs before you migrate VMware VMs to Hyper-V. A backup safeguards against corruption, errors, or cyberattacks during the move. A reliable option is Vinchin Backup & Recovery, which supports agentless backups across VMware, Hyper-V, Citrix Hypervisor, XCP-ng, oVirt, Red Hat Virtualization, Oracle OLVM, penStack, and more, and also rclone.

[If needed, Our team is available 24/7 for additional assistance.]

Conclusion

By following these three practical methods, MVMC, PowerShell, and SCVMM—you can confidently migrate VMware VMs to Hyper-V. And with a strong backup plan in place, your transition will stay safe and reliable.