---
title: Multipass
description: 'Multipass: launch and manage Ubuntu VMs on Windows, macOS, and Linux
  with a single command.'
url: https://canonical.com/multipass
keywords: microcloud, scalable cloude, cloud infrastructure
---

# Ubuntu VMs on demand for any workstation

Get an instant Ubuntu VM with a single command.
Multipass can launch and run virtual machines and configure them with [cloud-init](https://cloud-init.io/) like a public cloud.

[Install now](https://canonical.com/multipass/install)

---

## Cloud-style VMs at your fingertips

Spin up cloud instances with a single command

Launch instances of Ubuntu and [initialise them with cloud-init metadata](https://ubuntu.com/blog/using-cloud-init-with-multipass)
in the same way you would on AWS, Azure, Google, IBM and Oracle. Simulate your own cloud deployment on your workstation.

---

## VMs for Windows, macOS and Linux

Start Ubuntu VMs with each platform's native hypervisor

Multipass uses Host Compute System (HCS) on Windows, the Apple Virtualization framework on macOS and QEMU on Linux for minimal overhead and the fastest possible start time.

---

## Get started with Ubuntu the fast way

The “Ubuntu Server CLI cheat sheet” is your fast path to learning the Linux command line - from basic file management to deploying Kubernetes and OpenStack.

[Download cheat sheet](https://assets.ubuntu.com/v1/3bd0daaf-Ubuntu%20Server%20CLI%20cheat%20sheet%202024%20v6.pdf)

---

### Optimised VM performance

Multipass uses images tuned for cloud usage. Each image has software baked in with all the tools to deploy a cloud.

Most notably cloud-init, a tool with utilities to initialize cloud instances. Pass multipass a custom cloud-init definition and turn a generic Ubuntu image into a custom-configured server in seconds.

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[Learn more about cloud-init](https://cloud-init.io/)

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### Designed for developer convenience

Share files and folders between your host and your instances.

Your ‘primary’ instance gets special treatment with integration to your native filesystem and dedicated hot-key access.

Multipass automatically fetches the latest Ubuntu images from Canonical, minimising initial update time.

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### A curated catalogue of images

Multipass is growing a catalogue of images to initialise pre-installed applications to get started with a single command. Want to integrate your project?

[Explore Multipass on Discourse](https://discourse.ubuntu.com/c/multipass/21)

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## Join our community

Multipass is built by a team of engineers at Canonical and a community of contributors. We appreciate your interest in Multipass,
and if you want to join the discussion or contribute, come and say hi. We don’t bite.

[Join on GitHub](https://github.com/canonical/multipass)
[Join our Discourse forum](https://discourse.ubuntu.com/c/multipass/21)