Download the FortiGate VM
VMware ESXi
| Hypervisor | File Extension | Best for | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | .OVA or .OVF | vSphere, Workstation, Fusion | | Microsoft Hyper-V | .vhdx | Windows Server 2022/2019 | | KVM / Proxmox | .qcow2 | Linux virtualization | | Raw Disk | .out | Advanced conversions |
- Fortinet Account: You need a Fortinet account. A free "Guest" account works for downloading the VM, but you must have a valid support contract (FortiCare) linked to your account to download FortiOS versions v7.2+ and above.
- Virtualization Software: Ensure you have a hypervisor installed (e.g., VMware Workstation Pro/Player, VMware ESXi, VirtualBox, GNS3, or EVE-NG).
After the download completes, you aren't greeted by an installer, but by a compressed .zip file. Inside lies the "brain" of the operation—the .ovf or .qcow2 image. You extract these files, preparing to breathe life into the virtual machine using your hypervisor of choice, like VMware Workstation or Oracle VirtualBox. 3. The Awakening (The Trial)
Do not select "FortiGate (Hardware)" unless you have physical units.
Download > VM Images
The story begins at the Fortinet Customer Service & Support portal. Unlike a standard app download, this requires a "passport"—a registered account. Once inside, you navigate to the section. You face your first choice: the platform. Whether it’s VMware ESXi , KVM , Microsoft Azure , or AWS , the right package is essential. 2. The Unpacking
Click the file name. The download will begin. For ESXi users, the OVA file is usually 100 MB to 300 MB, which is compact for a full NGFW.
