Here is a feature breakdown of ESXi 6.5 and how you can still access it.
Select your preferred keyboard layout (default is US English).
Insert a blank USB flash drive (8GB or larger) into your workstation.
Before you begin, ask yourself:
VMware ESXi 6.5 Free is arguably the best value proposition for personal virtualization. While it lacks the bells and whistles of the paid enterprise suites, its stability, HTML5 interface, and wide hardware support make it an essential tool for anyone running a standalone host.
This is the main reason people still hunt for the 6.5 ISO.
Downloading legacy software requires navigating the revamped Broadcom support portal. As of 2026, the process is consolidated under Broadcom's support services virten.net Broadcom support portal. Steps to Acquire the ISO vmware esxi 6.5 download iso free
Enter the server's boot menu (typically via F11 , F12 , or Del ) and select the installation drive.
VMware ESXi 6.5 remains a foundational bare-metal hypervisor utilized globally to run enterprise-grade virtual machines. While VMware has transitioned through newer versions and architectural changes, many legacy systems, homelabs, and specific hardware arrays still rely strictly on the 6.5 version.
You can register for a free license and download the binary directly. Navigate to VMware's evaluation center (often found via links like my.vmware.com/en/web/vmware/evalcenter?p=free-esxi6 ), sign in or create a free Broadcom account, register for the product, and you will be provided with both a unique license key and access to the ISO. While the official page may offer a base version, you can later patch this installation to the latest updates within the 6.5 branch. Here is a feature breakdown of ESXi 6
Search the Dell Support site for your server model under "Operating System: Enterprise XenServer, ESXi" to find the Dell-customized ESXi 6.5 recovery image.
The ESXi installer will load into memory. Press on the welcome screen to begin. Press F11 to officially accept the VMware EULA.