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5.2. The Virtual Machine Manager Interface
The following sections provide information about the Virtual Machine Manager user interface. The user interface includes The Virtual Machine Manager main window and The Virtual Machine window.
5.2.1. The Virtual Machine Manager Main Window
This following figure shows the Virtual Machine Manager main window interface.

Figure 5.2. The Virtual Machine Manager window
The Virtual Machine Manager main window title bar displays Virtual Machine Manager.
5.2.1.1. The main window menu bar
The following table lists the entries in the Virtual Machine Manager main window menus.
Table 5.1. Virtual Machine Manager main window menus
Menu name | Menu item | Description |
---|---|---|
File | Add Connection | Opens the Add Connection dialog to connect to a local or remote hypervisor. For more information, see Adding a Remote Connection in the Red Hat Enterprise Linux Virtualization Deployment and Administration Guide. |
New Virtual Machine | Opens the New VM wizard to create a new guest virtual machine. For more information, see Creating Guests with virt-manager in the Red Hat Enterprise Linux Virtualization Deployment and Administration Guide. | |
Close | Closes the Virtual Machine Manager window without closing any Virtual Machine windows. Running virtual machines are not stopped. | |
Exit | Closes the Virtual Machine Manager and all Virtual Machine windows. Running virtual machines are not stopped. | |
Edit | Connection Details | Opens the Connection Details window for the selected connection. |
Virtual Machine Details | Opens the Virtual Machine window for the selected virtual machine. For more information, see The Virtual Machine pane. | |
Delete | Deletes the selected connection or virtual machine. | |
Preferences | Opens the Preferences dialog box for configuring Virtual Machine Manager options. | |
View | Graph
| Toggles displays of the selected parameter for the virtual machines in the Virtual Machine Manager main window. |
Help | About | Displays the About window with information about the Virtual Machine Manager. |
5.2.1.2. The main window toolbar
The following table lists the icons in the Virtual Machine Manager main window.
Table 5.2. Virtual Machine Manager main window toolbar
Icon | Description |
---|---|
![]() | Opens the New VM wizard to create a new guest virtual machine. |
![]() | Opens the Virtual Machine window for the selected virtual machine. |
![]() | Starts the selected virtual machine. |
![]() | Pauses the selected virtual machine. |
![]() | Stops the selected virtual machine. |
![]() | Opens a menu to select one of the following actions to perform on the selected virtual machine:
|
5.2.1.3. The Virtual Machine list
The virtual machine list displays a list of virtual machines to which the Virtual Machine Manager is connected. The virtual machines in the list are grouped by connection. You can sort the list by clicking on the header of a table column.

Figure 5.3. The Virtual Machine list
The virtual machine list displays graphs with information about the resources being used by each virtual machine. You make resources available for display from the Polling tab of the Preferences dialog in the Edit menu. The following is a list of the resources that can be displayed in the virtual machine list:
- CPU usage
- Host CPU usage
- Memory usage
- Disk I/O
- Network I/O
You can select the resources to display using the Graph menu item in the View menu.
5.2.2. The Virtual Machine Window
This section provides information about the Virtual Machine window interface.

Figure 5.4. The Virtual Machine window
The title bar displays the name of the virtual machine and the connection that it uses.
5.2.2.1. The Virtual Machine window menu bar
The following table lists the entries in the Virtual Machine window menus.
Table 5.3. Virtual Machine window menus
Menu name | Menu item | Description |
---|---|---|
File | View Manager | Opens the main Virtual Machine Manager window. |
Close | Closes only the Virtual Machine window without stopping the virtual machine. | |
Exit | Closes the all Virtual Machine Manager windows. Running virtual machines are not stopped. | |
Virtual Machine | Run | Runs the virtual machine. This option is only available if the virtual machine is not running. |
Pause | Pauses the virtual machine. This option is only available if the virtual machine is already running. | |
Shut Down | Opens a menu to select one of the following actions to perform on the virtual machine:
| |
Clone | Creates a clone of the virtual machine. For more information, see Cloning Guests with virt-manager in the Red Hat Enterprise Linux Virtualization Deployment and Administration Guide. | |
Migrate | Opens the Migrate the virtual machine dialog to migrate the virtual machine to a different host. For more information, see Migrating with virt-manager in the Red Hat Enterprise Linux Virtualization Deployment and Administration Guide. | |
Delete | Deletes the virtual machine. | |
Take Screenshot | Takes a screenshot of the virtual machine console. | |
Redirect USB Device | Opens the Select USB devices for redirection dialog to select USB devices to redirect. For more information, see USB Redirection in the Red Hat Enterprise Linux Virtualization Deployment and Administration Guide. | |
View | Console | Opens the Console display in the Virtual Machine pane. |
Details | Opens the Details display in the Virtual Machine pane. For more information, see The virtual machine details window. | |
Snapshots | Opens the Snapshots display in the Virtual Machine pane. For more information, see The snapshots window. | |
Fullscreen | Displays the virtual machine console in full screen mode. | |
Resize to VM | Resizes the display on the full screen to the size and resolution configured for the virtual machine. | |
Scale Display | Scales the display of the virtual machine based on the selection of the following sub-menu items:
| |
Text Consoles | Displays the virtual machine display selected in the list. Examples of virtual machine displays include Serial 1 and Graphical Console Spice. | |
Toolbar | Toggles the display of the Virtual Machine window toolbar. | |
Send Key |
Ctrl+Alt+Backspace
Ctrl+Alt+Delete
Ctrl+Alt+F1
Ctrl+Alt+F2
Ctrl+Alt+F3
Ctrl+Alt+F4
Ctrl+Alt+F5
Ctrl+Alt+F6
Ctrl+Alt+F7
Ctrl+Alt+F8
Ctrl+Alt+F9
Ctrl+Alt+F10
Ctrl+Alt+F11
Ctrl+Alt+F12
Ctrl+Alt+Printscreen
| Sends the selected key to the virtual machine. |
5.2.2.2. The Virtual Machine window toolbar
The following table lists the icons in the Virtual Machine window.
Table 5.4. Virtual Machine window toolbar
Icon | Description |
---|---|
![]() | Displays the graphical console for the virtual machine. |
![]() | Displays the details pane for the virtual machine. |
![]() | Starts the selected virtual machine. |
![]() | Pauses the selected virtual machine. |
![]() | Stops the selected virtual machine. |
![]() | Opens a menu to select one of the following actions to perform on the selected virtual machine:
|
![]() | Opens the Snapshots display in the Virtual Machine pane. |
![]() | Displays the virtual machine console in full screen mode. |
5.2.2.3. The Virtual Machine pane
The Virtual Machine pane displays one of the following:
The virtual machine console
The virtual machine console shows the graphical output of the virtual machine.

Figure 5.5. The Virtual Machine console
You can interact with the virtual machine console using the mouse and keyboard in the same manner you interact with a real machine. The display in the virtual machine console reflects the activities being performed on the virtual machine.
The virtual machine details window
The virtual machine details window provides detailed information about the virtual machine, its hardware and configuration.

Figure 5.6. The Virtual Machine details window
The virtual machine details window includes a list of virtual machine parameters. When a parameter in the list is selected, information about the selected parameter appear on the right side of the virtual machine details window. You can also add and configure hardware using the virtual machine details window.
For more information on the virtual machine details window, see The Virtual Hardware Details Window in the Red Hat Enterprise Linux Virtualization Deployment and Administration Guide.
The snapshots window
The virtual machine snapshots window provides a list of snapshots created for the virtual machine.

Figure 5.7. The Virtual Machine snapshots window
The virtual machine snapshots window includes a list of snapshots saved for the virtual machine. When a snapshot in the list is selected, details about the selected snapshot, including its state, description, and a screenshot, appear on the right side of the virtual machine snapshots window. You can add, delete, and run snapshots using the virtual machine snapshots window.
For more information about managing snapshots, see Managing Snapshots in the Red Hat Enterprise Linux Virtualization Deployment and Administration Guide.