QEMU/KVM Virtualization Setup Guide

Quickly set up virtualization on your Linux machine

KVM QEMU Virt-Manager Linux

🚀 Prerequisites

  • Linux distribution (Debian/Ubuntu recommended)
  • Hardware with virtualization support (Intel VT-x/AMD-V)
  • Virtualization enabled in BIOS/UEFI
  • Administrative privileges (sudo access)

1 Install QEMU/KVM and Required Packages

First, install all necessary packages with the following command: 

sudo apt install qemu-kvm virt-manager virtinst libvirt-clients bridge-utils libvirt-daemon-system

This installs the core KVM and QEMU packages along with Virt-Manager for GUI management.

2 Enable and Start the Libvirt Service

Enable and start the virtualization daemon: 

sudo systemctl enable --now libvirtd && sudo systemctl start libvirtd

This ensures the virtualization services are running and will start automatically on boot.

3 Add Your User to Required Groups

You'll need proper permissions to manage virtual machines: 

sudo usermod -aG kvm $USER
sudo usermod -aG libvirt $USER

After running these commands, you need to log out and back in or completely reboot your system for the group changes to take effect.

4 Launch Virt-Manager and Start Virtualizing

Start the virtual machine manager with: 

virt-manager

This will open the graphical interface where you can manage your virtual machines.

To create your first VM, click the "Create a new virtual machine" button (computer icon with a star). Follow the wizard to set up your virtual machine.

Virt-Manager Interface Preview

Virt-Manager Screenshot
Click to enlarge

The Virt-Manager interface showing available virtual machines and management options.

Verification (Optional)

You can verify KVM is working properly by running: 

kvm-ok
virsh list --all

The first command checks if KVM is ready, the second shows all virtual machines (should be empty initially).