VMware plans to deprecate the Flash-based vSphere Web Client with the next numbered release (not update release) of vSphere. The next version of vSphere will be the terminal release for which vSphere Web Client will be available.
The vSphere GUIs, including the vSphere Web Client and HTML5-based vSphere Client, are tools that are used every day by IT to manage the operation of their virtual data center. VMware is constantly striving to make these tools performant and easy to use. However, with the vSphere Web Client, customers were frustrated because it was based on Flash technology that resulted in less than ideal performance and constant update requirements. Additionally, Adobe has recently announced plans to deprecate Flash.
It has always been VMware’s intention to eventually replace the vSphere Web Client with a modern GUI administration tool. The HTML5-based vSphere Client is that worthy successor. The vSphere Client was introduced first in the Fling, then supported with vSphere 6.5 and has now been in customer hands for 1.5 years and production tested for over 9 months. Since its introduction, the vSphere Client has received overwhelmingly positive responses from the vSphere community and customer base. Customers have said things like:
“Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank … for creating this [vSphere Client] interface, my god it is nice to use :-)”
“If VMware can hold its various teams to the high standard set by the [vSphere Client], it should have nothing to worry about for years to come.”
With the recently released vSphere 6.5 Update 1, the vSphere Client got even better and is now able to support most of the frequently performed operations. With each iteration of the vSphere Client additional improvements and functionality are being added. By the time the vSphere Web Client is deprecated, the vSphere Client will be full featured but with significantly better responsiveness and usability. You will not be left with an incomplete toolset!
The vSphere Client will be the primary GUI administration tool for vSphere environments starting in the next release. Customers should start transitioning over to the vSphere Client if they have not already done so as the vSphere Web Client will no longer be available after the next vSphere release.
We post this blog now to give customers a fair warning and ample time to prepare for the eventual vSphere Web Client deprecation. This also gives customers a chance to express their concerns both online and at VMworld. At VMworld, customers will have many opportunities to learn more about the vSphere Client in various breakout sessions, labs, and of course by speaking with the experts in the Solutions Exchange.
Some key sessions at VMworld 2017 are listed below:
vSphere Clients Roadmap: HTML5 Client, Host Client, and Web Client
Technical – Intermediate [US: SER1411BU | EU: SER1411BE]
vSphere Client (HTML5) has been growing and evolving in public view, quickly incorporating customer feedback and adding functionality.
Discussion of vSphere Web Client (HTML5) and the Transition Experience
Technical – Intermediate [US: SER1792GU | EU: SER1792GE]
Group Discussion Come provide feedback directly to the product management team on the VMware vSphere Web Client (HTML5) released in VMware vSphere 6.5, which has also been released weekly in Fling form.
Acting as One: Plug in to vSphere
Technical – Advanced [US Only: SER3101PU]
Panel Discussion If you have ever wondered how to deploy and update multiple solutions with the VMware vSphere client, test custom solutions without having to set up complex infrastructures, transition from flex to HTML plug-ins, or run plug-ins without affecting vSphere client performance, you’ll want to hear from our panel of developers, who are working to provide a seamless experience for solutions integrating with the new vSphere HTML client.
Additional Resources
- Blog: vSphere 6.5 Update 1 – Under the Hood
- What’s New in vSphere 6.5 Overview Video
- What’s New in vSphere 6.5 Technical White Paper
- vSphere 6.5 Upgrade Webcast Series
- vSphere Product Pages
- vSphere Central
- vSphere Upgrade Center
- vSphere 6.5 Hands-on Lab
- vSphere 60-Day Free Evaluation
- vSphere Product Walkthrough





Josh Barfield
Does this mean NSX management will become available in the HTML 5 client soon?
Yiting Jin
Hi Josh, we are actively working with the NSX team to provide a full solution for the HTML client. Would you be okay with a standalone NSX HTML client in the meantime while we work on this integration to the HTML client?
Jeff Ferrell
Yes!
Josh Barfield
Yes, a standalone HTML 5 client for NSX would be an acceptable solution.
Ryan
Yes! is this something we can beta?
Ser
VSan management?
David Boone
Yep. vSAN management was added to vSphere HTML5 client in 6.6 (vSphere 6.5.0(d)). It should be added to vCenter HTML5 client at this release.
Joachim
I would!
Tanay
it sound fascinating!!!
Tanay
[a=I would love to hear more]
Daniel
So…? The news here is that VMware is renaming the vSphere Web Client to vSphere Client because you’ve gone from Flash to HTML5?
Hardly worth a blog post and especially one that makes it sound like we’re going back to the C# client and deprecating the we client…!
Md
Is there an ETA for when the HTML5 client will provide 100% functionality? We’re on 6.0 and won’t be upgrading until this is the case. As long time VMware customer, you should realize the “positive feedback” you have is because almost anything is better than the unwanted abomination called the Flash client that you forced upon us. If you want real feedback, read the comments sections of previous posts on this very blog.
The Flash client, and our refusal to move past 6.0 due to lack of a complete management solution (for an “enterprise product”, this is a complete joke) we have started having a serious look at Hyper-V, a product we used to laugh at.
Tell us when we can expect a fully working, 100% complete HTML5 client, until then we’ll be patiently waiting while looking at Hyper-V. Did you guys know Hyper-V on Server 2016 allows administrators to run PowerShell commands in a VM directly from the host? Kinda like Invoke-VMScript, but you can enter a full PowerShell Session as well though Enter-PSSession. Cool stuff.
Benjamin Craig
+1 for relevancy
masoud
hi vsphere web client 6.5 is very slow – and hang it – refresh page – vmware should different think about vsphere web client
Adam
I skimmed the article and thought the C# client was coming back. I was excited.
Nope. Just rebranding the same garbage as the old name. FFS. This web garbage is great for help desk jockeys. Give us admins the C# tool back.
Benjamin Craig
Yeah
Ollie
Maybe you should try automating your tasks using the available APIs? If you’re so much more talented than all those IT Jockeys it will be a piece of cake for you
AH
I have no faith in VMware’s ability to get this right. They have had YEARS to provide a client with the same ease of use and functionality as the C# client, and have failed miserably with each iteration of both flash and html5 clients. Absolutely mind-boggling why a company would remove a universally loved client in favour of two, soon to be one, dog turd.
Both web clients add hours per week when trying to complete menial admin tasks that take seconds with the old client. You can put this diseased ferret in the same category as the abomination that was (still is) App Volumes 3; however, it looks like AV3 will at least be fixed further down the line. This on the other hand….
Benjamin Craig
I’m with this guy.
JWE
Agreed. The web client and soon to be HTML5 “web” client are equally horrific. Especially in larger enterprise environments.
Bernd
The Flash based vSphere web client was and is a complete joke. Now you working since YEARS to get a HTML5 client done. And still you have no ETA for it.