VMRewind is a Mac tool for virtual machines in UTM. It captures the state of a VM as a checkpoint and resets it to exactly that state when needed.
This comes in handy before trying something in a VM: a system update, an installation or a software test. If something goes wrong, the previous state is back with one click.
Features
- Finds existing UTM VMs automatically
- Creates checkpoints as APFS clones: this takes seconds and initially uses no additional storage
- Restores a checkpoint, optionally with a safety copy of the current state
- Rename and delete checkpoints and show them in the Finder
- Preview of the VM with its most recently saved screenshot
- Shows key data of the VM and whether it is running; while it runs, checkpoint and restore are locked
- Checks the storage location and whether the volume supports APFS clones
- User interface in German and English, with built-in help
How it works
- Start VMRewind and, the first time, click “Allow access to UTM folder …”. In the dialog, one click on “Allow” is enough.
- Choose a VM from the list, shut it down in UTM and create a checkpoint. For the first checkpoint you choose a folder for the checkpoints.
- Work, test or install in the VM.
- When needed, select a checkpoint and click “Restore”.
Why it is so fast
VMRewind uses cloning in the APFS file system (copy-on-write). A checkpoint is initially just a reference to the same data. Storage is only used once the VM changes afterwards, and then only for the changed parts.
Requirements
- Mac with macOS 14 or later
- UTM with at least one virtual machine
- The VMs and the checkpoints are on an APFS volume
Note: VMRewind runs in the macOS app sandbox and only accesses the folders you allow. The app collects no data; details are in the privacy policy. The app is still in development (version 0.10).
UTM is a trademark of its respective owner. VMRewind is an independent tool and is not affiliated with the UTM project or Turing Software, LLC.