Enable the
ESXi Shell
from the
vSphere Client
Last Updated December 16, 2024

If you do not have access to the Direct Console User Interface, you can enable the

ESXi Shell

from the

vSphere Client

In the

vSphere Client

, select the host

On the

Configure

tab, select

System

Services

Select

ESXi Shell

To temporarily start or stop the service, click the

Start

Stop

button.

To change the startup policy, click the

Edit Startup Policy

button.

After you enable the

ESXi Shell

, you can use it through a serial port.

VMware vSphere SDKs and Tools 8.0