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Table of Contents
VMware Linux VM Keyboard Lag Fixes
Problem Description
When running Linux virtual machines in VMware (especially with multiple CPUs assigned), users may experience significant keyboard lag or input delay. This issue is particularly noticeable when typing quickly, where characters appear with a delay or get repeated unexpectedly.
Fix 1: Enable Virtualize IOMMU Option
This is a simple configuration change that has resolved the issue for many users:
Open your VM settings
Navigate to Processors > Virtualization engine
Check the option Virtualize IOMMU (IO memory management unit)
Apply changes and restart the VM
Several users in the Broadcom VMware community confirmed this fixed their keyboard lag issues completely.
Fix 2: Add keyboard.vusb.enable Flag
This fix involves modifying the VM's configuration file:
Locate your VM's .vmx file
Add the following line to the file
keyboard.vusb.enable = "TRUE"
Save the file and restart the VM
This setting was reported to fix keyboard lag issues in VMware 17.6.x with Linux guests, even when other solutions failed.
Additional Notes
Reducing the VM to 1 CPU can also fix the issue, but this isn't ideal for performance
Some users reported that disconnecting virtual SATA CD drives helped resolve the issue
For systems with P-cores and E-cores (like Intel 12th/13th gen), setting CPU affinity to only use P-cores may help Note