How to Download the Windows Server 2022/2025 Evaluation VHD

Microsoft still offers free, time-limited evaluation media for Windows Server, and a pre-built VHD is the fastest option if you just need a working VM without running through Setup yourself — same idea as the old Server 2012 R2 download, just current versions.

Where to get it

Head to the Microsoft Evaluation Center (microsoft.com/evalcenter) and search for Windows Server 2022 or Windows Server 2025. Both are currently offered there as free 180-day evaluations, available as:

• ISO — full install media, use this if you want to run Setup yourself or need to choose Server Core vs. Desktop Experience during install.
• VHD (fixed) — a pre-built, ready-to-boot virtual disk, already installed and generalized, for Hyper-V or any hypervisor that can attach a VHD/VHDX.

For the VHD specifically, you’ll need a Microsoft account to register for the download (standard for Evaluation Center downloads) — it’s still free, just gated behind a sign-in.

Using the VHD in Hyper-V

1. Download the VHD (it comes as a .zip — extract it first).
2. In Hyper-V Manager, create a new VM, and at the Connect Virtual Hard Disk step choose Use an existing virtual hard disk, pointing at the extracted .vhd/.vhdx file rather than creating a new blank one.
3. Boot the VM — it goes straight to the out-of-box setup (set the administrator password, choose region/keyboard) since the disk is pre-installed, not straight to a Setup/install screen.

Using it in other hypervisors (VMware, VirtualBox)

Both can attach a .vhd/.vhdx directly as a disk for a new VM, though native support varies by version — VMware Workstation/Player can generally import a VHD directly via File > Open, and VirtualBox’s disk manager can attach a VHD/VHDX as a virtual drive without conversion in current versions. If your specific hypervisor version doesn’t support VHD/VHDX natively, you can convert to VMDK/VDI with qemu-img or the hypervisor’s own conversion tool.

The 180-day limit

Evaluation media is fully functional Windows Server, not a crippled trial — the only catch is licensing expires after 180 days, after which the server starts shutting down periodically until it’s activated with a real licence or upgraded. If you need it for longer, Microsoft allows resetting the evaluation period (the rearm mechanism, same limited number of times as with client Windows) via:

slmgr /rearm

run before the evaluation period expires — check remaining days first with slmgr /dlv. For genuine long-term or production use, convert the evaluation install to a licensed edition with DISM /online /Set-Edition rather than relying on repeated rearms.

If you specifically need Server Core

The VHD downloads from the Evaluation Center are available in both Server Core and Desktop Experience variants — check the specific download options on the Evaluation Center page for the edition you want, since they’re listed as separate downloads rather than one image with a selectable option the way the ISO’s Setup wizard offers.