Multipass Documentation

Multipass is a tool to generate cloud-style Ubuntu VMs quickly on Linux, macOS, and Windows.

It gives you a simple but powerful CLI that allows you to quickly access an Ubuntu command line or create your own local mini-cloud.

Local development and testing is a pain, but Multipass makes it easier by automating all of your setup and teardown. Multipass has a growing library of images that give you the ability to launch purpose-built VMs, or custom VMs you’ve configured yourself through its powerful cloud-init interface.

Developers can use Multipass to prototype cloud deployments and to create fresh, customized Linux dev environments on any machine. Mac and Windows users can use Multipass as the quickest way to get an Ubuntu command line on their system. New Ubuntu users can use it as a sandbox to try new things without affecting their host machine, and without the need to dual boot.


In this documentation

Tutorials
Get started - a hands-on introduction to Multipass for new users
How-to guides
Step-by-step guides covering key operations and common tasks
Explanation
Concepts - discussion and clarification of key topics
Reference
Technical information - specifications, APIs, architecture

Project and community

We value your input and contributions! There are a few ways you can join our community or get help with your Multipass questions.

Navigation

Navigation
Level Path Navlink
1 Home
1 tutorials Tutorials
2 get-started-with-multipass-linux Get started with Multipass - Linux
2 windows-tutorial Get started with Multipass - Windows
2 mac-tutorial Get started with Multipass - macOS
1 how-to-guides How-to guides
2 Install Multipass
3 installing-on-linux on Linux
3 installing-on-macos on macOS
3 installing-on-windows on Windows
2 Manage instances
3 create-an-instance Create an instance
3 modify-an-instance Modify an instance
3 use-an-instance Use an instance
3 primary-instance Use the primary instance
3 using-aliases Use instance command aliases
3 share-data-with-an-instance Share data with an instance
3 remove-an-instance Remove an instance
3 configure-static-ips Configure static IPs
3 use-a-blueprint Use a blueprint
3 use-docker-blueprint Use the Docker blueprint
3 docker-how-to Run a Docker container in Multipass
2 Manage Multipass
3 set-up-the-driver Set up the driver
3 hyperkit-migration Migrate from Hyperkit to QEMU on macOS
3 authenticating-clients Authenticate clients with the Multipass service
3 how-to-use-multipass-remotely-a-preview Use Multipass remotely
3 building-multipass-images-with-packer Build Multipass images with Packer
3 set-up-a-graphical-interface Set up a graphical interface
3 changing-terminal Use a different terminal from the system icon
3 windows-terminal-integration How to integrate with Windows Terminal
3 configure-multipass-storage Configure where Multipass stores external data
3 configure-multipass-default-logging-level Configure Multipass’s default logging level
2 Troubleshoot
3 accessing-logs Access logs
3 troubleshoot-networking Troubleshoot networking
1 reference Reference
2 alias Alias
2 blueprint Blueprint
2 multipass-cli-client Command-Line Interface
3 alias-command alias
3 aliases-command aliases
3 authenticate-command authenticate
3 delete-command delete
3 exec-command exec
3 find-command find
3 get-command get
3 help-command help
3 info-command info
3 launch-command launch
3 list-command list
3 mount-command mount
3 networks-command networks
3 purge-command purge
3 recover-command recover
3 restart-command restart
3 restore-command restore
3 set-command set
3 shell-command shell
3 snapshot-command snapshot
3 start-command start
3 stop-command stop
3 suspend-command suspend
3 transfer-command transfer
3 umount-command umount
3 unalias-command unalias
3 version-command version
2 driver Driver
2 multipass-gui-client Graphical User Interface
2 host Host
2 instance Instance
3 instance-states Instance states
2 mount Mount
2 platform Platform
2 service Service
2 settings-explanation Setting
3 gui-autostart client.gui.autostart
3 gui-hotkey client.gui.hotkey
3 primary-name client.primary-name
3 bridged-network local.bridged-network
3 local-driver local.driver
3 passphrase local.passphrase
3 privileged-mounts local.privileged-mounts
3 winterm-profiles client.apps.windows-terminal.profiles
3 snapshot-name local.<instance-name>.<snapshot-name>.name
3 snapshot-comment local.<instance-name>.<snapshot-name>.comment
3 local.<instance-name>.cpus local.<instance-name>.cpus
3 local.<instance-name>.disk local.<instance-name>.memory
3 local.<instance-name>.memory local.<instance-name>.memory
2 snapshot Snapshot
1 explanation Explanation
2 about-security About security
2 exec-shells multipass exec and shells
2 logging-levels Logging levels

Redirects

Mapping table
Location Path
/docs/networks-command/19542 /docs/networks-command
/docs/working-with-instances /docs/create-an-instance
/docs/primary-instance /docs/instance
/docs/instance-mod /docs/modify-an-instance
/docs/how-to-add-network-interfaces/19544 /docs/create-an-instance#heading–create-an-instance-with-multiple-network-interfaces
/docs/using-a-custom-dns /docs/create-an-instance
/docs/using-libvirt /docs/set-up-the-driver
/docs/using-virtualbox-in-multipass-macos /docs/set-up-the-driver
/docs/using-virtualbox-in-multipass-windows /docs/set-up-the-driver
/docs/troubleshooting-networking-on-macos /docs/troubleshoot-networking
/docs/troubleshooting-networking-on-windows /docs/troubleshoot-networking
/docs/stand-alone-windows-in-multipass /docs/set-up-a-graphical-interface
/docs/graphical-desktop-in-multipass /docs/set-up-a-graphical-interface
/docs/changing-macos-terminal /docs/changing-terminal
/docs/get-and-set-keys /docs/settings-explanation
docs/settings-keys /docs/settings-explanation
1 Like

Documentation is a subcategory used to collect user documentation about the Multipass project. This first topic bootstraps the structure of the documentation we want to provide.

Feel free to add a comment below about topics that you think we should document. Thanks!

Missing topics:

Basic usage

  • snapcraft
  • Communicating with instances

Advanced usage

  • cloud-init

Debugging and Contributing

  • Troubleshooting networking
    • on Linux
  • Reporting problems
  • Getting help
  • Building from source
1 Like

Hi @saviq,
I’m evaluating multipass for my personal needs (non-work related) and saw that the https://multipass.run/docs seems to be missing quite some important commands, like stop, umount, delete and so on.
Is there an alternative documentation page for multipass, besides the built-in --help option in the tool itself?
If not, since this is an easy effort, would you accept contributions to add the missing commands?

1 Like

Hi @rosuvladimir, we certainly would!

As you can see above we have a “Missing topics” section. Just start a new topic under this category:

And we’ll hook it up :slight_smile:

Thanks!

Modifying the instance’s disk size when it closes to the limit is ignored (partially true). That is, following the tutorial in this page didn’t help.

$ multipass set local.primary.disk=100G
$ multipass get local.primary.disk
100.0GiB
$ multipass shell primary
...
Usage of /:   99.6% of 4.73GB
...

I think it is worth including the solution given in the article below in the documentation.

https://theko2fi.github.io/multipass/2023/08/18/expand-a-multipass-vm-disk-no-space-left-on-device.html