Is it safe to delete UTM virtual machines?
Virtual machines you created in UTM, each stored as a .utm package with its disks and settings.
Review first
It's your own data, or hard to recreate. Decide item by item.
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What it is
UTM keeps each virtual machine in its default folder as a .utm package that holds the machine's settings and virtual drives. A machine's drives grow as you install software and store files in it. Everything inside a virtual machine exists only in its package.
If it's removed
The virtual machine and everything stored in it are deleted.
What to do instead
In UTM, Control-click a virtual machine in the list and remove it. For a machine stored in UTM's default folder, this deletes its data as well.
The free analyzer finds it and explains it, with these steps. The app doesn't remove it for you.
Sources
- docs.getutm.app/basics/actions
- docs.getutm.app/settings-qemu/drive/drive
- github.com/utmapp/UTM/discussions/6851
Last checked on 26 Sep 2026. Every entry is written and checked by hand; the app and the command-line tool use the same words.