Proxmox: How to Install

Mason McCall
Aug 6, 2026
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Proxmox: How to Install

Proxmox Virtual Environment (Proxmox VE) is a free, open-source virtualization platform that allows you to run virtual machines (VMs) and Linux containers (LXCs) from a web interface. It installs directly onto your server as the operating system, replacing any existing OS.

Requirements

Before you begin, you'll need:

  • A 64-bit computer or server
  • At least:
    • Dual-core CPU
    • 4 GB RAM (8 GB+ recommended)
    • 32 GB SSD (128 GB+ recommended)
  • A USB flash drive (2 GB or larger)

Warning: Installing Proxmox will erase all data on the USB flash drive used to create the installer and on the target drive you select during installation. Be sure to back up any important data before proceeding.

Step 1: Download Proxmox VE

Download the latest Proxmox VE ISO.

Official Download:

Proxmox VE Downloads

Visiting www.proxmox.com will bring you here:

Click on "Learn More" under Proxmox Virtual Environment

Then click "Download"

Then click "Download" next to the Proxmox VE Installer

Tip: Ensure that this does not download to your USB flash drive.

Step 2: Create a Bootable USB

Windows

Download Rufus:

Rufus

  1. Insert your USB drive.
  2. Open Rufus.

  1. Drive: select your USB flash drive
  2. Boot Selection: Disk or ISO
  3. Click SELECT and navigate to the proxmox...iso file

What does this do?

This turns your flash drive into a bootable drive that will install proxmox as an operating system.

Step 3: Boot From the USB

  1. Insert the USB into your server.
  2. Enter the BIOS/UEFI.
    1. On windows, restart your computer then repeatedly press F12 until the BIOS comes up.
  3. Select the USB drive to be the boot device.

When the installer appears, choose:

Install Proxmox VE (Graphical)

Step 4: Accept the License

Read and accept the license agreement.

Click Next.

Step 5: Select the Installation Drive

Choose the SSD or HDD you want to install Proxmox on.

If desired, click Options to select the filesystem:

Filesystem Best For
ext4 Most users
ZFS Data integrity, snapshots (requires more RAM)
XFS Large storage systems

If you're unsure, ext4 is a great choice.

Step 6: Configure Region

Select:

  • Country
  • Time Zone
  • Keyboard Layout

Click Next.

Step 7: Create the Administrator Password

Create:

  • Root password
  • Email address

The email is used for system notifications.

Step 8: Configure Networking

You'll configure:

  • Management IP Address
  • Netmask
  • Gateway
  • DNS Server
  • Hostname

It's recommended to use a static IP address so the web interface is always reachable.

Step 9: Install

Review the summary and click:

Install

Installation usually takes 5–15 minutes depending on your hardware.

Step 10: Reboot

After installation:

  1. Remove the USB drive.
  2. Reboot the server.

You'll now see a console screen displaying the URL for the web interface, such as:

https://192.168.1.50:8006

Step 11: Open the Web Interface

On another computer, open your browser and visit:

https://YOUR-IP:8006

Example:

https://192.168.1.50:8006

You'll receive a browser warning because Proxmox uses a self-signed SSL certificate by default. Continue to the site.

Login with:

Username:
root

Password:
(your password)

Realm:

Linux PAM authentication

Step 12: Update Proxmox

After logging in:

  1. Open Shell.
  2. Run:
apt update
apt dist-upgrade -y

Keeping your installation updated ensures you receive the latest fixes and security updates.

Creating Your First Virtual Machine

  1. Download an operating system ISO (Ubuntu, Windows, Debian, etc.).
  2. Navigate to:

Datacenter
    └── local
        └── ISO Images

  1. Upload the ISO.
  2. Click Create VM.
  3. Follow the wizard:
    • Name the VM
    • Select the ISO
    • Allocate CPU cores
    • Allocate RAM
    • Create a virtual disk
    • Configure networking
  4. Click Finish.
  5. Start the VM.

Recommended First Steps

After installation, consider:

  • Creating a storage pool for virtual disks
  • Setting up automated backups
  • Installing the QEMU Guest Agent in your VMs
  • Configuring snapshots for easy rollback
  • Creating Linux containers (LXCs) for lightweight services
  • Enabling PCI passthrough if you plan to dedicate hardware (such as a GPU) to a VM

Troubleshooting

Cannot access the web interface

  • Verify the server's IP address.
  • Ensure the server and your computer are on the same network.
  • Confirm that port 8006 is not blocked by a firewall.

Installer doesn't detect your drive

  • Check that SATA or NVMe drives are enabled in the BIOS.
  • Disable Intel RST/RAID mode and use AHCI if applicable.

Forgot the root password

Boot into recovery mode or use a live Linux environment to reset the password.

Next Steps

Once Proxmox is installed, you're ready to:

  • Create virtual machines for Windows or Linux
  • Deploy lightweight LXC containers
  • Build a homelab for services like Docker, media servers, Home Assistant, game servers, or network management
  • Experiment with clustering, snapshots, and backups as your environment grows
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