macOS Player 13 with Windows 11 ARM - keyboard problem

[34s151e]

Running Windows 11 ARM with Player 13 on an M1 Macbook Air. 

Everything worked fine for a month or two then suddenly the keyboard stopped working in Windows. Works fine on the player itself ie. setup functions etc. I've tried re-starting but to no avail. 

Anybody got any ideas?

[Technogeezer]

What macOS version are you running? What version of Windows is running in the VM?

Could you post a copy of the .vmx file for that VM? It's found in the VM's bundle (find the VM with Finder, right click on it, and select "Show Package Contents". The window that then appears contains the .vmx file for the VM along with the VM's virtual disks and other configuration files).

Has anything changed in that VM since the keyboard stopped working?

Does the VM's configuration still have a USB & Bluetooth device? The virtual keyboard for a Windows 11 VM is a virtual USB device, and removing the virtual USB controller will remove the keyboard.

[34s151e]

It's Ventura 13.5 with Windows 11 Home Version 22H2 Build 22621.2134.

However, it's now working! Your post triggered a "aha" moment. You mentioned the USB device and as I was poking around there it says that you must shut the virtual machine down to add a USB device. It was then that I realised I hadn't actually been shutting the VM down, only suspending it, in order to see if that would fix the problem. 

So, after shutting it down completely and restarting, the keyboard is now working again. 

Thanks for your help!

[Technogeezer]

Suspending a Windows 11 ARM VM in Fusion 13 is an iffy proposition because of the lack of VMware Tools to provide host/guest coordination and soft power operations. Perhaps this is why you lost the keyboard.

I’d recommend using the 2023 Tech Preview if you want to suspend the VM. It has Tools that do provide the soft power operations. An upcoming Fusion release later this year should contain these tools if you prefer to wait for a GA supported Fusion version.