# Lima v2.3 adds native Windows virtualization via HCS, Linux vmnet networking, and TUI menu

> **Key takeaway:** Lima v2.3 eliminates QEMU and Unix toolchain dependencies on Windows by leveraging the Host Compute System API that powers WSL2, while bringing macOS-style real IP networking to Linux hosts through a new privileged helper.

**Published:** 2026-11-08T12:30:00+00:00 
**Source:** Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) 
**Category:** cloud-native 
**Canonical URL:** https://fosswire.org/news/lima-v23-adds-native-windows-virtualization-via-hcs-linux-vm.html 

## Summary
The Cloud Native Computing Foundation's Incubating project Lima released version 2.3 on November 6, 2026, with three major platform improvements. On Windows, a new experimental HCS driver allows virtual machines to start directly through Microsoft's Host Compute System API without requiring QEMU or a Unix toolchain, though it currently supports only plain mode with no file mounts or dynamic port forwarding. On Linux, the new lima-privileged-net helper finally provides real IP address networking equivalent to macOS socket_vmnet, enabling shared, host, and bridged network modes that were previously macOS-only. All platforms gain a new terminal UI for VM management, and macOS users can now attach raw block devices to VZ guests.

Lima, originally created to run containerd on macOS laptops, has expanded significantly since joining CNCF as a Sandbox project in September 2022 and graduating to Incubating status in October 2025. The tool now supports diverse non-container workloads, multiple host operating systems, non-Linux guests, and AI sandboxing use cases. Windows installation is available via winget, while macOS users can continue using Homebrew.

## What changes in Lima v2.3 across platforms
- **Windows HCS driver:** The new experimental hcs driver communicates directly with the Windows Host Compute System API, the same virtualization layer underlying WSL2, eliminating dependencies on QEMU and Unix toolchains; it requires Hyper-V Administrators group membership and explicit DNS configuration via --dns.
- **HCS limitations:** Only plain mode is currently supported with no file mounts, no dynamic port forwarding, and a single HCS instance limit due to fixed HCN network subnet allocation.
- **Linux networking helper:** lima-privileged-net creates per-network Linux bridges with gateway assignment, runs dnsmasq for DHCP and DNS, adds NAT and forwarding rules for shared mode, creates user-accessible tap devices per instance, and cleans up resources when the last instance exits.
- **Linux sudoers requirement:** Bridge and tap device creation requires root privileges, necessitating root-owned installation of Lima and dnsmasq plus generated sudoers rules via limactl sudoers before first use.
- **macOS block device passthrough:** VZ guests can now access raw USB drives or external SSDs through --block-device flags without file share indirection, with devices appearing as virtio-named block devices inside the guest; this required a security-hardened implementation after an earlier version was reverted following a security report.

## Why it matters
For developers and DevOps engineers working across heterogeneous environments, Lima v2.3 significantly lowers barriers to consistent local virtualization by treating Windows as a first-class host rather than a WSL2 wrapper. The Linux networking parity removes a longstanding friction point that pushed container developers toward macOS or cloud instances, while the terminal UI improves accessibility for teams managing multiple VM configurations. As CNCF's Incubating local-VM standard, these changes strengthen Lima's position against proprietary alternatives and reinforce its utility for AI sandboxing and cross-platform testing pipelines.