In some cases, the error message “failed to acquire the VirtualBox COM object” may show up on your Windows 11/10 and prevent you from accessing VirtualBox. It’s an annoying error that is mainly caused by permission problems. What can you do when you face this error? Below are some feasible methods you can try to solve your issue.
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Method 1: Run VirtualBox as an Administrator
As mentioned above, the “failed to acquire the VirtualBox COM object Windows 11” issue can happen due to a lack of administrative privileges. Therefore, when you get stuck in this issue, you should try running VirtualBox as an administrator first to see if the error will be resolved.
Step 1: Right-click the VirtualBox shortcut icon on your desktop and then select Properties.
Step 2: Go to the Compatibility tab. Then tick the checkbox next to the Run this program as an administrator option.
Step 3: After that, click Apply and OK to save the pending changes.
Step 4: Relaunch VirtualBox and check if the error persists.
Method 2: Install VirtualBox with Administrative Rights
The installation of VirtualBox requires administrative rights. If you installed this program improperly before, you are likely to encounter the “unable to acquire the VirtualBox COM object” issue. To solve it, you should try uninstalling it and then installing it back.
Step 1: Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog.
Step 2: Type appwiz.cpl in the text box and then press Enter to open the Uninstall or change a program window.
Step 3: Locate Oracle VM VirtualBox and then right-click it to select Uninstall.
Step 4: Once you remove VirtualBox from your PC, download the latest version of VirtualBox from the official website.
Step 5: After the download finishes, select Show in folder. After that, right-click the installer and select Run as administrator.
Step 6: Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation process.
Method 3: Temporarily Disable the Antivirus
The third-party antivirus you installed on your PC and Windows Firewall may recognize the launch as a threat and interfere with the process. As a result, you may run into the “failed to acquire the VirtualBox COM object Windows 11” issue. To avoid this situation, it’s recommended that you temporarily disable the antivirus on your computer.
Once you solve this issue, you should re-enable the antivirus as soon as you fix the “failed to acquire the VirtualBox COM object” issue. Or viruses and malware may attack your system.
Method 4: Move the .Virtualbox Folder to Another Location
Moving the .Virtualbox folder to another different location may solve the “unable to acquire the VirtualBox COM object” issue as well. To do this, follow the steps below.
Step 1: Close VirtualBox completely. Then open File Explorer by pressing Windows + E.
Step 2: Once you enter File Explorer, navigate to the directory: C:\Users\UserName.
Replace UserName with your own username.
Step 3: Highlight the .Virtualbox folder and press Ctrl + X to cut it. Then go to someplace like the desktop and press Ctrl + V to paste this folder there.
Step 4: Once done, relaunch VirtualBox to see if the error is repaired.
After you run into the “failed to acquire the VirtualBox COM object Windows 11/10” issue, you can try the above methods one by one until you fix this issue. If you have any other excellent solutions to this issue, you can share them with us in the comment zone below.
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