How to add users to vboxusers to enable USB usage

Question

I want to use my flashdrive in Windows XP, which I am currently running in Virtualbox, but when I open up the settings to enable usb usage, I get an error:

Failed to access the USB subsystem.
VirtualBox is not currently allowed to access USB devices. 
You can change this by adding your user to the 'vboxusers' group. 
Please see the user manual for a more detailed explanation

Result Code:
NS_ERROR_FAILURE (0x00004005)
Component:
Host
Interface:
IHost {30678943-32df-4830-b413-931b25ac86a0}
Callee:
IMachine {22781af3-1c96-4126-9edf-67a020e0e858}

Does anyone know how to fix this!?

Does this answer your question? How to access a shared folder in VirtualBox? — wesinat0r, Aug 19 '20 at 22:48
@wesinat0r That's about shared folders, and this is about directly accessing USB devices (which VirtualBox supports). — Eliah Kagan, Aug 21 '20 at 18:30

score 98 · Answer 1 · edited Aug 22 '17 at 00:32

98

In your host, run this command:

sudo usermod -a -G vboxusers $USER

Now perform a logout (always required after add current user to a group).

After login, check that you are in the vboxusers group with this command, make sure that vboxusers is in the shown list:

groups $USER

edited Aug 22 '17 at 00:32

Rael Gugelmin Cunha

6,912

answered Nov 16 '13 at 03:38

kiri

29,066

2

i am getting error: usermod: group 'vboxusers' does not exist – Alex Jones Dec 29 '14 at 14:42
3

adduser: The group `vboxusers' does not exist. Now what? – endolith Oct 07 '16 at 18:16
2

Oh wait, this is something you run in the host OS, not the guest OS? – endolith Oct 07 '16 at 18:20
5

Actually, for Linux guests + hosts (not exactly the question but helpful), you need to do BOTH sudo usermod -a -G vboxusers "$USER" on the host AND sudo usermod -a -G vboxsf "$USER" on the guest after extension pack install and then reboot the guest. – KrisWebDev Jan 05 '20 at 08:11
1

Only logout doesn't work. I have to reboot to make it work. – sgon00 Feb 19 '24 at 15:00
FWIW, I had to add the user to the group only on the host and then I had to reboot it. But I also made sure to install guest additions. The host was Ubuntu 24.04 and the guest was Fedora 40. – Rafał Cieślak Jul 04 '24 at 15:43

score 20 · Answer 2 · edited Jul 29 '19 at 13:14

20

This works for me and my problem with VirtualBox was solved

sudo usermod -a -G vboxsf "$USER"

edited Jul 29 '19 at 13:14

Zanna

72,471

answered Aug 05 '14 at 06:43

Serjik

398

3

i am getting error: usermod: group 'vboxsf' does not exist – Alex Jones Dec 29 '14 at 14:42
I don't know why installing VirtualBox does not add that group for you, maybe will it be good idea to add group manually first – Serjik Dec 30 '14 at 05:08

score 9 · Answer 3 · edited Aug 22 '20 at 02:36

9

In a terminal run:
```
sudo adduser $USER vboxusers
```
Reboot all systems.

edited Aug 22 '20 at 02:36

Zanna

72,471

answered Feb 12 '20 at 20:43

Cesar Devesa

406

score 8 · Answer 4 · edited Dec 18 '14 at 02:36

8

Add the user as suggested by other answer using usermod command.
Run the command id. You should see vboxusers in the list.
If you don't see that, you may restart your computer and try id again.

When you get vboxusers listed as a result of running id, you're good to use USB with virtual box.

edited Dec 18 '14 at 02:36

Aaron Hill

5,045

answered Dec 18 '14 at 01:36

Shakus

191

1

Instead of restarting, simply logging off and on again also works. – nsane Oct 12 '16 at 18:35

score 4 · Answer 5 · edited Aug 22 '20 at 02:38

4

id <username>

That will give you

uid=1000([username]) gid=1000([username]) groups=1000([username]),10(wheel),18(dialout),497(plugdev)

if vboxusers is missing in that then add it

sudo usermod -a -G vboxusers [username]

This should resolve the issue

edited Aug 22 '20 at 02:38

Zanna

72,471

answered Jul 17 '14 at 09:39

user306403

41
1

score 1 · Answer 6 · answered Aug 29 '20 at 07:58

Would like to mentionn for those who no solution work like me, ensure you are part of the group vboxusers, if it does not exist, addgroup vboxusers.... after, delete in the host usb settings all the usb filters (devices) you have... reboot the guest In the host, use empty filters to recreate manually your devices, put any name just copy the two following fields from the original filter still available, restart your virtual guest.... voila, your devices are there ... its the only way i found to force them out of at least ten other solutions.. Enjoy

How to add users to vboxusers to enable USB usage

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