---
title: "Step 6. Specify VM Guest OS Credentials"
description: "After you connect one or more Microsoft Hyper-V servers, you must specify credentials of an account that will be used to collect data from Windows-based guest OSes on VMs."
canonical: "https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/one/userguide/hyperv_guest_credentials.html"
breadcrumb: "User Guide > Configuring Veeam ONE > Data Collection > Adding Data Source > Connecting Microsoft Hyper-V Servers > Step 6. Specify VM Guest OS Credentials"
dateModified: "2026-10-23"
---

# Step 6. Specify VM Guest OS Credentials

After you connect one or more Microsoft Hyper-V servers, you must specify credentials of an account that will be used to collect data from Windows-based guest OSes on VMs. If you do not specify guest OS credentials, Veeam ONE will use connection credentials to display guest OS data (in particular, data about guest disks) in monitoring dashboards, alarms and reports.

You can specify the account credentials for VM guest OS at the following levels of the Microsoft Hyper-V infrastructure:

- Microsoft Hyper-V infrastructure
- VM containers, such as hosts and clusters
- Individual VMs

If you specify guest OS account credentials at multiple levels, Veeam ONE will use the following order of priority: VM > VM container > Microsoft Hyper-V infrastructure. For example, if account credentials are specified both at the VM and VM container level, Veeam ONE will collect guest OS data using an account set at the VM level.

## Specifying Account Credentials for Microsoft Hyper-V Infrastructure

You can specify account credentials at the level of the Microsoft Hyper-V infrastructure. Veeam ONE will use this account to connect to all VMs running on Microsoft Hyper-V hosts unless you specify other credentials for specific VMs or VM containers.

To specify account credentials for all VMs in the Microsoft Hyper-V infrastructure:

1. Open Veeam ONE Client.
2. In the main menu, click **Settings** and select **Server Settings**.

   Alternatively, press the `[CTRL+S]` on the keyboard.

3. In the **Server Settings** window, open the **Guest OS Credentials** tab. 
4. Specify guest OS credentials:

   - In the **Microsoft Windows** section, select credentials of an account that will be used to collect data from the guest OS of Windows-based VMs. To create a new credentials record, click **Add**.

     For details on requirements to the account, see [Connection to VM Guest OS](guest_os_connection.md).

   - In the **Linux** section, select credentials of an account that will be used to collect data from the guest OS of Linux-based VMs. To create a new credentials record, click **Add** and select **Standard account** or **Linux private key**.

     In the **SSH port** field, change the default connection port if required.

     To disable fingerprint validation for Linux VMs, select **Skip fingerprint check**.

   To access credentials manager, click the **Manage Credentials** link. For more information on working with credentials, see [Security](credentials_manager.md).

5. Click **OK**.

[![Specify VM Guest OS Account Credentials](images/credentials_management.png "Specify VM Guest OS Account Credentials")](images/credentials_management.png){.toggle}

## Specifying Account Credentials for Containers and VMs

You can specify account credentials at the level of specific VMs or VM containers. This can be helpful if an account specified at the level of the Microsoft Hyper-V infrastructure does not have enough permissions on specific VMs or VM containers.

To specify account credentials for individual VMs or VM containers:

1. Open Veeam ONE Client.
2. At the bottom of the inventory pane, click **Virtual Infrastructure**.
3. Right-click the necessary VM or VM container and select **Guest OS Credentials** from the shortcut menu.
4. In the **Guest OS Credentials** window, select the **Use these credentials** option and specify credentials of an account that will be used to collect guest OS data from Microsoft Hyper-V VMs.
5. Click **OK**.