Techniques for virtual machine shifting are described. An apparatus may comprise shifting component operative to shift a virtual machine (VM) between a hypervisor having one type of hypervisor platform and a destination hypervisor having an alternative type of hypervisor platform through use of a clone of the VM. The shifting is bi-directional between the host and the destination hypervisor. The apparatus may comprise a universal application programming interface (API) used for reconfiguring one or more network interfaces and one or more disks of the VM onto the destination hypervisor. Other embodiments are described and claimed.