Install Windows 10 on your Mac with Boot Camp Assistant

With Boot Camp, you can install Microsoft Windows 10 on your Mac, then switch between macOS and Windows when restarting your Mac.

What you need to install Windows 10 on Mac

• MacBook introduced in 2015 or later
• MacBook Air introduced in 2012 or later
• MacBook Pro introduced in 2012 or later
• Mac mini introduced in 2012 or later

• iMac introduced in 2012 or later 1
• iMac Pro (all models)
• Mac Pro introduced in 2013 or later

The latest macOS updates, which can include updates to Boot Camp Assistant. You will use Boot Camp Assistant to install Windows 10.

64GB or more free storage space on your Mac startup disk:

• Your Mac can have as little as 64GB of free storage space, but at least 128GB of free storage space provides the best experience. Automatic Windows updates require that much space or more.
• If you have an iMac Pro or Mac Pro with 128GB of memory (RAM) or more, your startup disk needs at least as much free storage space as your Mac has memory. 2

An external USB flash drive with a storage capacity of 16GB or more, unless you’re using a Mac that doesn’t need a flash drive to install Windows.

A 64-bit version of Windows 10 Home or Windows 10 Pro on a disk image (ISO) or other installation media. If installing Windows on your Mac for the first time, this must be a full version of Windows, not an upgrade.

• If your copy of Windows came on a USB flash drive, or you have a Windows product key and no installation disc, download a Windows 10 disk image from Microsoft.
• If your copy of Windows came on a DVD, you might need to create a disk image of that DVD.

How to install Windows 10 on Mac

To install Windows, use Boot Camp Assistant, which is included with your Mac.

1. Check your Secure Boot setting

Learn how to check your Secure Boot setting. The default Secure Boot setting is Full Security. If you changed it to No Security, change it back to Full Security before installing Windows. After installing Windows, you can use any Secure Boot setting without affecting your ability to start up from Windows.

2. Use Boot Camp Assistant to create a Windows partition

Open Boot Camp Assistant, which is in the Utilities folder of your Applications folder. Follow the onscreen instructions.

• If you’re asked to insert a USB drive, plug your USB flash drive into your Mac. Boot Camp Assistant will use it to create a bootable USB drive for Windows installation.
• When Boot Camp Assistant asks you to set the size of the Windows partition, remember the minimum storage-space requirements in the previous section. Set a partition size that meets your needs, because you can’t change its size later.

3. Format the Windows (BOOTCAMP) partition

When Boot Camp Assistant finishes, your Mac restarts to the Windows installer. If the installer asks where to install Windows, select the BOOTCAMP partition and click Format. In most cases, the installer selects and formats the BOOTCAMP partition automatically.

4. Install Windows

Unplug any external devices that aren’t necessary during installation. Then click Next and follow the onscreen instructions to begin installing Windows.

5. Use the Boot Camp installer in Windows

After Windows installation completes, your Mac starts up in Windows and opens a ”Welcome to the Boot Camp installer” window. Follow the onscreen instructions to install Boot Camp and Windows support software (drivers). You will be asked to restart when done.

• If the Boot Camp installer never opens, open the Boot Camp installer manually and use it to complete Boot Camp installation.
• If you have an external display connected to a Thunderbolt 3 port on your Mac, the display will be blank (black, gray, or blue) for up to 2 minutes during installation.

How to switch between Windows and macOS

Restart, then press and hold the Option (or Alt) ⌥ key during startup to switch between Windows and macOS.

Learn more

If you have one of these Intel-based Mac models using OS X El Capitan or later, you don’t need a USB flash drive to install Windows:

• MacBook introduced in 2015 or later
• MacBook Air introduced in 2017 or later 3
• MacBook Pro introduced in 2015 or later 3

• iMac introduced in 2015 or later
• iMac Pro (all models)
• Mac Pro introduced in late 2013 or later

For more information about using Windows on your Mac, open Boot Camp Assistant and click the Open Boot Camp Help button.

1. If you’re using an iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, Late 2014) or iMac (27-inch, Late 2013) or iMac (27-inch, Late 2012) with a 3TB hard drive and macOS Mojave or later, learn about an alert you might see during installation.

2. For example, if your Mac has 128GB of memory, its startup disk must have at least 128GB of storage space available for Windows. To see how much memory your Mac has, choose Apple menu  > About This Mac. To see how much storage space is available, click the Storage tab in the same window.

3. These Mac models were offered with 128GB hard drives as an option. Apple recommends 256GB or larger hard drives so that you can create a Boot Camp partition of at least 128GB.

Information about products not manufactured by Apple, or independent websites not controlled or tested by Apple, is provided without recommendation or endorsement. Apple assumes no responsibility with regard to the selection, performance, or use of third-party websites or products. Apple makes no representations regarding third-party website accuracy or reliability. Contact the vendor for additional information.

ТОП-3 способа запуска программ Windows в MacOS

Если вам необходимо запустить на Макбуке программу Windows, то придется воспользоваться сторонним софтом. Самым популярным решением станет бесплатный эмулятор Wine. Он отличается высокой производительностью, благодаря которой программы не «тормозят». Минусами эмулятора Windows для mac OS является то, что он не дружит с некоторыми приложениями.

Как пользоваться эмулятором Wine на macOS?

• Чтобы эмулятор работал на ПК с системой macOS, нужно предварительно скачать и установить утилиту XQuartz. В последних версиях macOS открытый программный код вмонтирован в оболочку системы. Его можно найти по адресу: Applications/Utilities/Xquartz.app.

• После ее установки компьютер необходимо перезагрузить.
• Далее скачайте сам эмулятор . Wine скачать на mac можно с официального сайта.

• Дождитесь завершения установки. После чего софт можно найти в следующей директории: /Users/ваша_учетная_запись/.wine. Она будет скрыта, поэтому воспользуйтесь гайдом, как находить скрытые папки.

• Для запуска Windows нужно ввести команду «wine program.exe» либо запустить установочный файл скрытой папки в предыдущем пункте.

Достоинства и недостатки Wine

Плюсы эмуляторов для Windows:

• Не нужно лицензионное ПО.
• Данный способ значительно экономит ресурсы системы.

• Сложная настройка. Перед использованием любого софта, его предварительно нужно настроить. Особенно это сложно делать с играми.
• Совместимость. Некоторые «тяжелые» приложения, забирающие много ресурсов системы, могут некорректно работать или не работать вовсе.

Виртуальные машины

На выходе получается полноценная оперативная система, только располагается она на «виртуальном» железе. Получается, что внутри одной ОС создается другая, которая при запуске забирает часть ее оперативной памяти.

На данный момент существует несколько таких виртуальных машин. Они бывают платные и бесплатные. По большей части они ничем не различаются между собой. Разве что, в бесплатных функционал ограничен. Но в то же время, при полном образе можно легко запустить на mac программу для Windows.

• Установка дополнительной ОС со съемного носителя или образа загрузочного диска.
• Указание количества ресурсов, которые может использовать дополнительная ОС.
• Установка и пользование приложениями.

Какие бывают виртуальные машины — топ лучших

• Parallels Desktop – самая популярная платная программа. Благодаря ей создается гибрид систем. Любые приложения запускаются сразу, вне зависимости от того, к какой системе они принадлежат.

Достоинства и недостатки виртуальных машин

• Возможность работать с двумя системами одновременно.
• Легко получить доступ к файлам.

• Потеря производительности из-за одновременной работы двух систем.
• Некоторые приложение (чаще игры) не работают.

Что такое Boot Camp?

Это программа, позволяющая устанавливать «окна» на Макбук. Система займет отдельное место на жестком диске и будет работать независимо от «яблочной».

Для этого вам потребуется:

• 50 Гб свободного места во внутренней памяти.
• Загрузочный диск с Windows.

Достоинства и недостатки Boot Camp

• Такой метод не ресурсоемкий, потому что одновременно пользоваться можно только одной ОС.
• Все приложения и игры беспроблемно устанавливаются и работают.

• Чтобы переключаться между ОС, нужно каждый раз перезапускать компьютер.
• Не будет доступа к файлам разных систем.

Что выбрать: эмулятор Wine, виртуальные машины, Boot Camp?

Если вы не можете определиться, каким способом воспользоваться, то следующие рекомендации для вас:

• Boot Camp нужен, в первую очередь, для тех, кто будет пользоваться играми.
• Виртуальная машина нужна тогда, когда необходимо пользоваться одновременно двумя ОС.
• Эмулятор подходит для простых задач и нечастого применения.

Заключение

Нет таких людей, которые не имели бы дело с ОС Windows. Со временем некоторые пользователи «окон» переходят на «яблочную» систему. Но у них остаются на «окнах» программы, не имеющие аналогов на Mac, и без которых не получается обходиться.

Для такой проблемы есть несколько решений: запуск программ Windows в MacOS с помощью эмулятора Wine, виртуальных машин или Boot Camp. Каждое имеет свои особенности и недостатки, и только вы определите, что вам больше всего подойдет.

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The Easiest Way to Run Windows Programs on Mac

Running Windows software on your Mac isn’t as tough as you’d think. Here are the most popular ways to run Windows programs on macOS, including the best method for most people.

Mac software is awesome, but there’s no denying that Windows software is widespread. Thus, many Mac users find themselves needing to run Windows-only apps from time to time.

Maybe you need to use a specific piece of software that only runs on Windows, or just miss something from your Windows days. Whatever the case, you have options for running Windows programs on your Mac.

Here’s an overview of them all, plus our favorite method that will suit most people.

1. Virtual Machines

Virtual machines allow you to run operating systems inside a piece of software. The virtual OS thinks it’s running on a real computer, but you have full control over it thanks to the virtualization software. On macOS, you’ll find three big VM names: Parallels, VMware Fusion, and VirtualBox.

Parallels offers the best VM user experience, especially for beginners. You don’t have to configure anything or even download Windows yourself during the setup — the software does it all for you. Coherence mode lets you run Windows apps right alongside Mac apps, even pinning them to your Dock, and get Windows out of the way. Indeed, Parallels has surged ahead of VMware Fusion.

The biggest downside is the cost. Parallels costs $80, while VirtualBox is free. However, VirtualBox requires you to perform the setup yourself. It also isn’t quite as smooth as Parallels, since the latter was specifically designed for macOS. Our complete guide to VirtualBox will help you if you decide to try it, though.

We recommend giving the 14-day free trial of Parallels a try and deciding if it’s worth the cost to you. If you don’t want to pay, VirtualBox is your best bet for having a copy of Windows at the ready. Thankfully, you can download the Windows 10 installation media and use it without having to even activate the OS.

Pros

• Opening a virtual machine doesn’t require you to reboot your PC.
• Running Windows programs alongside Mac apps is a breeze.
• Parallels offers an impressively smooth experience.
• You can scale how much space the virtual hard drive uses.

Cons

• Parallels is expensive.
• VM graphics performance is poor so this isn’t a good solution for playing Windows games on your Mac.
• VirtualBox takes a bit of tinkering to set up.
• Older Macs might not have enough resources to keep a VM running smoothly.

2. Boot Camp

While virtual machines let you run a copy of Windows inside software, Boot Camp lets you install Windows right onto your Mac. Also known as dual-booting, this lets you run Windows and macOS side by side on one hard drive.

The Boot Camp Assistant in macOS walks you through the entire process. This will partition your hard drive and install Windows so you can reboot into it. We’ve covered how to download a Windows installer for Boot Camp and everything you need to know about running Windows on your Mac if you decide to go with this method.

One drawback to dual-booting with Boot Camp is that you can’t run Windows and Mac programs side-by-side. Whenever you need Windows, you’ll need to restart your Mac and boot into Windows. However, this leads to better performance than a virtual machine, because Windows can utilize all of your machine’s resources.

Pros

• No additional cost.
• Offers the best performance for running games and other intensive Windows software.

Cons

• You must reboot every time you want to access Windows programs.
• Can take up a good bit of disk space.

3. Wine

Both of the above solutions involve actually using the Windows OS to run Windows programs. But Wine is different. It’s a compatibility layer that lets you run Windows software on macOS and Linux. Wine is a lighter solution than an installation of Windows, if you just need to use a program or two. But it doesn’t come without its own set of problems.

Wine isn’t guaranteed to work with all programs. Some may work perfectly, while others will crash or fail to run at all. You can check the Wine Application Database to see if your preferred apps will work. Another problem is that the vanilla Wine program requires some tweaking that will likely confuse new users.

The best way to try Wine is with the third-party WineBottler, which adds some much-needed conveniences.

Download WineBottler and open the DMG file when complete. In the resulting window, drag and drop both the Wine and WineBottler icons to your Applications folder just like you’d install other software. Launch WineBottler, and you’ll see some programs that you can install right away, such as Internet Explorer on Mac.

To open other Windows programs, download them as EXE files from safe and reputable download sites. Right-click and choose Open With > Wine and Wine can run them directly. Remember that not all programs will work under Wine, so you may have to try some Wine troubleshooting if one fails.

Wine is best if you need to run a Windows program or two and is worth keeping around for those times. But if you need to run many Windows programs, you’re better off with another method.

Pros

• Free and fast install.
• Some common Windows software works out of the box.
• Doesn’t require installing Windows.

Cons

• Not guaranteed to work with all software.
• Even supported programs may have problems.

4. CrossOver

CrossOver is a paid tool that’s based on Wine. It features a solid user interface, allowing you to simply type the name of the Windows software you want to install and handles it all for you. Since it’s commercial software, you can also ask the developers about adding support for a new piece of software if you’re a subscriber.

But compared to your other options here, CrossOver really doesn’t offer the best package for most people’s needs. If you need to run several Windows programs, you’re better off with using a VM. Boot Camp will give you better performance for games, and Wine is free for testing one-off programs. At $40 minimum for CrossOver, we recommend skipping this one.

Pros

• Marginally better support and interface than WineBottler.
• Focuses on supporting popular programs.

Cons

• Cost is a lot to pay when WineBottler is free.
• Based on Wine, so may still have bugs.
• Not great for running lots of Windows software.

5. Remote Access

If none of the above solutions work for you, why not attack the problem in a different way? Those who have a Windows computer already can simply use a remote control software to access Windows from their Mac.

TeamViewer is a free and powerful remote control tool that will do this job just fine. If you use Chrome, Chrome Remote Desktop is equally as solid.

All you need to do is install your chosen tool on both your Mac and Windows PC, sign into your account on both machines, and you can access your Windows computer whenever you need to.

Depending on your internet connection you may experience some latency, and keyboard shortcuts may cause a bit of confusion. High-intensity programs like games aren’t ideal over a remote connection, either. But if you just want to perform an action in Windows or need access to a specific program, remote access is easy and free.

Pros

• Free and easy to set up.
• Doesn’t take up space on your Mac.
• Windows programs are guaranteed to work since they’re running on a Windows machine.

Cons

• Requires you to have a Windows PC that’s always on.
• A poor internet connection can hamper the experience.
• It’s hard to use demanding programs over a remote connection.

Don’t Forget Web Apps

While you can’t run Windows apps through your browser, it’s worth mentioning that so much software is available online and doesn’t require an install. No matter if you’re using macOS, Linux, or Chrome OS, these tools all work through any browser.

If you prefer Microsoft Office to the iWork suite, you can use Office Online at no cost. Online image editing tools offer an alternative to Windows apps like Paint.NET. And online collaboration tools let you communicate with others without anyone installing software. These give you a way to run alternative software if you don’t like the Mac offering available.

The Easiest Way to Run Windows Programs on a Mac

We’ve taken a look at the five most common ways to run Windows software on your Mac. But which is the easiest? As it turns out…

Unless you’re playing games, running a virtual machine is the best way for most people to access Windows software on macOS.

Using a virtual machine lets you open Windows software alongside Mac apps, all without rebooting your Mac. And it’s more reliable than Wine, making it the best way to run Windows on Mac.

Whether you should use Parallels or Virtualbox for your VM depends on your needs. If you don’t mind paying, aren’t comfortable with setting up your own VM, or want the absolute best experience, go with Parallels. Those who have some experience with VMs or don’t have extra money to spend will do fine with Virtualbox.

VirtualBox. Or Parallels if you don’t mind paying every year for the upgrade to keep everything working.

How Do You Run Windows Software on Your Mac?

Just because a virtual machine is the best method for the average user to use Windows apps on a Mac, it doesn’t mean it’s the best solution for you. Let’s review the five methods in turn to summarize what kind of user can benefit from each:

• Virtual Machine: Best for anyone who wants to use a variety of Windows software along with their Mac apps without having to reboot into Windows. Doesn’t offer powerful performance for games.
• Boot Camp: Best for those who need their machine’s full power when running Windows, like when playing video games. Inconvenient to reboot into Windows.
• Wine: Handy to keep around if you only run a handful Windows programs on your Mac. Inferior to a VM if you want to run lots of apps, as many don’t work in Wine.
• CrossOver: Not worth paying for over Wine. You’re better off with a VM.
• Remote Desktop: Worth setting up if you have a Windows PC already. May have problems with network latency. Using a VM is cheaper than buying a dedicated PC for this.

Now, let’s move on from Windows apps to Mac apps. Do you want to run multiple copies of apps on your Mac? You have a handful of ways to do that.

The company saved on 861,000 tons of metal and reduced its plastic and zinc consumption by removing the charger.

Ben is a Deputy Editor and the Onboarding Manager at MakeUseOf. He left his IT job to write full-time in 2016 and has never looked back. He’s been covering tech tutorials, video game recommendations, and more as a professional writer for over six years.

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