Restart your Mac in macOS or Windows

After installing Microsoft Windows on your Mac, you can choose whether your Mac starts up in macOS or Windows.

How to start up in macOS from Windows

1. From the notification area on the right side of the Windows taskbar, click to show hidden icons.
2. Click the Boot Camp icon .
3. From the menu shown, choose Restart in macOS.
   If you haven’t installed the latest Boot Camp updates, you might get the message ”Could not locate the OS X boot volume.»
   

Or use Startup Manager as your Mac starts up:

1. Restart your Mac from the Start menu in Windows.
2. Press and hold the Option (or Alt) ⌥ key as your Mac begins to restart.
3. Select your Mac startup volume (Macintosh HD) in the Startup Manager window, then press Return or click the up arrow:
   

How to start up in Windows from macOS

• Use Startup Manager to choose your Windows (Boot Camp) volume during startup.
• Or select your Boot Camp volume in Startup Disk preferences, then restart.

Learn more

• If you’re having difficulty using VoiceOver or another screen reader to complete these steps, please contact Apple Support.
• Learn how to install Windows 10 on your Mac.

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.

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 on-screen 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, grey 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.

How to reinstall macOS

Use macOS Recovery to reinstall the Mac operating system.

Start up from macOS Recovery

Apple silicon

Turn on your Mac and continue to press and hold the power button until you see the startup options window. Click the gear icon labeled Options, then click Continue.

Intel processor

Make sure that your Mac has a connection to the internet. Then turn on your Mac and immediately press and hold Command (⌘)-R until you see an Apple logo or other image.

If you’re asked to select a user you know the password for, select the user, click Next, then enter their administrator password.

Reinstall macOS

Select Reinstall macOS from the utilities window in macOS Recovery, then click Continue and follow the onscreen instructions.

Follow these guidelines during installation:

• If the installer asks to unlock your disk, enter the password you use to log in to your Mac.
• If the installer doesn’t see your disk, or it says that it can’t install on your computer or volume, you might need to erase your disk first.
• If the installer offers you the choice between installing on Macintosh HD or Macintosh HD — Data, choose Macintosh HD.
• Allow installation to complete without putting your Mac to sleep or closing its lid. Your Mac might restart and show a progress bar several times, and the screen might be empty for minutes at a time.

After installation is complete, your Mac might restart to a setup assistant. If you’re selling, trading in, or giving away your Mac, press Command-Q to quit the assistant without completing setup. Then click Shut Down. When the new owner starts up the Mac, they can use their own information to complete setup.

Other macOS installation options

When you install macOS from Recovery, you get the current version of the most recently installed macOS, with some exceptions:

• On an Intel-based Mac: If you use Shift-Option-Command-R during startup, you’re offered the macOS that came with your Mac, or the closest version still available. If you use Option-Command-R during startup, in most cases you’re offered the latest macOS that is compatible with your Mac. Otherwise you’re offered the macOS that came with your Mac, or the closest version still available.
• If the Mac logic board was just replaced, you may be offered only the latest macOS that is compatible with your Mac. If you just erased your entire startup disk, you may be offered only the macOS that came with your Mac, or the closest version still available.

You can also use these methods to install macOS, if the macOS is compatible with your Mac:

• Use the App Store to download and install the latest macOS.
• Use the App Store or a web browser to download and install an earlier macOS.
• Use a USB flash drive or other secondary volume to create a bootable installer.

Start up your Mac in Windows or macOS with Boot Camp

After you use Boot Camp Assistant to install Windows on your Intel-based Mac, you can set the default operating system to either macOS or Windows. The default operating system is the one you want to use when you turn on or restart your Mac.

Set the default operating system

In Windows on your Mac, click in the right side of the taskbar, click the Boot Camp icon , then choose Boot Camp Control Panel.

If a User Account Control dialog appears, click Yes.

Select the startup disk that has the default operating system you want to use.

If you want to start up using the default operating system now, click Restart. Otherwise, click OK.

You can’t change your startup volume to an external drive while you’re using Windows.

To learn how to change the default operating system using macOS, see Get started with Boot Camp.

Restart in macOS

In Windows on your Mac, do one of the following:

Restart using Startup Manager: Restart your Mac, then immediately press and hold the Option key. When the Startup Manager window appears, release the Option key, select your macOS startup disk, then press Return.

If you’re using a Mac notebook computer with an external keyboard, make sure you press and hold the Option key on the built-in keyboard.

Restart using Boot Camp Control Panel: Click in the right side of the taskbar, click the Boot Camp icon , then choose Restart in macOS.

This also sets the default operating system to macOS.

For more information about restarting in macOS, see the Apple Support article Restart your Mac in macOS or Windows.

How to Dual Boot Mac OS X El Capitan and Windows 10

It’s not often that computer users get the best of both worlds. For the most part, you’re either a PC person or a Mac person, and “never the twain shall meet.” But for those of us who actually prefer to straddle the dividing line between PC and Mac, there’s a method by which you can have your proverbial cake and eat it too.

It’s called dual booting, and it lets you jump back and forth on your Mac between operating systems with dexterous ease, not even requiring you to get up out of your comfy office chair to switch to another computer. Here’s how it works.

What You’ll Need

Before you get all excited and begin your charge, there are a few things to take into consideration. Just as no battle is ever won without first equipping yourself with the right stuff to pull out a victory, no serious computer makeover can ever be accomplished without having a few necessary tools in your arsenal. This is what you’ll need:

• Perform a full backup of your data so nothing’s lost in the formatting and partitioning of your hard drive. You should already have a system in place to back up your data. If not, don’t waste time browbeating yourself. Get busy backing up your data, then move on to the next step.
• Your Mac’s keyboard, mouse, or trackpad. A USB keyboard and mouse can be used instead if the original equipment is no longer in your custody. Bear in mind that you may run into trouble during Windows installation if you’re using an Apple mouse or the Apple touchpad plugged directly into your Mac.
• A Mac computer that will support Windows 10. Go here to see if your Mac makes the cut.
• A Mac with a bare minimum of 2GB of RAM.
• Plenty of space in your hard drive, enough to fit both operating systems. At minimum, you should have at least 55GB of free space in your partition for the 64-bit version of Windows 10. If you’ve got more room than that, even better.
• A 16GB USB flash drive, which is required for some Mac models to install updated drivers.
• Installation discs for Windows and OS X. Some Macs will allow you to install Windows from a USB flash drive that contains a Windows 10 ISO image downloaded from Microsoft, which is why you may need the aforementioned 16GB USB flash drive. You can download Windows 10 here.

• Internet access and an administrator account in OS X.
• Enough computer savvy to ensure you don’t make a mess of your system. You don’t need to be a guru to configure your Mac for dual booting, but you should be able to follow the steps without having to constantly ring up your computer pals to ask for clarification. If you find yourself reaching for the phone or scratching your head every five seconds, consider getting a pro involved. Or check with the experts in the NotebookReview forum.

Putting Boot Camp Assistant to Work

If you own a Mac that’s even a few years old, it came pre-loaded with a program called Boot Camp Assistant, which was intended to make setting up a dual boot scenario possible.

Depending on which version of Windows you want to use, you may require a different version of Boot Camp Assistant. For the purposes of this article, where we’re focusing on dual booting into Windows 10, you’ll need to be running OS X Yosemite or later on your Mac. In this case, “or later” refers to the newly available OS X El Capitan. The version of Boot Camp Assistant that comes with Yosemite and El Capitan supports the 64-bit version of Windows 10. Go here for separate instructions on how to dual boot Windows 7 on your Mac, and here for Windows 8.

Installing Windows 10 on Your Mac

Follow the steps below to install a new copy of Windows 10. If you already have an earlier version of Windows on your Mac but want to upgrade to Windows 10, skip this entire section and scroll down to Upgrading Windows.

• Check for any OS X updates you still need to install. Be sure to log into your Mac administrator account and log out any other users. While you’re at it, quit out of any running apps. Check here to ensure you’re up to date on any necessary updates.

• Read over the documentation for Windows 10 to ensure your Mac has the right kind of processor to make it all fly. Then, check your Mac’s System Information to make sure you’re equipped.

• Create an ISO disk image if the version of Windows 10 you’re installing came on a disk. If you’re working off Windows from a USB flash drive, download an ISO from Microsoft directly. You can get that here.
• Launch Boot Camp Assistant. You’ll find it in your Utilities folder. If you’re prompted to do so, plug in your USB flash drive.
• Once Boot Camp is done doing its thing, your Mac will restart and launch the Windows installer automatically. You’ll then be prompted to select where you want to install Windows. Pick the partition labeled BOOTCAMP and then select the Format option. We recommend dedicating at least 30GB of space for the Windows side, although if you’re unsure you can always refer to your accompanying Windows documentation to see just how much space you’ll need. There’s also the option to split the drive evenly down the middle. Take into account how you plan to use Windows 10 and add space accordingly if you plan on using it a lot for games and other intensive applications.

• Continue following the Windows configuration and installation prompts.
• Reboot your Mac into your desired OS by using the Startup Disk preference pane in OSX, or the Boot Camp system tray icon in Windows.

Then What?

Follow all onscreen instructions through to completion of setup. You might encounter a message telling you that the software you’re installing hasn’t passed Windows Logo testing. If so, just click Continue Anyway.

Your Mac will once again restart. Follow all and any instructions to finalize installation.

If you happen to experience any trouble with Windows installation, pay a visit to Apple.com’s Boot Camp Support page to troubleshoot and fix any issues.

Upgrading Windows

To upgrade an already existing version of Windows on your Mac to Windows 10, first determine if the version of Windows you’re currently running is 64-bit or 32-bit and follow the appropriate steps below.

Upgrading 64-bit Windows

• If you’re running Windows 8 and want to upgrade to Windows 10, you’ll first have to upgrade to Windows 8.1 to make the leap.
• Ensure you have at minimum 10GB of free space on your Windows partition.
• Reboot your Mac in OS X and check for any software updates you’ll need.
• Next, reboot your Mac into the existing version of Windows you have installed and download any required Windows OS updates.
• Upgrade your current version of Windows to Windows 10.
• Next, make sure you have all Windows support software drivers for Boot Camp are up to date. Then log into Windows 10.

Upgrading 32-bit Windows

• Access your Windows partition and back up any files you don’t want to lose.
• Launch Boot Camp Assistant and remove the existing Windows partition.
• Next, follow all the steps outlined in Installing Windows 10 on Your Mac (above).

Toggling Between OS X and Windows

Once everything’s been installed correctly, you’ll be able to start your Mac in either OS X or Windows.

Switching from one operating system to another is as easy as rebooting and holding down the Option (Alt) key during restart to pick your desired OS.

Removing with Ease

If you’re not a fan of Windows 10 and you want to make it go away, doing so is easy. Simply launch Boot Camp again, check the option to remove Windows, and click Continue. If you click Restore on the next screen you see, you will completely wipe the newly installed Windows partition.