If you want to run Windows on your Mac there are two ways to do it. One is to partition your main drive using the built-in Bootcamp Assistant and then install Windows on the partition that doesn’t house macOS. You can then boot into whichever operating system you choose.
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Virtual machines allow you to run one operating system emulated within another operating system. Your primary OS can be Windows 7 64-bit, for example, but with enough memory and processing power. VirtualBox is a general-purpose full virtualizer for x86 hardware, targeted at server, desktop and embedded use.For a thorough introduction to virtualization and VirtualBox.
While that method means running Windows natively and so is optimal in terms of performance, it means you have to reboot every time you want to move between operating systems and you can’t, for example, copy and paste between macOS and Windows. If you want to run Windows and macOS side by side, you’ll need to create a Windows virtual machine for Mac.
What is a virtual machine?
A virtual machine (VM) is a computer that’s created in software and looks and feels just like a real PC. But it runs inside a Mac application. The whole virtual machine, with the operating system and all its applications, is stored inside one big file on your Mac. That means you can have multiple virtual machines on the same Mac. Once you launch it and ‘boot’ the virtual PC, Windows VM on Mac behaves like any other Windows machine, except that it’s running inside a window on your Mac.
If you have two screens connected to your Mac, you can have macOS on one and Windows on the other. Or you can use Mission Control to swipe between them. A virtual machine can share accessories like printers and external storage with your Mac, and you can copy and paste between the two operating systems. You can even set up the virtual machine to use Mac keyboard shortcuts instead of their Windows equivalents.
Can I run a virtual machine on my Mac?
As long as your Mac has an Intel processor (and it will have unless it’s more than 12 years old), in theory it can run a virtual machine. However, running a virtual machine alongside macOS needs lots of memory (at least 8GB in total, and more if you want to run more than one virtual machine) and at least two processor cores. You’ll also need at least 16-20GB of hard drive space, and that’s before you start installing applications and saving files. Most modern Macs should run any of the virtual machine applications described here without a problem.
The other thing you’ll need is a copy of Windows. Virtual machine applications don’t come with Windows installers, so you’ll need to supply your own, along with a licence key.
Best virtual machine software for Mac
There are three contenders here: Parallels Desktop, VMWare Fusion, and VirtualBox. We’ll discuss Virtual Box in the next section.
Parallels Desktop 13
The latest version of Parallels Desktop has support for features in the latest Macs, like the MacBook Pro’s Touch Bar. It also allows you to make the Windows desktop ‘invisible’ when you’re running apps, so it looks like you’re just running Windows apps in macOS. Or, if you prefer, you can shrink Windows desktop down to a thumbnail preview, so it doesn’t get in the way but you can keep an eye on what it’s doing.
Of course, virtual machines aren’t just about running Windows on your Mac. Parallels Desktop allows you to install Linux, or a different version of macOS, say a beta of the next version if you don’t want to install it on your Mac. If you’ve previously installed Windows on a Boot Camp partition, you can use that partition as a virtual machine, allowing you to boot into it from within Parallels without re-booting your Mac.
Touch Bar support includes functions in Microsoft Office apps, as well as Windows Task Bar.
When it comes to performance, Parallels Desktop is about as good as it gets for virtual machines. That means you can run most applications just fine, but demanding 3D graphics-intensive games, and other apps that place lots of demands on the CPU and GPU are still a bit of a struggle. If you want to run those in Windows, you’re still better off using Boot Camp.
VMWare Fusion
The other main contender when it comes to running a virtual machine on your Mac is VMWare Fusion. It comes in two versions, Fusion 10, which costs about the same as Parallels Desktop, and Fusion 10 Pro, which is more expensive but adds feature aimed at enterprise customers, such as support for managing virtual servers.
In terms of features, there’s little to choose between Parallels Desktop and Fusion. Like its rival, Fusion allows you to choose between running Windows inside a window on your Mac (or full-screen if you prefer) and in what it calls Unity mode, where the operating system disappears and Windows apps look like they’re running natively on the Mac. That means you can run Windows and Mac apps alongside each other and switch between them seamlessly. You can also copy and paste between Mac and Windows, share peripherals, and map Mac keyboard shortcuts in Windows.
Support for OpenGL and DX10, as well as Apple’s Metal technology means that playing resource-hungry games is theoretically possible. But, as with Parallels, performance in the latest games lags behind Boot Camp and may prove frustrating.
The latest version of Fusion adds support for the MacBook Pro’s Touch Bar.
Choosing between Parallels Desktop and VMWare Fusion may be as much a matter of a preference for one or the other’s user interface. They have very similar features, and cost almost the same. Fortunately, both offer free trials — Parallels for 14 days and Fusion for 30 days — so you can download each one and try them out before making a decision on which to buy.
Best free virtual machine software for Mac
If you want to run a virtual machine on your Mac but can’t stretch to the $70 for Parallels or Fusion, there is a third option — VirtualBox. Owned by Oracle and made available as open-source software for personal or educational use, VirtualBox won’t cost you a penny if you fall into either of those two categories.
That’s the good news. The bad news is that VirtualBox, because it’s open source and free lacks all of the polish of Parallels Desktop and VMWare Fusion. While it does the basics competently, it’s much less user friendly and much less easy to use than the other two. And while there is help available online from other users, there’s no official support if you run into problems. And remember, while VirtualBox itself is free, you’ll still need to supply your own copy of Windows. Alternatively, you could use VirtualBox to run Linux on your Mac, instead of Windows.
Alternatives to a virtual machine
As we mentioned earlier, the alternative to running a virtual machine on your Mac is to partition your main drive using the built-in Boot Camp Assistant (it’s in the Utilities folder). You can then install Windows or Linux, or another version on macOS, on the other partition.
Boot Camp Assistant is very easy to use and once you’ve set it up, booting into, say, Windows, is just like using it natively on a PC. That means, of course, that you won’t be able to copy and paste between Mac and Windows, and you won’t be able to use external storage that’s formatted in APFS or Mac OS Extended, but Windows will run faster than it does on a virtual machine.
If you plan to use Boot Camp Assistant to partition your main drive, remember to back it up first. Partitioning a drive is not quite major surgery, but it definitely carries the risk of losing data.
How to make space for a virtual machine on your Mac
Depending on how many applications you plan to install on your virtual machine and what you plan to use it for, you may need tens of gigabytes of free space on your Mac. If space is tight, don’t worry, there’s plenty you can do to make room. As a first step, we recommend installing CleanMyMac X. It scans your Mac and looks for files that can be safely deleted. These include “junk” system files like cache files and other temporary files that are still hanging around, as well as language support files, and data in Photos and iTunes you may not need. Once it’s scanned your Mac and found all those files, you can delete them all with a click, or review the results of the scan and decide for yourself what you want to trash.
CleanMyMac can also uninstall files completely, getting rid of all the files that are left if you just drag and app to the Trash, and highlight large and old files that you haven’t opened for a while. Best of all, you can download it free here and give it a try. You’ll be surprised about how much space you can free up.
Virtual machines are the most convenient way of running a second operating system on your Mac. The ones we have highlighted here are the best VMs for Mac, so download one and give it a go.
Virtual machines allow you to emulate additional operating systems within their own individual window, right from your existing computer. The beauty of VM software is that you can run a Windows instance on macOS or vice versa, as well as a number of other different OS combinations that include Chrome OS, Linux, Solaris and more.
When utilizing application-based VM software, also known as a hypervisor, your computer's operating system is commonly referred to as the host. The secondary operating system that is run within the VM interface is often called the guest.
While some guest operating systems like Windows require the purchase of an additional license key, others are available free of charge. This includes most Linux distributions as well as macOS, assuming that you are running on Mac hardware from 2009 or later.
It should be noted that running macOS in a virtual machine on non-Mac hardware, such as a Windows PC, is sometimes possible with several of the software solutions listed below including Oracle's VirtualBox. However, macOS is only intended to be run on Apple hardware and doing otherwise might not only be a violation of the macOS license agreement but the user experience is usually slow, buggy and downright unpredictable.
Below are some of the best virtual machine solutions available, each offering their own unique feature sets and platform compatibility.
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VMware Workstation
What We Like
- Evaluation version available.
- Easy to use once set up.
- Widely used and well regarded.
What We Don't Like
- Consumes a lot of resources.
- Not all programs work within the emulation.
- Default configuration sometimes require changes.
With almost 20 years on the market, VMware Workstation is often looked upon as the industry standard when it comes to virtual machine applications — with its robust set of functions covering a wide breadth of virtualization needs.
VMware Workstation permits advanced 3D solutions by supporting DirectX 10 and OpenGL 3.3, eliminating image and video degradation within your VMs even when running graphics-intensive applications. The software allows for virtual machine open standards, providing the ability to both create and run VMs from competing vendors within the VMware product.
Its advanced networking features provide the ability to set up and administer elaborate virtual networks for VMs, while complete data center topologies can be designed and implemented when VMware is integrated with third-party tools — essentially emulating an entire enterprise DC.
VMware's snapshots let you set various rollback points for testing, and its cloning system makes deploying multiple instances of a similar VM a breeze — allowing you to choose between fully isolated duplicates or linked clones which rely partially on the original in an effort to save a notable amount of hard drive space.
The package also integrates seamlessly with vSphere, VMware's cloud-based platform, resulting in the easy administration of all VMs in your company's data center remotely from your local machine.
There are two versions of the application, Workstation Player, and Workstation Pro, the former available free of charge.
Player allows you to create new VMs and supports over 200 guest operating systems. It also allows for file sharing between host and guest and features all of the graphical advantages mentioned above, as well as support for 4K displays.
Where the free version falls short, for the most part, is when it comes to VMware's advanced functionality such as running more than one VM at a time and accessing many of the aforementioned abilities like cloning, snapshots, and complex networking.
For these features, as well as to create and manage encrypted virtual machines, you'll need to purchase VMware Workstation Pro. Workstation Player is also restricted from commercial use, so businesses looking to utilize the Workstation software are expected to purchase one or more Pro licenses if they intend to utilize the application beyond its trial period.
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Upgrading from Player to Pro with the lowest level of support included will cost you $99.99, with other packages available to those buying ten or more licenses.
- Most 64-bit Linux distributions
- Windows 7 and above (64-bit only)
- Windows Server 2008 R2 and above
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VMware Fusion
What We Like
- Brings VMware’s emulation capabilities to MacOS.
- Basic version is free.
- Supports range of MacOS displays.
- Can use same virtual machines as non-Mac VMware products.
What We Don't Like
- Not as full-featured as Parallels.
- Can be sluggish.
Brought to you by the same folks that created VMware Workstation for Linux and Windows, Fusion ports what is basically the same experience that Workstation offers to the Mac platform.
Not unlike VMware Workstation, the software's basic version is free and intended for personal use only while Fusion Pro can be purchased for business purposes or individuals requiring access to the advanced feature sets.
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It does have some Mac-specific functionality, such as support for 5K iMac displays as well as mixed retina and non-retina configurations. Fusion also includes Unity Mode, which hides the Windows desktop interface and lets you launch and run Windows applications right from your Dock as if they were native to macOS.
Both the free and paid versions of Fusion also provide the option of running Windows from your Boot Camp partition as a guest VM instance, eliminating the need for a reboot when you want to switch back and forth.
- macOS/OS X 10.9 and above
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Oracle VM VirtualBox
What We Like
- Completely free.
- Intuitive interface and operation.
- Stable.
What We Don't Like
- Requires solid hardware setup with ample RAM for efficient performance.
- Must download 'Guest-addition' software to manage additional features.
First released in 2007, this open source hypervisor is available for both home and enterprise use at no charge under the
VirtualBox supports a wide array of guest operating systems, a list that features all versions of Windows ranging from XP to 10 as well as Windows NT and Server 2003. It allows you to run VMs with Linux 2.4 and above, Solaris and OpenSolaris in addition to OpenBSD. You're even given the option to turn back the clock and run OS/2 or DOS/Windows 3.1, whether for nostalgic purposes or to play some of your old favorites like 'Wasteland' or 'Pool of Radiance' in their native environments.
You can also run macOS in a VM using VirtualBox, although this will only work if your host operating system is also on a Mac. This is mainly due to the fact that Apple does not allow their operating system to function on non-Apple hardware. This is the case with a standard macOS installation, and also applies when running the OS within a VM solution.
VirtualBox supports the ability to run multiple guest windows simultaneously and also provides a level of portability where a VM created on one host can be easily transferred to another that may have a completely different operating system.
It tends to run fairly well on older hardware, recognizes most USB devices and offers a useful library of Guest Additions which are available for free and easy to install. These added features include the ability to transfer files and clipboard contents between the host and guest operating systems, 3D virtualization and other added video support to alleviate many common problems with visuals on a VM.
The product's website provides several thorough and easy-to-digest tutorials along with a set of pre-built virtual machines, custom-made to meet specific development needs.
Boasting an ever-expanding developer community which publishes new releases on a somewhat regular basis and an active user forum with almost 100,000 registered members, VirtualBox's track record all but assures that it will continue to improve and serve as a long-term VM solution.
- Most Linux distributions
- macOS/OS X 10.9 and above
- Solaris 10 (U10+) and above
- Windows Vista SP1+, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10
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Parallels Desktop
What We Like
- Allows user to run Windows, Chrome OS, Linux, and a second instance of MacOS.
- Three versions to suit different applications.
- Full complement of features, with ability to monitor and adjust memory usage.
- Impressive speed.
- Allows MacBook Pro’s Touch Bar to work in Windows.
What We Don't Like
- Considerable resource consumption.
- Adjustments not always intuitive.
- Subscription pricing model means users must upgrade yearly.
A long-time favorite of Mac enthusiasts who occasionally need to run Windows, Parallels grants the ability to seamlessly run Windows and Mac applications side-by-side.
Based upon your primary use for Windows, whether it be design, development, gameplay, or something else, Parallels optimizes system and hardware resources for a Windows experience that often feels as if you're on an actual PC.
Parallels offers most features that you'd expect in a paid VM product, as well as many specific to the Mac such as being able to open websites in IE or Edge directly from your Safari browser and Windows alerts displaying in the Mac Notification Center. Files can be quickly dragged between the two operating systems, as well as all clipboard content. Also included with Parallels is a dedicated cloud storage space that can be shared across both macOS and Windows.
A common misconception about Parallels is that it can only be used for Windows in a guest VM, while it actually permits you to run Chrome OS, Linux and even a second instance of macOS.
There are three different versions of Parallels available, each suited for a particular audience. The basic edition targets those who are switching from PC to Mac for the first time, as well as the everyday user that has a need to utilize Windows applications on a regular basis. It contains the basic toolset along with 8GB of VRAM and 4 vCPUs for each guest VM and costs a one-time fee of $79.99.
The Pro Edition, aimed at software developers, testers, and other power users, integrates with Microsoft Visual Studio in addition to other well-known dev and QA tools such as Jenkins. Round-the-clock email and phone support are provided, along with advanced networking tools and the ability to utilize business cloud services. With a formidable 64GB vRAM and 16 vCPUs for every VM, Parallels Desktop Pro Edition is available for $99.99 per year.
Last but certainly not least is the Business Edition, which includes all of the above along with centralized administration and management tools and a volume license key that allows you to roll out and control Parallels instances across entire departments and organizations. The overall cost of Parallels Desktop Business Edition is dependent on the number of seat licenses you require.
- macOS/OS X 10.10 and above
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QEMU
What We Like
- Free.
- Functions as both virtual machine host and machine emulator.
- Can emulate broad range of machines.
What We Don't Like
- For Linux only.
- Dated, confusing interface.
QEMU is frequently the hypervisor of choice for Linux users, based on its zero-dollar price tag and easy-to-master full-system emulation tools. The open source emulator simulates an impressive range of hardware peripherals, using dynamic translation for ideal performance.
Running KVM virtual machines when using QEMU as a virtualizer can result in what is essentially native-level performance on the right hardware, making you almost forget that you're using a VM.
Administrative privileges are only required in certain scenarios with QEMU, such as when you need to access your USB devices from within a guest VM. This is somewhat of a rarity with this type of software, adding some pliability to the ways in which you can use it.
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Custom builds of QEMU have also been created for macOS and Windows, although the majority of its user base tends to have Linux boxes as their host.
- Most Linux distributions
- macOS (OS X 10.7 or above) via Homebrew package manager
- 32-bit Windows and 64-bit Windows
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Cloud-Based Virtual Machines
What We Like
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- No software to download.
- Low resource usage.
- Access from anywhere.
- Scales to needs.
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What We Don't Like
- Per-minute-billing charges can add up.
- Performance not as easily measured as with software-based emulation.
So far we've discussed the pros and cons of application-based virtual machine hypervisors across multiple platforms. As with most other technologies, many well-known companies such as Amazon, and have taken the concept of VMs and container instances to the cloud, allowing you to remotely access virtual machines that are hosted on the provider's own servers.
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Some actually bill by the minute, letting you pay only for the time that you need, while others allow for full-scale networks to be designed, created and hosted on cloud-based servers.