Programs such as Parallels Desktop, VMWare Fusion and VirtualBox allow you to create a virtual machine (VM), that runs on your Mac just like any other Mac app. With the macOS virtual machine running, head to Player Manage Install VMware Tools. The installation digavsc will appear on the macOS desktop. When the option appears, select Install VMware Tools, then allow it access to the removable volume. Follow the guided installer, which will require a restart on completion. Virtualbox has the option for a MacOS virtual machine in it’s New VM dialog, but we will need to make further adjustments to make it truly Mac-ready. Pop open Virtualbox, and Create a new Virtual Machine. Name this MacOS Mojave, and set it to Mac OS X (64-bit). With the macOS virtual machine running, select Player Removable Devices CD/DVD (SATA) Settings. Select Use ISO image file, then Browse to the location of the VM Tool New.ISO file downloaded earlier. Press OK and head back to macOS. On the desktop, you should note the VMware Tools drive symbol.
Mac users who need to run Windows programs often use the macOS feature, Boot Camp.
While Boot Camp is a useful feature, it has one major downside: you must restart your Mac to boot into Windows and restart your machine again to boot back into macOS.
If you’re reading this, you may be interested in learning how-to run Windows, Linux, or other popular operating systems on your Mac. Over 35% of Parallels Desktop users have made the switch from Boot Camp. You can avoid rebooting your Mac with Parallels Desktop.
If you are a current Boot Camp user, you might be thinking:
Should I create a new virtual machine in Parallels Desktop and start a new Windows installation from scratch? What about all the programs I already have installed on Boot Camp? Do I have to buy another copy on Windows? It’s too much work and too expensive to just ditch Boot Camp entirely!
Read what users are saying about Boot Camp and Parallels Desktop:
(Original tweet can be found here)
To tell you the truth, I had been using Boot Camp for several years prior to my time here at Parallels. I was hesitant to move to virtualization software. But thankfully, Parallels has kept Boot Camp users in mind when creating Parallels Desktop, even as far back as 2006. Believe it or not, you can run your existing copy of Windows in the Boot Camp partition in a new Parallels Desktop virtual machine in a matter of a few simple clicks. We’ve made it sound easy but we would like to prove the benefits of using a virtual machine versus a partitioned hard drive:
Benefits of Using a Boot Camp-based VM:
- You save time.
Every second of your time matters and there are only so many hours in a day to check items off your to-do list. Rebooting your computer shouldn’t be one of them. Parallels Desktop takes less than 1-2 minutes to boot (and now in Parallels Desktop, Windows can be booted is less than 10 seconds!). Compare that to the 4-8 minutes you’d spend to restart your Mac and boot to Windows on a Boot Camp partition. You’re saving HOURS of your life every year with Parallels Desktop.
- Work in Windows and Mac simultaneously.
Life becomes simpler when you’re able to use Windows-based applications on a Mac and work with macOS and Windows OS simultaneously. You can; drag and drop, copy and paste, even utilized your Mac’s Trackpad to 3-finger Swipe between OSes. Run Windows applications side by side with Mac applications. For example: use Siri together with a Windows app, or use Cortana to launch a Mac app!
- Easy to access and update data.
The changes you make in Windows programs while working in your VM or when you start your Mac in Windows using native Boot Camp will be reflected in both places. This goes beyond Shared Folders in a virtual machine configuration but you can share hardware, networks, and additional devices between the OSes.
Are you convinced to run Windows on your Mac to avoid rebooting? We’d love to help you get started by teaching you how to set up a Boot Camp-based VM:
There are two ways to use a Boot Camp VM. One, you can run Boot Camp directly in Parallels Desktop as a VM; or two, you can import Windows and your data from Boot Camp into Parallels Desktop.
We will go over the methods more in detail:
How to set Parallels Desktop to run Windows from the Boot Camp partition:
- Start Parallels Desktop.
- With Parallels Desktop active, go to your Mac upper menu and select File > New.
- In the Installation Assistant, choose Use Windows from Boot Camp and click “Continue”
(Installation Assistant in Parallels Desktop)
Yes, it’s that easy. Once Microsoft Windows starts in the VM for the first time, it will automatically install Parallels Tools and you’re good to go.
How to import Windows and your data from Boot Camp into Parallels Desktop:
The main difference between this method and the one just discussed is that the “import” function for Boot Camp is usually desired by the user when the user wants to eventually get rid of a Boot Camp partition from their hard drive.
Don’t be mistaken—it doesn’t remove your Boot Camp partition on your hard drive automatically. Instead, it just migrates your Windows into a standalone VM (a .pvm folder on your Mac). The changes you make in the VM after import will not be reflected on the Boot Camp side—they are now separate. Once all the programs and files are on the VM, some users prefer to wipe out Boot Camp to expand the free space on their native Mac hard drive.
Here’s how to import Boot Camp into your Parallels Desktop VM:
- Set Parallels Desktop virtual machine to use Boot Camp, as described above.
- Right-click on the Parallels Desktop icon on your Mac dock and open Control Center
(Control Center for Parallels Desktop within the macOS Dock)
- Right-click on the Boot Camp-based virtual machine and select Import Boot Camp.
- Locate where you want to store Windows and your data and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the import.
- Windows and all your data are imported from Boot Camp. You can still use the original Boot Camp Windows installation, separately from Parallels Desktop.
That’s it! You’re done and can forget about rebooting your Mac! Hopefully, this post has shed a little more light on ways in which Parallels Desktop and Boot Camp can be used together for a better user experience.
If you’re looking for more details on installing Windows on your Mac using Parallels Desktop, there are several options for users and a detailed how-to can be found here.
Not convinced yet? Watch a video of the creation of a virtual machine from your copy of Windows in Boot Camp:
Want to use your Boot Camp partition in Parallels Desktop yourself? Parallels Desktop offers a 14-day free trial.
Ever found yourself in a situation where you loved software, only to know that it is compatible with Mac machines? Agreed, it is an anomaly as the number of Windows compatible software is vast. But at times, you might find yourself in such a situation or may come across with certain apps that work better on macOS.
If you are stuck in such a situation, here we will state ways for you to run Mac apps on Windows 10 device. Surprised! Don’t be, just remember nothing is impossible.
Ways to run Mac Apps on Windows 10
Step 1: Make a Virtual Machine with macOS on it
This is the simplest way to get Mac on Windows and run Mac apps on windows PC. To learn how to run Mac programs on Windows check out my tutorial on How to Install macOS Mojave on Windows 10 in a Virtual Machine?
The step by step guide will make you learn how to get macOS virtual machine and how to install it on Windows 10.
Once you have the virtual machine up and running with macOS on it, come back here to learn ways to install and run Mac apps on Windows.
Step 2: Use your Apple Account
From this step onwards everything will work in a similar manner as it works on actual macOS. You’ll need to login into your Apple account to access App Store. If you don’t have one you’ll need to create an Apple account.
To create an Apple account on a web browser, follow the steps below:
1. Head to Apple ID account page, fill in all the particulars given in the form to create your AppleID. Remember provided email address will be your new AppleID.
2. Next select security questions, if you want to receive updated checkbox to subscribe.
3. Click Continue.
These simple steps will help you create an Apple ID.
Once done login to your Apple account to start downloading apps from App Store. To access App Store click on App Store icon present in the dock. Log in to your Apple account > look for the app you wish to download > click on Get > Install.
This will install the apps on your macOS virtual machine installed on Windows 10.
Using these simple steps you can use macOS on Windows 10 with the help of a virtual machine.
This might hit you with questions like what about the current session? Will you able to resume it from where you left or not?
To resume working from where you left you would need to shut down virtual machine in a sequence for this click on Apple logo > Shut Down. This will help you resume working.
Run Mac On Windows Virtual Machine
However, if you want to extra cautious you can take a snapshot, to save the current state of the virtual machine.
To take a snapshot on VMware click on VM > Snapshot > Take Snapshot.
Next, give a name to the snapshot and hit Take Snapshot.
This way you’ll be able to save your current session.
Using these simple steps you can easily run Mac Apps on Windows machine. However, you must never forget since you are using a Virtual machine they might not work as on actual macOS. This is simply due to a virtual machine sharing the host machine’s system resource. In addition to this, a piece of advice avoid updating your macOS Virtual Machine as the patch that makes the macOS virtual machine run is compatible with a specific version and may not work with the updates.
FAQ’s
Can you run Mac apps on Windows?
You can run Mac apps on Windows 10 easily, but before that you need to install macOS on Windows 10 in a virtual machine. Here, virtual machines play an important role to imitate dedicated hardware by emulation of a computer system. You also need to download and install certain essential tools such as VMware to run Mac apps on Windows 10.
Can you run Mac on a PC?
Yes you can run Mac on a PC like a pro. To do this, you would require a compatible PC where you can install macOS. Here, you need to select the hard drive on which you never had Windows installed. You can run Mac on a PC by creating an image file of macOS or doing it through a virtual machine.
Can you download Apple apps on Windows 10?
Apple’s iTunes apps are now available to download on Microsoft’s Windows 10 Store. It is useful development for users who wish to access iTunes apps on Windows 10. Here, you can download, purchase, and manage iTunes apps easily from Windows 10 Store.
Is it safe to use Hackintosh?
Well, it totally depends on the method you use to access macOS on Windows machine. If you create an image of macOS and clone it on Windows PC or you try a virtual machine to access Mac apps on windows PC, you probably are in safe hands. On the other hand, it could be debatable whether using Mac on Windows is legal or not, as you are licensed to use the software and license terms don’t allow you to imitate software.
Is a Hackintosh worth it?
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If you want to access all features and functionalities of Mac without spending money on buying new Mac system, then Hackintosh is a good option. It is also useful for users who tend to work on two different systems that require access to Mac and Windows features.
Of course, you can give it try, but keep in mind you can lose everything on the virtual machine in this process.
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