What you need to install Windows 10 on Mac
- How To Get Windows On Mac
- How To Install Windows On A Mac Boot Camp
- Windows For Mac Download
- How To Install Windows On A Mac Pro
- 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 later1
- iMac Pro (all models)
- Mac Pro introduced in 2013 or later
Create a new virtual machine Open Parallels Desktop.app from the Applications folder and choose File New. Select Install Windows or another OS from DVD or image file, then click Continue. Select an installation media. Insert a USB flash drive. It must be at least 8GB in size, so that bootcamp can install windows on that drive for use on current the Mac. If you do not insert a USB flash drive, you will see the message to insert one.' 10 Increase or decrease the amount of space for Windows 10.
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.
How To Get Windows On Mac
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
How To Install Windows On A Mac Boot Camp
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
- iMac introduced in 2012 or later1
- iMac Pro (all models)
- Mac Pro introduced in 2013 or later
Create a new virtual machine Open Parallels Desktop.app from the Applications folder and choose File New. Select Install Windows or another OS from DVD or image file, then click Continue. Select an installation media. Insert a USB flash drive. It must be at least 8GB in size, so that bootcamp can install windows on that drive for use on current the Mac. If you do not insert a USB flash drive, you will see the message to insert one.' 10 Increase or decrease the amount of space for Windows 10.
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.
How To Get Windows On Mac
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
How To Install Windows On A Mac Boot Camp
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:
Windows For Mac Download
- MacBook introduced in 2015 or later
- MacBook Air introduced in 2017 or later3
- MacBook Pro introduced in 2015 or later3
- iMac introduced in 2015 or later
- iMac Pro (all models)
- Mac Pro introduced in late 2013 or later
To remove Windows from your Mac, use Boot Camp Assistant, not any other utility.
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.
Can Windows 10 run on a Mac?
Of course it can. Users have been able to install Windows on a Mac for years, and Microsoft's latest operating system is no exception. And no, the Apple police won't come after you, we swear.
See also: Windows 10 review: A needed upgrade with missing pieces
By installing Windows 10, you get access to a host of new features. First you'll notice the look and feel. It's taking the flat, tile-based user interface introduced in Windows 8 and combining it with the Windows your parents know. There's a fancy new browser called Edge, and a new app switcher Mac users are sure to find familiar.
But be warned: Even though you can install Windows 10 on a Mac, that doesn't mean you should. Apple doesn't officially support Windows 10 on a Mac, so there's a good chance you may run into driver issues.
Case in point: When I tried installing Windows 10 on a new MacBook, once it rebooted into Windows, the keyboard and trackpad didn't work. And when we successfully installed it on a 2013 Macbook Pro with Retina Display, the Wi-Fi didn't work.
How to cut clips in imovie mac. There are likely workarounds for these issues, but the best course of action for those who want Windows 10 on a Mac right now is probably just to wait for better solutions, or sit tight with Windows 8.1.
But for those determined to press on, here's how to do it.
Virtual, or Boot Camp?
If you've decided to install Windows on your Mac, you've got a few different options. You could run it virtually, or you can use Bootcamp to install it on a partitioned part of your hard drive.
If this is going to be a temporary look at Windows 10, or if you're only running it occasionally, it's better to run it in a virtual environment.
That means you'll run Windows as an app inside of Mac OS X. This will let you play with the interface and run some apps in order to get a feel for the operating system. But because you're really running two OSes at once, you're sacrificing performance. If you want to go this route, you can download VirtualBox or Parallels.
If you plan on making a longterm commitment to Windows 10, it's best to install via Boot Camp. This way, your computer can devote all of its resources (like its processor and RAM,) to running only Windows.
You'll be walling off a chunk of your hard drive to use only with Windows 10, and you shouldn't take this lightly. Think about how much space you'll need for your longterm needs, as the only way to adjust this later is to erase the partition and install the operating system all over again. And of course, whenever you're fussing around with your system, save a backup to an external hard drive just in case something goes wrong.
How To Install Windows On A Mac Pro
Mashable chose to install via Boot Camp, since the operating system will run more smoothly.
Quick note: You'll need a Windows 10 ISO file to install the software no matter which way you choose to install. Windows 10 is rolling out only for Windows users who signed up for it earlier. If you signed up, you'll be able to download the ISO file from Microsoft's site, which you can install on a Mac.
If you didn't sign up, the retail version is coming on Aug. 31, so those who want it on a Mac may have to wait until then.
Install it with Boot Camp
Once you've decided to dive into Windows 10 on your Mac, the first thing you should think about is hard drive space.
Lots of Mac users install Windows for gaming, and that can take up a lot of space. If that's you, we recommend making about half the entire hard drive available to Windows. Another option is to install the operating system onto the hard drive, and keep games saved on an external disk.
Make sure you have an at least 8GB USB flash drive and plug it into your Mac. Open up Boot Camp, and hit continue.
You'll be presented with three options. If you're doing this for the first time, leave all three checked. Your computer is about to create a bootable drive with Windows on it, then download the drivers you need so you can still use your keyboard, trackpad or mouse. However, these drivers were made for Windows 8.1, so whether or not they'll work on your machine is a bit of a gamble.
You'll be warned that the drive is about to be formatted. If you're comfortable with losing everything on that disk drive, go ahead and proceed. Next, Boot Camp will copy Windows files over and create the bootable disk drive. Once it's done with that, it'll ask you how much of your computer's hard drive you want to dedicate to Windows. You can drag the bar to set how much you want to allocate.
Then your computer will create the partition, download the drivers, and turn the flash drive into a bootable disk. Your computer should reboot into Windows. If your computer reboots into OS X, just hit restart and hold the option key while the computer is coming back on. This part might take a while, so feel free to grab some tea, or fiddle with your phone.
Once it reboots, you'll see three options: EFI Boot, Windows, and Mac. Select EFI Boot, and follow the prompts until you get to a screen with two options: one for a custom install and upgrade.
Choose custom, navigate to your partitioned drive and hit format. From then on, Windows will whisk you through the initial setup screens.
After those screens, the new Windows wallpaper will emerge, and you'll be all set. Again, that's if your drivers are working correctly.
BONUS: Windows 10 review
