As Mac users, it’s easy to turn our noses up at running Windows, but the truth is that it sometimes can’t be avoided. Be it for work or for playing video games, running Microsoft’s operating system on Apple hardware isn’t nearly as hard as it seems like it would be.

5 top ways to run Windows on a Mac With options ranging from Boot Camp to Parallels to VirtualBox and others, the big question is which one makes it easy to manage Windows-running Macs within your. Parallels for Desktop 2.5 is one of my picks for a Top Product and it's on my A-List of Mac Apps. If you're running an Intel Mac, you have to grab Parallels. Without it, you're just not getting. Previous versions of Parallels already let you use Windows on your Mac, but with Parallels Desktop 10, you get even more ways to interact. You could already run Windows apps in a state Parallels. Watch the video below for a quick run-through of the wizard, and see how easy it is to get started. And don’t forget to start your 14-day free trial of Parallels Desktop 10 for Mac to experience the beauty of running Windows on a Mac.

There are two main ways to go about this: virtualization and Boot Camp. The former involves running a macOS application that allows you to run Windows within, while the latter equips you to reboot your Mac fully into Windows.

You can even combine the two desktops, if you want, and run Windows software right on your Mac desktop from your Mac’s dock. Virtual machines are complicated, but Parallels makes it reasonably simple to set one up and use it. The best way to run Windows on your Mac When it comes to running Windows on a Mac, there are two main players: Parallels Desktop 7. Parallels Desktop 7 makes Windows-on-Mac fast, stable.

There are several factors involved in picking the correct path, including price, ease of use, and flexibility. It’s also important to consider what sorts of tasks you need to achieve with your Windows installation, as that may make the right decision more clear.

If you need access to a couple of Windows apps while you’re running macOS, it’s best to virtualize. Running Windows in a virtual machine (dubbed a “VM”) also allows you to store it all on something like an external SSD, as Boot Camp requires a chunk of your boot drive.

For that trade, Boot Camp offers direct, native access to your Mac’s hardware. If you want to game in Windows on your Mac, it’s the way to go.

Virtualization Apps

There are three virtualization apps worth considering.

Parallels Desktop and VMware Fusion are very similar options. Neither are free, but they come with great customer support if you need help:

• Parallels runs anywhere from $79.99/yr to $99.99/yr, depending on your needs. That subscription means your software is always up to date, ready for new versions of both macOS and Windows.
• Fusion follows a more traditional model. The current version is $79.99 for a new license, while an upgrade license will set you back just $49.99.

The third option is VirtualBox, an open-source (and free) option. While there is a vibrant online community around this application, if you are virtualizing Windows for work, I think it’s more than worth the price of admission to pick up Parallels or Fusion.

Parallels

Parallels Desktop is the best way to run Windows on your Mac. It offers lots of flexibility when it comes to which operating systems it can run and it offers a customizable experience to make it your own.

Set-up & Settings

Installing Windows 10 from an .iso downloaded directly from Microsoft’s store took just a few minutes. While most people will probably be installing Windows, Parallels can host all sorts of operating systems:

You can install Windows from an ISO, as I did, or even download a trial of Windows from Microsoft within the application. Additionally, Parallels can download a bunch of Linux distros and even download Modern.IE virtual machines, which are helpful when you need to test websites in old versions of Internet Explorer.

Parallels can transfer information from an existing PC, including that computer’s operating system. You can boot your Boot Camp partition as if it were a VM.

For my purposes, I installed the 64-bit version of Windows 10. After installation, I was prompted to create a Parallels account. This ties the app to Parallels’ website, keeping your license keys and subscriptions updated. After logging in, I was greeted with my Windows 10 VM:

There are a whole bunch of settings that can be tweaked. Things like how much RAM is allocated to the VM and what sort of network access it has can be adjusted. You can grant access to hardware like your Mac’s SD card slot, USB ports, and more as needed.

Parallels comes with a bunch of creature comforts too, though.

It can automatically share the contents of your Mac with the VM and vice versa. This means if you create a text file and save it to your Desktop, it will appear on the desktop of your macOS virtual machine:

It can open Mail.app on your Mac if you click an email link within the VM itself, and even automatically pause the VM when you aren’t using it, giving macOS more resources when possible. Parallels can even sync your clipboard across your Mac and its VMs and add your printer to your VM’s operating system automatically.

For those of us with macOS shortcuts engrained into our hands and brains, Parallels can pass those to your VM so you don’t have to hit Ctrl + C to copy when you are used to Cmd + C.

If you want your VM to be completely isolated from its host Mac, you can enable that, too.

Coherence Mode

The integration between host is even visual with Parallels. Running Windows apps can appear in your macOS dock, for example:

By default, Parallels VMs are in their own windows, but in Coherence mode, the lines are blurred. Here’s Finder and File Explorer, side by side, for example:

There’s no Windows background anymore. My Windows apps still look like Windows, but they operate like macOS apps. They appear in the Dock and even the Cmd + Tab switcher. Task bar items are even added to the Mac’s menu bar:

The clever features don’t end there. The Windows start menu can be opened via the VM’s Dock icon or the Parallels menu bar item when in Coherence mode.

In this mode, Parallels truly blends the VM into the macOS experience. If you need access to a single Windows app and don’t want the visual clutter of actually seeing Windows, this mode is for you.

Personally, I like to think about VMs as being contained islands. I don’t mind some limited sharing, but I want there to be a clear separation.

Performance & Utility

It’s hard to measure the speed of virtual machines. Your mileage will vary based on what computer you have, how much RAM it is equipped with, and more.

In measurable aspects, like VM boot time, Parallels was faster than VMware Fusion across the board on my iMac Pro.

Parallels comes with a bunch of virtual machine management tools. You can create snapshots of your VM to restore to at a later time if a software update goes poorly.

The application comes with Parallels Toolbox, a collection of utilities. I’m not sold on the value of these tools, but they come with a subscription to Parallels.

VMware Fusion

Fusion is the big competitor to Parallels, and while it does not require an annual subscription, it lacks some of the polish of its rival. That said, comparing the two applications side by side, there is very little difference in terms of features.

For some users, it may come down to price. Some users simply don’t want an annual subscription. I understand that, but I have more faith in Parallels’ future. VMware is a huge company, owned by Dell. Fusion is just one product in their catalogue, and a few years ago, it was rumored that Fusion may not be long for this world. VMware denied the report, but I can’t shake the feeling that Parallels is a better long-term bet.

Fusion includes a feature named Unity, which is very much like Parallels’ Coherence mode. The Windows backdrop goes away, and Windows apps show up directly in the macOS interface, including the Dock and App Switcher. However, not all of the resources used are Retina quality, leading to blurry icons in places. Worse, the entire system feels slower than Parallels. Even on an iMac Pro, Unity mode will stutter and have to redraw windows instead of smoothly animating them.

Boot Camp

As virtualization — running Windows inside a macOS app — lets you use both macOS and Windows at the same time, it’s probably the best option for most people. The convenience of having your one or two must-have Windows apps right next to the data and apps on your Mac is hard to beat.

However, virtualization comes with a price: computational overhead. You’ll be sharing your Mac’s CPU, GPU, and RAM across what is effectively two computers. Most modern Macs have more than enough horsepower for this, but if you want to run Windows on your Mac for gaming, Boot Camp is your best bet.

Boot Camp is built into macOS, and supports Windows 10, Windows 8.1 and Windows 7, depending on the age of the host Mac. If you’re running a Mac built in 2012 or later, you should be set for Windows 10.

Be sure to visit Apple’s support pages to verify which version of Windows your machine will support via Boot Camp before you run out and buy something. There’s a lot of fine print here.

Installing Windows via Boot Camp is pretty straight forward. There’s an app in your Mac’s Utilities folder named Boot Camp Assistant. You’ll need it, as well as a disk image file (.iso) of the Windows installer. If you purchase Windows online from Microsoft, you can download an ISO directly from the company’s store.

Boot Camp Assistant will walk you through selecting how much disk space you want to allocate to Windows. This will become a new partition on your Mac’s SSD; the space will be removed from the free space you can access in macOS.

Once the partition is created, you may be prompted to insert a USB drive for Boot Camp Assistant to download the necessary Windows drivers and the OS will install.

Once everything is complete, you can select which OS you’d like to boot into via the Startup Disk preference pane in macOS or the Boot Camp system tray item in Windows.

Boot Camp gives Windows direct access to your Mac’s hardware, meaning it’s a great option for things like gaming or heavy rendering, but for most users who may need access to one or two Windows-only apps, it’s simply too much trouble to reboot between operating systems.

In Closing

Two Ways To Run An Obstacle Course Cartoon

To wrap this up, Boot Camp is great if you need the full hardware capabilities of your Mac to be funneled into your virtual machine. If not, Parallels is an excellent choice. It’s fast, easy to use, and comes with a lot of features that make living in two operating systems easier than ever.

One of the really useful things nowadays about Macs is that you can run Windows on them if you need to.

This is the only solution if you want to run Windows only applications or games on your Mac (although there are now arguably other better gaming solutions for Mac around).

Since there’s no official Netflix app for Mac users either, installing Windows on your Mac allows you to use the official Windows Netflix app if you frequently have problems streaming Netflix on your Mac.

There are various ways of running Windows on macOS however and some are definitely better than others.

Here are the best ways to install Windows on a Mac in order of ranking.

1. Virtual Machine

A virtual machine like Parallels (also known as a virtual environment or virtualization software) allows you to run Windows “virtually” within macOS.

This option is by far the most convenient for most users because it allows you to use your Mac as normal but switch to a a Windows application at any time when you need it.

You have full access to the rest of your Mac apps while enjoying the convenience of having the Windows available too.

Virtualization software like Parallels have got this off to a tee nowadays with Coherence Mode blurring the line between macOS and Windows so that you can work in both with almost no separation between the two.

The main disadvantage is that you need to purchase virtualization software in order to run Windows and macOS at the same time the best being Parallels.

The main rival to Parallels is VMWare Fusion but we’ve found that nothing comes close to Parallels in terms of ease of setup, use and support.

The good news however is that since the release of Windows 10, it’s become even cheaper to install Windows on a Mac using virtualization software because you can now install Windows on your Mac for free.

This is because Microsoft now allows you to download a free ISO image of Windows 10 and you only need to pay for a license if you want to activate it.

Note that Parallels and VMWare are by far the best virtualization tools for Mac but there is also the free VirtualBox but it’s considerably more complicated to setup and maintain for the average user.

Here’s a closer look at installing Windows using Parallels vs VMWare Fusion.

Parallels

For those new to Mac or running Windows on their Mac for the first time, we highly recommend using Parallels because it makes both installing Windows on a Mac and switching between Windows and macOS so easy and seamless.

Parallels was one of the first solutions to run Windows on Mac and over the years they’ve refined it so much that it makes using Windows on Mac a pleasure.

Installing Windows on Mac with a virtual machine used to be a very complex affair but Parallels has now made it easy enough for just about anyone to use.

The latest version of Parallels 14 for Mac has also been optimized for gaming by dedicating 1GB of Video RAM (VRAM) to games and has a 3D engine specifically designed for the demands of gaming.

Parallels also supports all types of external devices connected to your Mac so you can connect a USB, Firewire or Thunderbolt device and access it within Windows.

Parallels also has the advantage that you can run Windows and macOS at the same time whereas with Boot Camp, you can only run one at a time.

Although both Macs and Parallels have come a long way in the past few years, Parallels still isn’t suitable for all games. Games such as FIFA that rely on DirectX 11 or OpenGL for 3D graphics are still not supported.

This is a shame because the latest generation of Macs have Intel NVIDIA graphics cards that are more than capable of handling the demands of DirectX and OpenGL.

For games that require either DirectX or OpenGL, your only option is to install Windows with Boot Camp (see option 2 below).

You can choose to either pay a one-off payment for Parallels of $79.99 or pay $79.99 per year, the advantage to the latter being you get free annual upgrades and you get Parallels Access for free which allows you to access your Mac from anywhere with an iOS or Android device.

Most users will only need the Home & Student Version of Parallels to install Windows on Mac, not the more expensive Pro or Business versions.

Note that if you need to run Parallels on more than one Mac, Parallels only allows you one license per Mac per purchase – you cannot install multiple copies of Parallels on multiple Macs unless you purchase a separate license for each. VMWare Fusion (see below) does not have these license limitations.

Until May 31st 2019 you can get 10% off Parallels with Coupon Code: PRLS10.

If you want to learn more, check out our full Parallels Desktop review.

Pros:

Very easy to install Windows

Superb integration between Windows and Mac

Excellent for gaming

Fast Startup and Shutdown time

Optimized for macOS Mojave and Windows 10

Cons:

Updates aren’t free

Requires a separate license for each Mac you want to install it on

Doesn’t support DirectX or OpenGL

VMWare Fusion

The other major virtualization software for running Windows on Mac is VMWare Fusion. In our experience, Parallels is more updated for the latest releases of Windows and macOS, easier to setup use and better supported than VMWare Fusion.

However, it’s still a very good virtual environment and worth taking a closer look at.

VMWare Fusion is generally for more advanced users with more customization options and is less geared towards beginners on Mac.

However, over the years it has been more user friendly and is now an equally viable option as Parallels for general users. In fact, all of the above applies to VMWare Fusion with a few small differences.

The main difference between VMWare Fusion and Parallels is generally in speed and functionality.

VMWare Fusion isn’t quite as fast at handling Windows on a Mac so if you’re planning on using some memory hogging application on Windows or using it for gaming, you might find it a bit slow.

Parallels is also easier to setup and holds your hand through the whole setup process.

Like Parallels, installation of VMWare is very simple offering. Unlike Parallels however, there’s no option to purchase Windows during installation so you must make sure you have a copy of Windows available when you install it.

Alternatively, if you have a PC already, you can import your current Windows operating system plus files from the PC to your Mac.

Simply install a small application on your PC, connect your PC to your Mac with a network cable and VMWare fusion will transfer all of your Windows files to your Mac.

Finally, connectivity is just as good in VMWare Fusion as it is in Parallels with support for USB, Firewire and Thunderbolt.

You can try a free trial of VMWare before deciding whether to purchase it

Pros:

Easy to setup Windows on a Mac

Superb integration between Windows and Mac

Doesn’t require a separate license for each Mac installed on

No account needed to use free trial

Optimized for macOS Mojave and Windows 10

Cons:

Doesn’t provide any way to download or purchase Windows during install

Slightly slower than Parallels especially for gaming

Doesn’t support DirectX or OpenGL

2. Apple Boot Camp

By far the most popular alternative to installing Windows with a virtualization software is by using Apple Boot Camp.

Boot Camp is a free tool in macOS which allows you to install Windows on a partition on your Mac hard drive so you can choose whether to boot your Mac in either Windows or macOS.

This option is best for those that want to play games on their Mac or run games such as FIFA on Mac which require DirectX or OpenGL as it’s the only way to make these Windows components work on Mac.

Because Boot Camp only allows your Mac to boot in either Windows or macOS (rather than running both at the same time as with a virtual environment) your Mac can devote all of its resources to the high demands of games and other power hungry applications.

The other big advantage of Boot Camp is that it’s free in macOS – just search for “Boot Camp” using Spotlight on your Mac and you’ll see it.

The disadvantage of installing Windows with Boot Camp is that you’re restricted to using either Windows or macOS at one time – you can’t switch between the two instantly like with virtualization software.

Note also that that are some iMacs which can’t use Boot Camp in macOS Mojave.

You can find full instructions on how to install Windows 10 on Mac for free with Boot Camp here.

For most users, virtualization software is the best way to run Windows on a Mac because it’s just so convenient to switch between macOS and Windows in just a click.

3. Wine

No not the alcoholic type, the Windows wrapper. Wine is a free way to install Windows on your Mac but it works by “wrapping” Windows in macOS.

This is hard to explain without getting very technical and boring but it basically allows your Mac to interpret what are called Windows API calls.

However, we only recommend Wine for those that really know what they’re doing and have strong technical skills with Macs. Wine is notoriously difficult to use, setup and many times, doesn’t even work properly for all problems.

If you’re brave enough to try Wine, definitely check out the list of supported Wine applications first to avoid saving yourself a lot of pain.

Pros:

Free to use

No copy of Windows required

Cons:

Complicated to setup for many apps

Doesn’t work with all Windows programs

4. Crossover

Crossover is basically based on Wine but in a far easier to use interface. Unlike Wine, Crossover isn’t free but like Wine, it can’t run Windows programs that are not Wine compatible.

Again, we recommend checking the list of Crossover supported apps and games before buying it although you can also try a free trial.

Pros:

Easier to setup and use than Wine

Cons:

Some Windows apps or games won’t run or work properly

5. Remote Desktop Software

Another option is to run Windows remotely on another PC and access it on your Mac. This involves using a remote desktop application of which there are many on the market.

They all basically connect to a Windows machine and then display the desktop of the PC on your Mac desktop.

This isn’t an ideal solution though because there’s usually plenty of lag between the PC, Mac or mobile device you’re connecting to and your Mac.

It’s also limited in what you can actually do – you can usually drag files and folders, open documents and save files but it’s certainly not suitable for playing games.

For a look at some of the options available, check out our guide to the best remote desktop tools for Mac.

Pros:

Lots of apps to help you connect to a Windows machine

Easy to use once setup

Cons:

Can be lots of lag

Definitely not suitable for gaming

Parallels For Macs Two Ways To Run

6. Frame

Frame doesn’t actually run Windows on your Mac but it does allow you to access Windows applications remotely and use them on your Mac in your browser.

Frame uses the same principle as remote desktop software by hosting Windows and Windows applications in the Cloud and then giving you access to them via your browser.

You can’t actually use Windows but you can use some Windows based applications using Frame. Frame is particularly popular for accessing Windows only CAD applications on Mac such as Solidworks.

The main drawback of Frame is that it doesn’t actually give you access to Windows, it’s Cloud based so requires an internet connection and it’s not cheap with plans starting at $20 per user per month.

Pros:

Nothing to install, all Cloud based

Use a wide range of Windows applications

Cons:

Doesn’t actually give you access to Windows

Can suffer lag depending on stability of connection

Windows On Mac Installation Checklist

If you choose one of our top 2 choices – a Virtual Machine or Boot Camp, there are some essential things to prepare first to prevent serious problems or disappointments further down the line.

How To Use Parallels

Here are some important things you’ll need before you start installing Windows on your Mac.

A Copy Of Microsoft Windows

Whichever of these methods you choose, you’ll need to download a free Windows ISO image. With Parallels, you can conveniently do this within the setup Wizard by selecting the first option “Get Windows 10 from Microsoft”.

With VMWare Fusion, you need to download it separately from Microsoft and put it on a USB drive or external drive with at least 5GB of space on.

Alternatively, if you have a PC already, both Parallels and VMWare allow you to import your current Windows operating system plus files from the PC to your Mac.

You simply install a small application on your PC, connect your PC to your Mac with a network cable and Parallels or VMWare will transfer all of your Windows files to your Mac.

A Lot Of Hard Drive Space

You need a lot of free hard drive space to install Windows and Windows programs on a Mac.

Virtualization software such as Parallels and VMWare work by “reserving” a portion of your hard drive to run Windows and any programs that you want to install within it.

You can install as many virtual instances as you want (useful for example if you want to install all of Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 10) but just one installation of Windows can take anything from 15GB upwards depending on how many programs you intend to install within it.

Microsoft Office for example takes almost 50GB of hard drive space and things such as Adobe Creative Suite take even more.

Remember that apart from the space needed for both Windows and programs you want to install, you need to leave extra space on top to save files and folders.

If you need to clear some space on your hard drive, check out our guide about how to check storage on your Mac and find large files that are hogging valuable disk space.

If you’re really struggling for space, you don’t have to install Windows on your Mac’s internal hard drive – you can also install it on a an external USB 3.0, Thunderbolt or SSD hard drive.

Mac Two Lounge

The technology of external hard drives is constantly changing however with new standards, speeds and capacities constantly being developed and we recommend reading our guide to the best external hard drive for Mac before choosing one.

However, it’s recommendable to install Windows on your hard drive if you have space although preferably, your Mac should have an SSD hard drive and if not, you should consider upgrading it to one.

A Fairly New Mac

Finally, you’ll need a fairly recent Mac for Windows to run well. MacBook Pros built within the last 3 or 4 years should have no problem while the MacBook Air may struggle a bit depending on the specs.

A virtual machine will just about work with 4GB of RAM it’s not recommended and you’re much better having 8GB of RAM. You can check your Mac’s specs by going to the Apple logo in the top left corner and selecting “About This Mac”

Mac Two Billerica

Tips For Running Windows On A Mac

• Sharing Windows

You can share and move an entire Windows installation and all of the apps installed to another Mac or machine whenever you want.

In fact, if you know what you’re doing you can host Windows and all it’s programs on one Mac and share it with several others to use too.

However, we strongly recommend backing it up to an external drive regularly as if it goes wrong or your Mac crashes or dies, you’ve lost everything installed within Windows.

Note that although you can use Time Machine to back up your Windows VM installations, it will slow down Time Machine due to the huge size of the installation and you’re better backing it up in a separate file.

In addition, when it comes to your saved files and work, we recommend saving them to the Cloud.

That way if your Windows installation crashes or your Mac dies, your work can be more easily recovered rather than having to recover then entire Windows installation.

• Accessing Files On Your Mac

Virtualization software allows you to access files and folders on your Mac. There’s no need to worry about transferring everything into your Windows installation.

You can conveniently access, copy and use folders and files on your Mac from within Windows in a Parallels or VMWare. In addition, you can set your virtualization software to open things such as Microsoft Access, Project and Visio files by default even if it’s saved on your Mac.

So if you double click on a Windows file on your Mac, it will automatically start Parallels or VMWare and open the file in the appropriate application.

• Virus Protection

Windows installed in Virtual Environments on a Mac can still get viruses or malware. Whilst it’s easier to rescue Windows in a VM than on a PC via the use of virtual machine snapshots which instantly roll back Windows to the last clean version, you should use anti-virus or anti-malware software just as you would on a normal Windows installation.

Note that there’s no way a virus or malware can “jump” from your Windows installation into macOS.

Conclusion

Many Mac users still ask why the hell would someone want to install Windows on Mac?

After all, one of the main reasons for using a Mac is that macOS is so much better than Microsoft Windows. However, the fact is that there are many popular applications such as Visio, Access, Project and Publisher that still aren’t available on Mac.

Installing Windows on your Mac opens up a whole new world of applications as well as play Windows games such as FIFA and Cuphead on Mac.

In addition, Macs generally last a lot longer than PCs too so it’s much more cost efficient, not to mention convenient, to install Windows on your Mac rather than buy a separate PC or laptop specifically for running Windows apps which will need replacing in a few years.

For most users, using a virtual environment such is the simplest and most convenient way to go because it allows you to use Windows and macOS at the same time.

Parallels is easily the best at this making it easy enough for anyone to setup Windows in macOS. However, in some cases, for applications or games that require DirectX or OpenGL, using Boot Camp is your only option.

We hope we’ve helped you choose a way to install Windows on your Mac but If you have any questions, issues or problems, let us know in the comments below.