Can You Run A Windows Game On A Mac

by

How to Run Windows on a Mac. It's still a Windows world, and once in a while you need to live in it. Here's how to dual boot Windows and macOS with Boot Camp or virtualize Windows with VirtualBox. One of the benefits of using a Mac is that it gives you the choice of either running macOS on its own, or installing Windows for those occasions when you need to run Windows-only apps and games.

If you need to run Windows apps on a Mac, virtualisation (running Windows on your Mac using a tool such as Parallels or VMWare) isn’t the only option. There’s another method that has the following.

It’s 2015, and the gaming scene has changed for the better. But most of the vivacity and momentum are focused on the PC, while the Mac lags behind. Gamers with a Mac gaming rig need not despair though because several methods are available for playing PC games on a Mac.

First, verify if the game you want to play doesn’t really have a Mac version. Go to the game’s developer website or to popular cross-platform digital stores and look for your game. Many high-profile games, as well as indie games like Minecraft, readily come with Mac versions. Buying a game made for Windows should entitle you to the Mac version of the game.

If the games you like are exclusively designed for the Windows platform, you can still play them on a Mac by using Boot Camp. It’s an OS X utility that allows Intel-based Mac computers to boot other operating systems, including Windows. With Boot Camp, you simply have to restart your Mac computer, boot into Windows and install and play your games there.

But Boot Camp requires you to be in a Windows environment. What if you want to remain in OS X and still play? This is where Wine comes in. It’s an open-source software application that gives Mac OS X, Linux and other Unix-related platforms to run Windows applications. Some of the games are fully supported and run flawlessly while others may be buggy. You can check any compatibility issues for your games in the Wine Application Database.

If you want a better experience than what Wine offers, consider using virtual machines. They are software applications that let you run an operating system inside another. Popular choices for Mac include Parallels and VirtualBox. However, in most cases, virtual machines require much more system resources to run smoothly. That means you’ll need to spend more on hardware upgrades in addition to software licenses.

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 later1
  • 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:

Game
  • 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 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.

Can You Run A Windows Game On A Mac Computer

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, gray, or blue) for up to 2 minutes during installation.
Windows

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 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.

Run Windows On Mac Free

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.