![](/uploads/1/2/5/7/125719689/946595700.jpg)
Here I explain how to install Windows on a Mac using the (free) virtualization software, VirtualBox.
Aug 11, 2015 To install Windows 10 on a Mac, you will need the following: The Mac you plan to install Windows 10 on A thumb drive with at least 5GB of storage space (for reference, I. Download and install it in your Windows PC, and then you can use it to extract the macOS image for Virtualbox. To do this, download the macOS 10.14 image and save it to the desktop. Right-click on the macOS 10.14 image (a 'rar' file, or 'part1.rar') and click on “extract here”.
VirtualBox is free software that allows you to install different operating systems on your machine. By using VirtualBox, you can install Windows on your Mac. This enables you to run Windows-only applications on your Mac.
Here are the main steps involved in installing Windows on a Mac:
- Download and Install VirtualBox
- Create a Virtual Machine
- Download and Install Windows
Here they are in more detail.
![How To Install Windows On A Mac For Free How To Install Windows On A Mac For Free](/uploads/1/2/5/7/125719689/947068364.jpg)
Download and Install VirtualBox
To run Windows on a Mac, you need to use virtualization software such as VirtualBox. While there are other options available (such as Parallels and VMware Fusion), VirtualBox is free. And while Bootcamp is also a free option, it doesn't let you run macOS and Windows simultaneously (you have to reboot the machine every time you want to switch to the other operating system). So with VirtualBox you get the best of both worlds — it's free, and it allows you to run both Windows and macOS simultaneously so you can switch between them as required without having to reboot.
Download VirtualBox
Go to the VirtualBox download page and click OS X Hosts.Install VirtualBox
Double-click the VirtualBox.pkg icon to install VirtualBox. This will enable you to run VirtualBox from your Applications folder.
Create a Virtual Machine
Now that you've installed VirtualBox, you can create a virtual machine. This virtual machine is where you'll install Windows.
Launch VirtualBox
Launch VirtualBox via the Applications folder (just as you'd launch any other application).Start the Wizard
Click New to start the process of creating a new virtual machine.Name and Operating System
Enter a name for the virtual machine (make it descriptive, such asWindows 10 or similar).Also choose Microsoft Windows and select the 64 bit version (unless you have reason to choose the 32 bit version).Click Continue.Set the Memory Allocation
Use the slider to specify how much memory is allocated to the virtual machine. I selected 4 GB (4000 MB), which should be sufficient to run SQL Server inside Windows. If your Mac has a lot more RAM, then you might be able to allocate more to the virtual machine.Click Continue.Hard Disk
Leave it at the default setting and click Create.Hard Disk File Type
Leave it at the default setting and click Continue.Storage on Physical Hard Disk
Leave it at the default setting and click Continue.File Location and Size
Leave it at the default setting and click Create.Done!
Your new virtual machine has been created. It appears in the left pane of the VirtualBox home screen.This is where you launch your virtual machine from whenever you need to use Windows.
Download and Install Windows
Download the Windows Disk Image
Go to the Windows download page and select the latest version of Windows. Follow the prompts to download the ISO file to your Mac.Alternatively, go to the Microsoft Evaluation Center and download a free evaluation trial. This is the option I used in this tutorial. This tutorial uses the Windows 10 Enterprise Evaluation edition (which is free to use for 90 days).Download the file to your VirtualBox VMs folder (e.g. /Users/Dave/VirtualBox VMs/) or move it there once downloaded.Start the Installation
Double-click on the virtual machine that you created previously.Select the Windows Disk Image
Use the interface to browse to, and select, the Windows ISO file that you downloaded.Click Start.Select Language, etc
Select your language and other preferences, then click Next.License Agreement
Select I accept the license terms and click Next.Installation Type
Select Custom: Install Windows only (advanced).Select the Drive
Here, the 50 GB drive (that you created when you created your virtual machine previously) should already be selected. If not, select it.Click Next.Select Keyboard Layout
Select your preferred keyboard layout and click Yes.Add Another Keyboard?
Click Skip (unless you want to add another keyboard, in which case click Add layout and follow the prompts).Join Domain
Microsoft wants you to sign in but for the purposes of this tutorial, we won't be doing that.For this tutorial, click Domain join instead.If you have an account with Office 365 or other business services, then feel free to sign in using that account instead.Add Name
Add your name (or pseudonym) and click Next.Confirm Password
Enter your password again to confirm and click Next.Cortana?
Click either Yes or No depending on whether you want to use the Cortana personal assistant. (In this case I chose No.)Privacy Settings
Disable any privacy settings you want to, then click Accept.Finally... Done!
Windows is now installed. The Windows desktop is displayed, and you can now go ahead and start using Windows on your Mac!
Newer Mac computers use a streamlined method to install Windows on your Mac. To find out whether your Mac uses this method, see the Apple Support article Install Windows 10 on your Mac with Boot Camp Assistant. If your Mac is an older model, follow the instructions in Install Windows on your older Mac using Boot Camp instead.
What you need
- The keyboard and mouse or trackpad that came with your Mac. If they aren’t available, use a USB keyboard and mouse.
- A full-installation, 64-bit version of Windows 10 on a disk image (ISO file) or other installation media.You can download a Windows 10 Disc Image (ISO File) from Microsoft.
- Sufficient free storage space on your startup drive. For information about the amount of free space needed, see the Apple Support Article Install Windows 10 on your Mac with Boot Camp Assistant.
Before you begin
Before you install Windows, make sure you back up important files.
You can use Time Machine or any other method to back up your files. For information about backing up files, see Back up your files with Time Machine and Ways to back up or protect your files.
Perform the installation
On your Mac, do the following steps in order.
Step 1: Check for software updates
Before you install Windows, install all macOS updates.
- On your Mac, log in as an administrator, quit all open apps, then log out any other users.
- Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, click Software Update, then install all available macOS updates.If your Mac restarts after installing an update, open Software Update again to install any additional updates.
Step 2: Prepare your Mac for Windows
Boot Camp Assistant prepares your Mac by creating a new partition for Windows named BOOTCAMP and downloading the Boot Camp support software.
Important: If you’re using a portable Mac, connect it to a power source before continuing.
- On your Mac, open Boot Camp Assistant , located in /Applications/Utilities.
- At the Introduction screen, click Continue.The system is checked for total available disk space. Older Time Machine snapshots and cached iCloud files are removed to make space for Boot Camp. This process may take a long time to complete (you can click the Stop button to skip this process).
- At the Install Windows step, click Choose, then select the Windows ISO image.
- Specify a partition size by dragging the divider between the macOS and Windows partitions.
- Click Install.
When this step is complete, the Windows installer starts.
Step 3: Install Windows
- In the Windows installer, follow the onscreen instructions.When the installation is finished, your Mac automatically restarts using Windows.
- Follow the onscreen instructions to set up Windows.
Step 4: Install Boot Camp on Windows
After installing Windows, Boot Camp drivers that support your Mac hardware start installing.
Note: If the support software doesn’t install automatically, you need to install it manually. For instructions, see the Apple Support article If the Boot Camp installer doesn't open after using Boot Camp Assistant.
- In the Boot Camp installer in Windows, follow the onscreen instructions.Important: Do not click the Cancel button in any of the installer dialogs.If a message appears that says the software you’re installing has not passed Windows Logo testing, click Continue Anyway.You don’t need to respond to installer dialogs that appear only briefly during installation, but if a dialog asks you to install device software, click Install.If nothing appears to be happening, there may be a hidden window that you must respond to. Look behind open windows.
- When the installation is complete, click Finish.
- After your Mac restarts, follow the instructions for any other installers that appear.
See alsoGet started with Boot Camp on MacTroubleshoot Boot Camp Assistant problems on MacApple Support website: Boot Camp Support
![](/uploads/1/2/5/7/125719689/946595700.jpg)