Want to run Apple apps on a Windows PC? Or use macOS without buying the more expensive Macintosh computer? You can install macOS on your PC.
Typically, there are two ways to get Mac on Windows. One, install macOS on a Windows PC, which is also known as creating a Hackintosh. And the other is to install macOS on a virtual machine. The Hackintosh method will require a working Mac to create a bootable USB drive. But it's not necessary when using a virtual machine.
In this article, we'll show you both ways and help you learn how to install macOS on Windows PC without Mac and with Mac. These steps apply to all macOS, OS X, and Mac OS X versions. So, if you need answers to any of the questions, this post has got you covered.
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- How to install macOS Big Sur on PC
- How to install macOS Catalina on PC
- How to install macOS Mojave on PC
- How to install macOS High Sierra on PC
Here are the differences between installing macOS on a Hackintosh and a virtual machine:
| Aspect | Install macOS on Hackintosh | Install macOS on Virtual Machine |
| Hardware Requirements | Requires compatible hardware (specific motherboards, CPUs, GPUs). | Runs on any hardware that supports virtualization. |
| Installation Complexity | More complex; requires bootable USB and configuration of BIOS/UEFI. | Easier setup; involves installing virtualization software and creating a virtual machine. |
| Performance | Near-native performance; optimized based on hardware. | Performance may be limited by host resources and virtualization overhead. |
| Updates and Compatibility | Risky updates; may break compatibility; requiring patches. | Less risky; can often roll back if issues arise. |
| Use Cases | Ideal for powerful macOS experience; suitable for intensive tasks. | Best for testing and occasional use without full commitment. |
How to install Mac OS on PC by creating a Hackintosh?
If you decide to create a Hackintosh to pursue native-like performance, you can follow the procedures below to install macOS on a PC:
Step 1: Check hardware requirements
Before the macOS installation, you must ensure your PC has the required hardware to support the macOS version you want to use. Visit Dortania's GPU Byers guide to check which macOS version your GPU supports.
Step 2: Prepare needed tools
You'll also need to prepare the following software and files to install Macintosh on PC:
The macOS installer file: Download the macOS ISO file you want to use on Windows.
Balena Etcher: Open this link, click Download Etcher, and choose the version suitable for your computer. It supports common OS image formats like .iso, .dmg, .zip, .raw, etc.
ProperTree: In the GitHub page, click Code > Download. After downloading, click File > Open and navigate to the EFI > EFI > OC and open the config.plist file to check its serial number and system product name, and ensure you use the right SMBIOS that supports your hardware.
Explorer++: Visit its webpage, click Download 64-bit.
Gen SMBIOS: Open its GitHub page, click Code > Download ZIP.
OpenCore Configurator: Tap this link and then click Download.
Opencore EFI configuration file: You can get a prebuilt OpenCore EFI file, or create the EFI from scratch based on your hardware. Make sure you extract the EFI folder after downloading it.
Mini Tool Partition Wizard Free version: Download the free version of this tool.
An external drive with more than 32 GB of space and the important files backed up.
Step 3: Create a bootable macOS installer
With all the tools ready, you can start to create a bootable installer for the macOS version you need.
- Open Balena Etcher.
- Click "Flash from File," select the downloaded macOS ISO file, and then click "Open."
- Click Select Target and choose the external drive for creating a macOS bootable disk.
- Click Flash and wait for the boot drive to be created.
Step 4: Create a unique serial
While waiting for the bootable media, you can run GenSMBIOS to generate a suitable SMBIOS.
- Expand GenSMBIOS and open the folder.
- Run the GenSMBIOS batch file.
- Click More info > Run anyway.
- In the command prompt window, enter 1 and hit Enter to install MacSerial.
- Hit Enter to return.
- Type 2 and hit Enter to select config.plist.
- Go to the EFI folder > EFI > OC, then drag and drop the config.plist file to the command-line window.
- Hit Enter to proceed.
- Type 3 and hit Enter to generate SMBIOS.
- Type the SMBIOS you chose and hit Enter.
- Hit Enter to return and then close the command prompt.
Step 5: Map your USB ports
- Open USBToolBox, click Assets, and download Windows.exe.
- Open the USBToolBox kext file page(https://github.com/USBToolBox/kext/releases/), click Assets, and download USBToolBox-1.2.0-RELEASE.zip.
- Run the downloaded Windows.exe.
- In the command prompt, enter d and hit Enter to discover all ports.
- Hit b to go back.
- Type c and hit Enter to change settings.
- Run c again.
- Hit b to go back.
- Type s and hit Enter to select ports and build kext.
- Type a and hit Enter to select all ports.
- Disable the USB 2 option for USB 3 ports by typing the number. For example, in the case below, numbers 3,4,5,6,11, and 12 are USB 3 Type A ports recognized as USB 2.
To disable them, simply run the following command:
3,4,5,6,11,12 - Type k and hit Enter to generate the kext. (The generated folder is called UTBMap.kext.)
- Exit the command prompt.
- Extract USBToolBox.
- Open the expanded USBToolBox folder.
- Copy the USBToolBox.kext folder, open the EFI folder, and paste it into the OC/Kexts folder.
- Copy the UTBMap.kext folder to EFI/OC/Kexts.
- Open the ProperTree folder and then launch the ProperTree (Windows Batch File).
- Click File > Open.
- Select config.plist and click Open.
- Click File > OC Snapshot > Select Folder.
- Click File > Save.
- Close the software.
Step 6: Change drive letter and partition the Windows hard drive
- Extract Explorer +++.
- Open MiniTool Partition Wizard.
- Select the EFI partition of the external bootable macOS drive.
- Right-click and choose "Change Letter."
- Change the letter from "None" to something like "X:".
- Right-click on the unallocated space.
- Click Create > Yes.
- Name the partition OCC and click OK.
- Click Apply > Yes.
- Right-click on your Windows hard drive and choose Split.
- Move the slider to set space for the new macOS partition. (You need around 65GB of space to run macOS.)
- Click OK.
- Right-click on the new NTFS partition and choose Label.
- Type a new name for the partition.
- Click OK > Apply.
- Close the tool.
- Copy the OCC archive to the OCC partition.
Step 7: Add the EFI folder to the EFI partition
- Open Explorer +++.
- Right-click on it and choose Run as administrator.
- Open the EFI partition.
- Delete everything inside.
- Copy the EFI folder you've been working on to the partition.
- Close all apps and restart your PC.
Step 8: Install macOS on Windows 11/10/8/7
- Press F9 or F12 to boot into BIOS.
- Open the Boot settings.
- Disable Fast Boot.
- Turn off Secure Boot. If you can't, clear secure boot keys under Key Management.
- Go to Advanced settings > CPU configuration.
- Find Intel Virtualization Technology and ensure it's enabled.
- Restart your PC.
- Hold F8 to select boot options.
- Choose your macOS partition and hit Enter.
- Proceed to install macOS on the Windows PC.
- Go to Disk Utility.
- Choose the internal drive, click Erase.
- Name the drive.
- Choose APFS as the format if running macOS High Sierra and later; otherwise, use Mac OS Extended (Journaled).
- Return to the macOS Utilities window.
- Choose Install macOS and click Continue.
- Follow the instructions on the screen to finish the macOS installation on Windows.
Step 9: Move the EFI folder from your external drive to the Windows partition
- Open the OCC partition.
- Drag and drop the OCC ZIP file to your desktop.
- Expand the ZIP file.
- Run OpenCore Configurator.
- Click the OpenCore Configurator icon at the top-right menu bar.
- Click Mount Partition for the EFI partition on your bootable external drive.
- Mount the EFI partition on your Windows hard drive as well.
- Open both partitions.
- Copy the Boot and OC folders on the external drive to your Windows EFI hard drive.
- Click Replace if it says a folder named Boot already exists.
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How to install Mac on Windows with virtual machine?
If you're looking to install macOS on Windows PC without Mac or an easier way to install Mac OS on any PC, a virtual machine like VMware is a better choice.
This has several benefits over creating a Mackintosh:
Isolation and Safety:
Running macOS in a virtual machine keeps it isolated from your main operating system. This reduces the risk of system crashes or conflicts.
Easy Testing and Development:
Developers can quickly test applications in a controlled environment without affecting their primary OS.
Multiple versions of macOS can be run simultaneously for testing compatibility.
Resource Management:
You can allocate specific resources (CPU, RAM, disk space) to the virtual machine, allowing better control over performance.
Convenience:
No need to partition your hard drive or deal with dual-boot configurations. You can switch between macOS and Windows easily without rebooting.
Snapshots and Backups:
Virtual machines allow you to take snapshots of the current state, enabling easy rollbacks in case of issues.
Cross-Platform Compatibility:
You can run macOS applications alongside Windows applications, facilitating workflows that require both environments.
Keep reading the guide below to install macOS on a PC with virtual machine!
How to Install Any macOS on VMware on Windows PC? [Step-by-Step]
FAQs about macOS installation on Windows PC
- QIs it legal to install macOS on PC?
-
A
While Apple’s End-User License Agreement (EULA) for macOS strictly limits installation to Apple-branded hardware, enforcement against individual users is rare. Apple primarily targets commercial distributors of Hackintosh systems.
- QCan you install macOS on a PC?
-
A
Yes, you can install macOS on a PC either by creating a Hackintosh or using a virtual machine.
- QCan I run Mac software on a PC?
-
A
Yes, you can run Mac software on a PC, provided that you can run macOS on your PC.