Windows 10 is a smashing operating arrangement. Information technology has its quirks and annoyances, just which operating system doesn't? Even if you lot're beholden to Microsoft and Windows ten, yous tin can still shop around.

What improve way to do that than from the safe confines of your existing operating organisation with a virtual machine? This way, y'all can run macOS on Windows, which is perfect for using Mac-only apps on Windows.

So, here's how y'all install macOS in a virtual machine on Windows, making a virtual Hackintosh that lets y'all run Apple apps from your Windows machine.

What Files Do You lot Demand to Create a macOS Virtual Car on Windows 10?

Before delving into the "how-to," you need to download and install the essential tools. The tutorial details how to create macOS virtual machines using both Oracle VirtualBox Manager (VirtualBox) and VMware Workstation Player (VMware Player).

  • Download the latest version of VirtualBox. This tutorial uses VirtualBox 6.1.22
  • Download the latest version of VMware Player. This tutorial uses VMware Player xvi

Y'all need a copy of macOS, besides. Big Sur is the latest macOS version. Y'all can find the download links for macOS Big Sur in the next section.

This tutorial will focus on installing macOS Big Sur in a virtual machine running on Intel hardware, using either VirtualBox or VMware Thespian.

Unfortunately, I do not have access to whatever AMD hardware, so I cannot provide a tutorial.

There is, nonetheless, the code snippet that anyone using an AMD organization requires to boot a macOS Big Sur using VMware on AMD hardware.

Launching the macOS Large Sur virtual machine is the same every bit the Intel version but uses a slightly different code snippet. Yous can observe the tutorial and the code snippet in the department below.

Furthermore, you will find links to several AMD macOS Catalina, Mojave, and High Sierra virtual auto tutorials, at the stop of the article.

Download macOS Big Sur Virtual Image

Use the download links below to download the macOS Big Sur image for both VirtualBox and VMware.

Download: macOS Big Sur Virtual Machine Image

Download: VMware Player Patch Tool

How to Create a macOS Large Sur Virtual Machine With VirtualBox

Earlier creating the macOS virtual machine, you demand to install the VirtualBox Extension Pack. It includes fixes for USB iii.0 support, mouse and keyboard support, and other useful VirtualBox patches.

Download: VirtualBox Extension Pack for Windows (Gratuitous)

Curlicue down, select All supported platforms to download, and then double-click to install.

1. Create the macOS Large Sur Virtual Machine

Open VirtualBox. Select New. Type macOS.

VirtualBox will find the Bone every bit you blazon and will default to Mac OS Ten. You can exit this every bit is.

Regarding the virtual car name, make information technology something memorable yet like shooting fish in a barrel to type. You'll need to input this name in a series of commands, and it is frustrating to type a complicated name multiple times!

macos big sur virtualbox settings create virtual machine settings

Next, gear up the amount of RAM the macOS virtual machine can employ. I would propose a minimum of 4GB, but the more y'all can give from the host arrangement, the improve your experience.

Remember, y'all cannot assign more than RAM than your arrangement has available, and you lot need to leave some retentivity available for the host operating system.

At present, select Create a hard disk now and select Create. On the next screen, select Virtual Hard Disk, and then gear up the disk size to a minimum of 50GB, just ideally more if you tin can spare the space. macOS Big Sur requires at to the lowest degree 35GB of storage.

two. Edit the macOS Big Sur Virtual Machine Settings

Don't attempt and start your macOS Big Sur virtual machine yet. Earlier firing the virtual auto up, y'all need to make a few tweaks to the settings. Right-click your macOS virtual car and select Settings.

macos big sur virtualbox settings motherboard storage
  1. Under Arrangement, remove Floppy from the boot order. Ensure the Chipset is set to ICH9.
  2. Select the Processor tab. Assign 2 processors. If you have a CPU with power to spare (such as an Intel Core i7 or i9 with multiple actress cores), consider assigning more. However, this isn't vital.
  3. Make sure the Enable PAE/NX box is checked.
  4. Nether Display, fix Video Retention to 128MB.
  5. At present, under Storage, select the blank disc under Storage Devices. Next, select the disk icon alongside Optical Drives. Browse to and select your macOS Large Sur deejay image.
  6. Finally, head to the USB tab and select USB 3.0, then press OK.

iii. Utilize the Control Prompt to Add Custom Code to VirtualBox

It still isn't quite time to burn down up your macOS Big Sur virtual machine. In its electric current configuration, VirtualBox doesn't piece of work with your macOS disk image.

To get it up and running, y'all take to essentially patch VirtualBox before the macOS virtual auto will office. To do this, yous need to enter some code using the Command Prompt. All the details are beneath.

Showtime by closing VirtualBox. The commands will not execute properly if VirtualBox or whatsoever of its associated processes are running.

Once closed, press the Windows key + X, then select Command Prompt (Admin) from the carte. If your carte only shows the PowerShell selection, blazon command into your Beginning menu search bar. Then right-click the Best Lucifer, and select Run as Administrator. Use the following command to locate the Oracle VirtualBox directory:

          cd "C:\Program Files\Oracle\VirtualBox\"

Now, enter the post-obit commands, one by one. Adjust the command to friction match the name of your virtual machine. For instance, my virtual car name is macOS Large Sur.

Here are the commands:

          VBoxManage.exe modifyvm "macOS Large Sur" --cpuidset 00000001 000106e5 00100800 0098e3fd bfebfbff
VBoxManage setextradata "macOS Large Sur" "VBoxInternal/Devices/efi/0/Config/DmiSystemProduct" "iMac19,1"
VBoxManage setextradata "macOS Large Sur" "VBoxInternal/Devices/efi/0/Config/DmiSystemVersion" "ane.0"
VBoxManage setextradata "macOS Big Sur" "VBoxInternal/Devices/efi/0/Config/DmiBoardProduct" "Mac-AA95B1DDAB278B95"
VBoxManage setextradata "macOS Big Sur" "VBoxInternal/Devices/smc/0/Config/DeviceKey" "ourhardworkbythesewordsguardedpleasedontsteal(c)AppleComputerInc"
VBoxManage setextradata "macOS Big Sur" "VBoxInternal/Devices/smc/0/Config/GetKeyFromRealSMC" 1

After the completion of the commands and presuming yous encountered no errors, close the Command Prompt.

macos big sur virtualbox command prompt commands

4. Boot Your macOS Big Sur Virtual Machine

Reopen VirtualBox. Double-click your macOS virtual machine to first it. You volition run into a long stream of text, followed past the Apple logo. On the next screen, select your language of pick, so Continue.

macos big sur virtualbox disk utility create drive
  1. Next, select Disk Utility. You lot create a clean drive for macOS Large Sur to install to.
  2. In the Disk Utility, select VBOX HARDDISK MEDIA from the Internal drive column.
  3. After selecting the drive, head to the Erase pick found at the elevation of the utility.
  4. Requite your drive a proper noun, gear up the Format to Mac Os Extended (Journaled), and the Scheme to GUID Sectionalization Map.
  5. Select Erase.
  6. Once complete, you tin exit the Deejay Utility back to the Large Sur recovery screen. From here, you should select Install macOS Big Sur.
  7. Select the drive you created in the Disk Utility, followed by Continue.
macos big sur virtualbox installation

At present, the installation says it'll take a few minutes. However, in my experience, this wasn't correct. The initial installation stage took around 15 minutes, but and so you land on a second installation screen after the macOS Large Sur virtual automobile restarts.

The initial installation time on that screen begins at around 29 minutes. However, once it reaches Less than a minute remaining and yous get your hopes upwardly—don't.

It took another hr for the installation to complete from this betoken, but I've too read reports of people waiting for up of iii hours. Worse, there is no style to tell if the installation is ongoing on you're just wasting your time.

macos big sur virtualbox setup new installation

If you can afford the fourth dimension, leave it for several hours, and hopefully, when yous come up dorsum, you'll exist staring at the macOS Big Sur Welcome page.

Once you consummate the macOS setup, accept a snapshot within VirtualBox. Head to Auto > Take Snapshot, give your snapshot a proper name, and wait for it to procedure. If anything breaks or the Big Sur virtual machine corrupts, you tin head back to the snapshot to restore your previously good installation.

How to Create a macOS Big Sur Virtual Machine Using VMware Workstation Player

Prefer VMware over VirtualBox? Y'all can create a macOS Big Sur virtual automobile using VMware that works exactly the same as VirtualBox. And, just as with VirtualBox, VMware also requires patching earlier the macOS Large Sur virtual machine will work.

This role of the tutorial works for Intel and AMD systems. AMD users must employ the 2nd code snippet when editing the virtual car VMX file. Read through the tutorial to see what this means exactly.

i. Patch VMware Workstation Thespian

  1. In the "Download macOS Large Sur Virtual Paradigm" section is the VMware Thespian Patch Tool. Before commencing any further, download the patch tool.
  2. Browse to the location you downloaded the patch tool to. Extract the contents of the archive. This process works all-time when the folders are on the aforementioned bulldoze (e.g., the VMware root folder and extracted archive are both found on the C:\ bulldoze).
  3. Make sure VMware is completely closed. In the Unlocker folder, right-click the win-install command script and select Run as Administrator. The script will open a Control Prompt window, and the patch script will run.

Exercise pay attention. The script whizzes by, and you need to keep watch for any "File not Plant" messages.

The almost common reason for a "file not found" or a "organization cannot find the file specified" message is installing VMware Workstation Actor in a unlike location to the default folder and executing the patch from a different directory.

Once the patch completes, you tin can open VMware.

2. Create the macOS Large Sur Virtual Automobile with VMware

macos big sur vmware setup new installation
  1. Select Create a New Virtual Machine. Choose I volition install the operating arrangement later.
  2. At present, select Apple Mac OS X, and change the Version to macOS 10.16. If yous don't see the macOS options, information technology is because the patch didn't install correctly.
  3. Next, you need to choose a proper noun for your macOS Big Sur virtual machine. Choose something easy to think, and then copy the file path to somewhere handy—y'all're going to need it to brand some edits in a moment.
  4. On the adjacent screen, set a deejay size of 50GB or larger and select Shop virtual disk as a single file. Complete the virtual disk creation wizard, but practice not starting time the virtual machine just still.

3. Edit the macOS Big Sur Virtual Machine Settings

Before you lot can boot the virtual machine, you must edit the hardware specification.

macos big sur vmware virtual machine hardware settings
  1. From the master VMware screen, select your macOS Big Sur virtual automobile, then right-click and select Settings.
  2. Crash-land the virtual machine memory upwards to at least 4GB. Yous tin can classify more than if you have RAM to spare.
  3. Under Processors, edit the number of bachelor cores to 2 (or more if available).
  4. Now, select New CD/DVD (SATA) > Use ISO epitome file. Browse to the macOS Large Sur ISO file and select it.
  5. Shut the Hardware window, and select Stop.

Yet, don't start the VMware Workstation Thespian macOS Big Sur virtual machine just yet. At that place are however some edits to make to configuration files.

4. Edit the macOS Big Sur VMX File for Intel Hardware

This section is for Intel users, and it involves the concluding set of edits you demand to make earlier switching your VMware macOS Large Sur virtual motorcar on!

Shut VMware. Head to the location you stored the macOS virtual machine. The default location is:

          C:\Users\YOURNAME\Documents\Virtual Machines\YOUR MAC OS X FOLDER

Scan to macOS Big Sur.vmx, right-click, and select Open with > Notepad (or your preferred text editor). Gyre to the bottom of the configuration file and add the following line:

          smbios.reflectHost = "True"
hw.model = "MacBookPro14,3"
board-id = "Mac-551B86E5744E2388"
smc.version = "0"

Save, then Leave.

You tin at present open VMware, select your macOS Big Sur virtual machine, and fire information technology up!

5. Edit the macOS Big Sur VMX File for AMD Hardware

This section is for AMD users. Like the to a higher place department, AMD users must also edit the VMX file earlier proceeding. The AMD edit involves a few more lines than the Intel version, but you tin copy and paste the information into the file.

Shut VMware. Head to the location you stored the macOS virtual machine. The default location is:

          C:\Users\YOURNAME\Documents\Virtual Machines\YOUR MAC Bone X FOLDER

Scan to macOS Big Sur.vmx, correct-click, and select Open up with > Notepad (or your preferred text editor). Curl to the lesser of the configuration file and add the following lines:

          smc.version = "0"
cpuid.0.eax = "0000:0000:0000:0000:0000:0000:0000:1011"
cpuid.0.ebx = "0111:0101:0110:1110:0110:0101:0100:0111"
cpuid.0.ecx = "0110:1100:0110:0101:0111:0100:0110:1110"
cpuid.0.edx = "0100:1001:0110:0101:0110:1110:0110:1001"
cpuid.1.eax = "0000:0000:0000:0001:0000:0110:0111:0001"
cpuid.i.ebx = "0000:0010:0000:0001:0000:thou:0000:0000"
cpuid.1.ecx = "k:0010:1001:m:0010:0010:0000:0011"
cpuid.1.edx = "0000:0111:g:1011:1111:1011:1111:1111"
smbios.reflectHost = "True"
hw.model = "MacBookPro14,iii"
board-id = "Mac-551B86E5744E2388"

Salvage, then Exit.

You lot can now open VMware, select your macOS Big Sur virtual machine, and burn it up!

half-dozen. Configure and Install the macOS Large Sur Virtual Machine

Afterward launching the macOS Big Sur virtual machine, you'll have to configure the storage drive before installation.

macos big sur vmware disk configuration
  1. Next, select Deejay Utility. You create a clean bulldoze for macOS Big Sur to install to.
  2. In the Disk Utility, select VMware Virtual SATA Hard Bulldoze Media from the Internal drive column.
  3. Later selecting the drive, caput to the Erase pick found at the top of the utility.
  4. Requite your bulldoze a name, set up the Format to APFS, and the Scheme to GUID Partition Map.
  5. Select Erase.
  6. One time complete, yous tin can exit the Deejay Utility dorsum to the Big Sur recovery screen. From here, you should select Install macOS Large Sur.
  7. Select the bulldoze you created in the Disk Utility, followed by Continue.

The installation process takes a while, only it is faster than VirtualBox. Once macOS Big Sur loads, you can configure the operating system equally you run into fit.

7. Install VMware Tools to Your macOS Large Sur Virtual Machine

You now need to install VMware Tools, which is a gear up of utilities and extensions that better mouse handling, video performance, and other useful things.

With the macOS virtual machine running, head to Player > Manage > Install VMware Tools.

The installation disc will appear on the macOS desktop. When the selection appears, select Install VMware Tools, then allow it access to the removable volume. Follow the guided installer, which will require a restart on completion.

Troubleshooting

A couple of things can become incorrect during the macOS virtual motorcar installation in VMware Player Workstation.

  1. If y'all cannot see "Apple Mac OS Ten" during the virtual machine cosmos sorcerer, then you need to revisit the patch procedure. Ensure every process associated with VMware Player is off.
  2. If y'all receive the bulletin "Mac Os X is non supported with binary translation" when starting the virtual motorcar, there is a strong chance you need to activate virtualization in your BIOS/UEFI configuration.
  3. If you receive the message "VMware Actor unrecoverable error: (vcpu-0)" when starting the virtual car, you demand to head back to the macOS Big Sur.vmx configuration file to ensure you added the extra line and saved the edit.
  4. If you're running AMD hardware and go stuck at the Apple logo, first ability off the virtual motorcar. Now, head to Settings > Options > Full general. Modify the Guest operating system to Microsoft Windows and the Version to Windows x x64. Press OK, then attempt to power up the virtual machine again. Once the Apple tree logo passes, ability downward the virtual machine, then set the Guest operating system option back to Apple Mac Os X, selecting the correct version.

macOS Virtual Machines for AMD Hardware

Apple uses Intel hardware to power desktops and laptops. Configuring a macOS virtual motorcar using Intel hardware is easier considering the hardware specifications are very similar.

With AMD, the reverse is true. Because Apple does not develop macOS on AMD hardware, creating a macOS virtual car on an AMD system is trickier. Yet, you tin check out the post-obit video tutorial to learn how to install macOS Big Sur on a VMware virtual machine using AMD hardware.

macOS Big Sur Virtual Motorcar Installation Complete

You have 2 options to cull from for your macOS Big Sur virtual machine. Both options are great if you desire to give macOS a endeavor before making the switch from Windows and enjoy some of the best Apple apps on offer.

How to Create a Virtual Machine Using Windows 10 Hyper-Five

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Nigh The Author

Gavin Phillips (1047 Articles Published)

Gavin is the Junior Editor for Technology Explained, a regular contributor to the Really Useful Podcast, and a frequent product reviewer. He has a caste in Gimmicky Writing pillaged from the hills of Devon, and more than a decade of professional writing experience. He enjoys copious amounts of tea, board games, and football.

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