No matter how wonderful and self-sufficient macOS is, some of its users need to work in Windows from time to time. Some people want to play, while others need to work in specialized programs that simply have no analogues for Mac. And simply the desire to diversify the work environment is understandable - it’s so interesting to look at the evolution of Windows and its new capabilities.
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It turns out that it is not at all necessary to purchase a separate computer for Windows - this operating system can also be installed on a Mac, and in parallel with the main one. The Boot Camp tool allows you to host a full-fledged second operating system, which compares favorably with virtualization solutions with their limitations.
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What is Boot Camp?
Boot Camp is a standard application pre-installed in macOS that allows you to legally install Windows on a Mac computer, as well as switch between OSes at boot. Boot Camp for Mac will allow you to quickly deploy Windows and ensure stable operation of this system, giving it maximum computer hardware resources.
You can find the Boot Camp Assistant application on macOS by going to Programs → Utilities or in the Launchpad window in the Others folder.
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What do you need
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What do you need
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A printed version of this document contains the necessary reference information for installing Windows.
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The keyboard and mouse or trackpad that came with your computer. (If not, use a USB keyboard and mouse.)
To install Windows 7 from the installation disk, you need the following.
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Built-in optical drive or compatible external optical drive. For information about using your computer with an external optical drive, see your computer's documentation.
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Windows 7 Home Premium, Professional, or Ultimate installation disc Use only one installation disc for a complete Windows installation. You cannot use an updated version of Windows.
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A blank CD or DVD or an external hard drive in MS-DOS (FAT) format. After installing Windows, you need to install software drivers to enable Windows to work with Mac hardware. Drivers can be downloaded to a blank CD or DVD, or to an external hard drive. To format an external hard drive in MS-DOS (FAT) format, use Disk Utility, located in the Utilities folder.
You may be able to install Windows 7 from a USB flash drive that contains an ISO image of Windows 7 downloaded from the Microsoft website. To see if you can do this, open Boot Camp Assistant, click Continue, and see if the Create a Windows 7 installation disk option is available. To install Windows 7 from a USB flash drive, you need the following:
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ISO image of Windows 7 Home Premium, Professional or Ultimate, downloaded from the Microsoft website;
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USB flash drive with a capacity of 4 GB or more. Boot Camp Assistant cleans the flash drive and copies the Windows 7 ISO image and driver software that allows Windows to work with your Mac hardware.
For information about the amount of free space required to install Windows, see your Windows documentation.
Which Macs can install Windows 10 via Boot Camp?
List of models on which you can install 64-bit Windows 10 Home or Pro editions on a Mac using the Boot Camp Assistant utility:
- iMac 2012 or newer;
- iMac Pro 2013 or newer;
- iMac/Mac mini 2012 or newer;
- MacBook Pro/Air 2012 or newer;
- MacBook 2020 and newer.
Computers must have the latest macOS updates installed and Boot Camp Assistant installed. It is she who is responsible for the subsequent installation of Windows 10.
Note that macOS Mojave installed on an iMac with a 3TB hard drive does not allow you to install Windows using Boot Camp. This is due to the characteristic placement of APFS and NTFS file systems that are different from each other on disks of this particular capacity. The rest of the models mentioned above may well have Windows 10 installed.
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Install Windows 10 on Mac using Boot Camp. Instructions
On Wednesday, a new version of Microsoft's operating system, Windows 10, became available for free download. According to the head, it opens a new era in the field of personal computers.
You can install Windows 10 OS not only on computers with Windows 7 and Windows 8, but also on Mac - using a virtual machine or the Boot Camp system application. In the latter case, the operating system will work without a decrease in performance, which is typical for virtual machines. The installation process is simple and safe for the data on your computer. After completing the procedure, the user can launch OS X or Windows 10 on the computer.
Requirements:
- Mac running OS X 10.9.3 or higher.
- 30 GB of free disk space (to create a partition for Windows 10).
- Windows 10 activation key.
- USB flash drive for storing Boot Camp drivers. Minimum volume 16 GB.
- Windows 10 ISO image.
Once you have everything you need, you are ready to install Windows 10 on your Mac. We strongly recommend that you back up your data on your computer using Time Machine.
How to install Windows 10 on Mac via Boot Camp:
Step 1 : On your OS X computer, launch Boot Camp Assistant. The program is located in the Programs –> Utilities folder.
On the first screen, click Continue.
Step 2 : On the second screen, if you do not have the latest Boot Camp drivers, check both the boxes: Create a Windows 7 or later installation disc and Download the latest Windows support software from Apple. After you click Continue, the program will offer to write a copy of the drivers to a USB flash drive.
Step 3 : Insert the flash drive or USB drive and select the Windows 10 ISO file. Boot Camp Assistant will warn you that all data on the drive will be erased. Click continue.
Step 4 : The process of downloading drivers to the flash drive may take 10-15 minutes, depending on the speed of your Internet connection.
Step 5 : After you download the drivers to the USB flash drive, Boot Camp Assistant will prompt you to create a partition on the disk for Windows. You must allocate at least 30 GB for the new OS.
Step 6 : Once confirmed, restart your Mac. If you did everything correctly, you will see the Windows 10 installation window on the screen. From now on, follow the instructions on the screen.
At the step of selecting a partition to install Windows 10, specify “BOOTCAMP”.
The Windows 10 installation process may take some time. Do not interrupt the procedure, do not restart or turn off your Mac.
Step 7 : Once the Mac restarts for the second time, you are ready to install the necessary drivers. Insert the USB flash drive onto which you downloaded the drivers and run the installation program.
Congratulations, you have successfully installed Windows 10 on Mac! Now you can run any of the two operating systems as you wish.
Dual boot Windows 10 and OS X:
While your Mac is rebooting, hold down the Option (Alt) button to bring up the boot OS selection window. On the screen you will see a menu to launch OS X and Windows. Select the desired system by clicking on the corresponding icon.
How much space do you need to install Windows 10 on Mac?
Your Mac's startup drive must have at least 64GB of free space. And for best performance, the space should be at least 128 GB. This is exactly what the automatic installation of Windows updates will require. If you have an iMac Pro or Mac Pro with 128GB of RAM
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Will Magic Mouse and Magic Keyboard work on Windows?
Yes, Apple's wireless mouse and keyboard will work fine in Windows, but just in case, prepare a separate wired USB mouse and USB keyboard before installation . During Windows installation, you may need them (at least click the Next button, as in the screenshot below), since Magic Mouse and Magic Keyboard will be detected in the system only at the installation completion stage, while at the initial stage user actions will be required, and input devices may not work.
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What you need to know before installing Windows on Mac
So, in order for our manual to be truly up-to-date, I chose the 13-inch MacBook Air 2013 as a victim of the future symbiosis of two operating systems.
Before we begin any action, we need to find out what versions of Windows we can install on this Mac. Pay attention to the table.
More detailed information and a complete list of models can be found at this link.
As you can see in the table, our experimental Mac tops the list and we can only install versions 7 and 8 of Windows on it, and only 64-bit ones. I’ll tell you why Apple refused to support 32-bit “windows” with the latest generation of Macs. I’ll tell you a little later. You've probably already noticed numbers 4 and 5, these are Boot Camp versions starting from which you can install one or another version of the operating system. In general, before starting the installation, it’s a good idea to make sure that you have the latest updates for both the utility and Mac OS X itself.
Well, now it’s time to open the Boot Camp assistant ( programs > utilities
) and get to know him better. At the initial stage, the program displays the following dialog box:
1. Create a Windows installation disk
2. Download the latest Windows drivers
3. Set the “seven”. We have nothing to delete yet.
The first point immediately warns us that for further actions we must have a blank USB flash drive (at least 8 GB) and an ISO image of the Windows we need (in my case, this is only 64-bit “seven” or “eight”). I won’t tell you where and how you can download an ISO image of Windows, everyone has known this for a long time, but if not, then Google will help you.
By the way, Apple completely abandoned the BIOS and replaced it in the MacBook 2013 with UEFI, a new specification that has a number of advantages. So, these are currently the only MacBooks that support installing Windows and Mac OS X via EFI. Most likely, along with the BIOS, support for 32-bit systems also fell into oblivion due to lack of use.
Where can I download the Windows 10 installation ISO image?
An image of the 64-bit version of Windows 10 Pro or Home in ISO format can be downloaded legally and for free from the Microsoft website. For this:
1. Follow the link, select Windows 10 in the Select edition drop-down list and click Confirm.
2. In the Select product language drop-down list, select the system language and click Confirm.
3. Click on the 64-bit Download link that appears. The link will be available within 24 hours from the moment it is created.
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I don't have a Windows activation code, can I install the system without it?
During installation of Windows on Mac, the user will be prompted to enter an activation code. You can skip this procedure; it is optional and will not interfere with further installation.
Don’t rush to look for a place where you can buy a Windows activation key; perhaps the version without activation will suit you just fine.
If during the installation of the original Windows 10 you did not enter an activation key (selected “I don’t have a product key”), then in the end you will still get a fully functional official Windows system with minor restrictions regarding personalization options (changing themes, color options , wallpaper, etc.).
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Insert a CD or DVD, or connect an external hard drive...
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Insert a CD or DVD, or connect an external hard drive
with Windows support software. The installer may start automatically. If it doesn't start, do one of the following:
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If the support software is on the same USB flash drive as Windows 7 Setup, double-click setup.exe in the WindowsSupport directory.
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Otherwise, double-click the setup.exe file in the Boot Camp directory.
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Follow the instructions that appear on the screen.
Important!
Do not click the "Cancel" button in any of the program's dialog boxes
installations.
If you receive a message that the software you are installing has not been tested for compatibility with Windows, click Continue Anyway.
During the installation process, installer dialog boxes appear briefly; there is no need to answer them.
If nothing happens, there may be hidden windows that require a response. Look at the taskbar and also check to see if there are other windows under the displayed windows.
4
After restarting your computer, follow any instructions that appear.
installation programs.
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Via Apple Software Update or the website
www.apple.com/en/support/bootcamp Check for updated versions of Windows support software.
If Windows support software
did not install successfully
If your Mac's hardware isn't working properly because the Windows support software didn't install successfully, try repairing it.
Windows Support Software Recovery
1
Boot your computer into Windows. See "Boot on Mac OS X or Windows" on
page 12.
2
Insert a CD or DVD, or connect an external hard drive with software
providing Windows support. The installer may start automatically. If it doesn't start, do one of the following:
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What happens if you don’t activate installed Windows 10 on Mac later?
An unactivated version of Windows 10 on Mac will be able to run without time limits . In other words, without entering the Windows activation code, the system will continue to work correctly without blocking in a month, a year, five, etc.
In addition to the impossibility of personalization, the system settings will indicate that Windows 10 is not activated. Also, after a month of using Windows, a reminder will appear in the lower right part of the desktop that the system is not activated. Let us repeat that no blocking of the current session is provided in the non-activated version of Windows 10.
This message can be easily removed by changing the PaintDesktopVersion parameter in the registry key HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop from 1 to 0 and then restarting the computer.
If you wish, you can purchase a Windows 10 activation code later. To do this, go to: “Settings” → “Update and Security” → “Activation” and click “Go to Store”. On this page you can buy a license activation code for Windows 10 Home or Windows 10 Pro using a bank card. After purchasing, return to Settings, click the Change Product Key button and enter the Windows license activation code you received.
Please note that you can buy a Windows 10 activation code not only from Microsoft, but also from many resellers. In this case, as a rule, the license will cost much less.
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How to Install Windows 10 on Mac
1. To install Windows, you will need the Boot Camp Assistant utility. It is included in the standard macOS applications.
Launch the utility by going to Programs → Utilities or use the Launchpad window and go to the Others folder.
2. .
3. Click Continue and specify the location where the downloaded Windows image is stored.
4. Set the size of the disk space allocated for Windows to at least 64 GB (128 GB recommended). At this step, you need to exercise some caution - you will not be able to change this section in the future. If the system is needed not just for familiarization, but to install “heavy” games and applications into it, then it is better to provide it with more space in advance.
5. If Boot Camp Assistant asks you to insert the prepared USB drive, then insert it into the USB port of your Mac. This media will help you create a bootable Windows disk.
For Macs running OS X El Capitan 10.11 or later macOS, a USB flash drive is not required .
6. Wait until the necessary drivers and packages have been downloaded from the Internet. When Boot Camp Assistant finishes running, your computer will reboot. After this, Windows will begin to install directly.
7. At the very beginning of the process, you will be taken to the installation window, in which you will need to select a partition to install the new system. You should select the BOOTCAMP section. Usually the installer automatically selects this partition and formats it.
8. Disconnect all external USB devices from your Mac, click Next to continue installing Windows.
9. After starting Windows for the first time, the Boot Camp installer will automatically open, which is necessary to install the additional drivers required for the system to operate. If the installer does not start for some reason, then launch it manually. For this:
a) In Windows Explorer, open the temporarily created OSXRESERVED drive, which is usually designated by the letter D.
b) Open the BootCamp folder and run the Setup file.
c) Allow Boot Camp to make changes by clicking "Yes" and then click "Fix" to begin installation.
d) Restart your computer.
10. After completing the installation of all required programs, restart Windows, and then connect to the Internet using an Ethernet cable or Wi-Fi. Open the Start panel, find the Apple Software Update utility there, and run it.
11. In this program, select all available updates, install them and reboot your computer again.
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Problems installing windows, If windows installation is not done correctly
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Click Format, then click OK.
5
Click Next.
The installer will format the Windows partition using the NTFS file system.
6
Follow the onscreen instructions to complete installation and setup
Windows. After installing the Windows software, your computer will restart automatically using Windows. Use the Windows setup screens to select your Windows configuration.
Problems installing Windows
Below are suggestions for troubleshooting problems you may encounter while installing Windows.
If you see a "Installation disk not found" message when installing Windows
Make sure you are logged in to Mac OS X as an administrator.
If Windows Installation Is Incorrect
Make sure you are using the original full version of Windows 7 Home Premium, Professional or Ultimate.
How to run and switch between Windows 10 and macOS on a computer with Boot Camp
So, your computer now has not only macOS, but also Windows 10. All that remains is to understand how to run this or that operating system. By default, when you turn on your computer, macOS will load, as it was before. You can choose to boot another system using a special menu. To make it appear during system startup (for example, after rebooting or turning on), press and hold the ⌥Option (Alt) key.
Alternative method: Go to System Preferences → Boot Disk, click on the lock icon in the lower left corner of the window and enter the administrator password to access the settings, make the boot partition where Windows is installed (usually BOOTCAMP) active and click the Restart button.
To quickly switch from Windows to macOS, the Boot Camp utility located in the tray will help.
Click on it and select the Restart and start macOS option.
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Download Windows 10 Drivers via Boot Camp
Boot Camp is an Apple proprietary utility that is designed for convenient installation and further use of the Windows 10 operating system on Mac computers. Even a child can handle it, but it is not needed in its pure form - we use only one of its functions.
For the purpose of this material, Boot Camp will only be needed to download drivers that will help connect Windows 10 with hardware manufactured by Apple. The fact is that this utility can install the system only on the internal disk of a Mac. I repeat, it “bites off” the necessary space from it, which will be used in the future with another system. This is comfortable when using Mac storage of 512GB, 1TB or more. If you have only 128 or only 256 GB, it is better to put Windows 10 on an external drive. This is why Boot Camp is only needed to download drivers⁵.
Step 1: Open the Boot Camp app.
Step 2: Go to the Action menu.
Step 3: Select the "Download Windows Support Software" option.
Step 4. Determine the location to save the drivers - the “WIN10DR” flash drive (if you used this name).
Step 5. Click on the “Save” button.
Step 6. Wait for the operation to complete.
After the operation is completed, the flash drive will contain the WindowsSupport folder with all the necessary files.
➄ To download the latest software (drivers) for running a Mac on Windows 10, you need the latest version of Boot Camp. It updates with macOS, so it's best to install the latest version through System Preferences > Software Update.
