Before 2020, Apple used the same Intel processors which meant their machines were natively compatible with Windows. Mainstream Intel and AMD processors use a different processor architecture, called x86. All Mac models introduced or refreshed since 2020 have used an Apple Silicon processor like an M1 or M2 that is not compatible with the same version of Windows that would be installed on a standard PC. Since Apple switched to using proprietary ARM-based chips with the arrival of the M1 in 2020, it’s no longer possible to run “standard” x86 Windows on modern Apple computers. Here’s how to do it, whether you have an M-series chip like an M1 or M2-or an older Intel-based Mac. Alternatively, install Windows 10 (or a custom Windows 11 ISO image) on your Intel Mac using Boot Camp Assistant.ĭespite switching from Intel chips to ARM-based Apple Silicon, you can still run Windows on a Mac and enjoy excellent performance. Nonetheless, if both the companies could come to terms in the near future, we might see Windows 11 running on Apple’s M1 Macs and MacBooks sometime in the coming months.Run Windows within a virtual machine if you have an Apple Silicon (M1, M2, or similar) chip in your Mac, at nearly native speed. However, as Microsoft and Apple have been bitter rivals since the early days, the chances of running Windows 11 on M1 devices are thin for now. So, if users could run Windows 11 on M1-powered devices in the future, it is expected to deliver better performance. In fact, we have seen that Microsoft’s Windows 10 runs better on Apple’s M1 MacBook than on the Surface Pro X device. Whether or not Apple will support Boot Camp for Windows 11 on its M1 products is another question altogether.Īpple’s M1 Macs have been hailed as powerful machines by users and critics alike. However, after the end of Microsoft’s exclusivity deal with Qualcomm, the Redmond giant might start licensing the ARM version of Windows 11 for Apple’s M1 Macs. While users can currently run Windows 11 on M1 Macs and other devices using virtual machine apps such as Parallels, they cannot run the OS natively as Apple does not support Boot Camp on its systems.

When it does, it could open up opportunities for other vendors, as Microsoft could start licensing the ARM version of Windows to them.

However, recent reports suggest that the deal between Microsoft and Qualcomm will end soon. Now, for those unaware, Qualcomm is the only company that has been developing chipsets for Windows ARM PCs, thanks to an exclusivity deal with Microsoft.

Run windows 11 on mac