How to Run Windows Programs on a Mac: Every Method Explained

There’s a moment most Mac users eventually face. You’ve switched to, or always used, a Mac, and then it happens: your employer sends an .exe installer, your accountant wants you on QuickBooks Desktop, a client insists on a Windows-only file format, or the one game you actually want to play doesn’t have a Mac version.

You need Windows. On a Mac.

The good news is that there are more ways to do this than ever before, and some of them are free. The frustrating news is that the landscape has changed significantly since 2020, particularly for anyone with a newer Apple Silicon Mac, so a lot of older advice online is simply wrong today.

This guide covers every legitimate method to run Windows programs on a Mac in 2026, with clear explanations of what works on Apple Silicon (M1 through M5) vs Intel Macs, how much each option costs, and which one makes sense for your specific situation.

Quick Answer: Which Method Should You Use?

The Critical Thing to Know Before You Start: Apple Silicon vs Intel

This is the piece of information that trips up most people and gets glossed over in outdated guides.

If you have an Apple Silicon Mac (M1, M2, M3, M4, or M5 chip):

• Boot Camp is not available. Apple removed it in 2020 and has not restored it.
• You can only run Windows ARM, a version of Windows built for ARM-based processors, not the standard x86 Windows used on most PCs.
• Virtual machines like Parallels and VMware Fusion install Windows ARM for you automatically.
• Windows ARM includes Microsoft’s built-in x86 and x64 emulation layer (called Prism), which means the vast majority of Windows applications, Office, QuickBooks, Adobe apps, and most productivity software work correctly. But some apps won’t, including most games with kernel-level anti-cheat systems (Valorant, Fortnite, League of Legends), and hardware requiring x86-specific drivers.

If you have an Intel Mac:

• All methods are available, including Boot Camp.
• You can run the standard x86 version of Windows, the same one used on any Windows PC.
• Boot Camp gives you the best native performance by running Windows directly on the hardware.

How to check which chip your Mac has: Click the Apple menu → About This Mac. Look for “Chip” (Apple M1/M2/M3/M4/M5 = Apple Silicon) or “Processor” (Intel = Intel Mac).

Method 1: Parallels Desktop – Best Overall for Most Users

Works on: Apple Silicon (M1–M5) and Intel Macs. Cost: $99.99/year (Standard); $129.99/year (Pro) Windows license required: Yes (Parallels can download it automatically) Ease of use: Excellent, designed for non-technical users

Parallels Desktop is the most polished, most widely recommended, and Microsoft-authorized way to run Windows on a Mac. If you want Windows to work well and you don’t want to spend time troubleshooting, this is the one to start with.

What Makes Parallels Stand Out

Automatic setup: Parallels can download and install Windows 11 ARM automatically in under 20 minutes. You don’t need to find a Windows ISO, create a bootable drive, or navigate complex setup screens.

Coherence Mode: This is Parallels’ standout feature. Rather than running Windows in a separate window, you have to switch to Coherence Mode, which lets Windows applications appear directly on your Mac desktop.

In your Dock, alongside your Mac apps. Microsoft Word opens from your Dock. Files drag between macOS and Windows effortlessly. It genuinely feels like running a Mac app.

Performance: On Apple Silicon, Parallels consistently outperforms competitors. Independent testing in 2026 shows it completes CPU-intensive tasks 31–42% faster than VMware Fusion and launches Windows in under 5 seconds compared to Fusion’s 8+ seconds.

macOS integration: Shared clipboard (copy on Mac, paste in Windows), shared folders, drag-and-drop file transfer, and printing from Windows to Mac printers all work without configuration.

Microsoft authorization: Parallels is the only virtualization tool officially authorized by Microsoft to run Windows 11 on Apple Silicon Macs, which matters for license compliance and update reliability.

What Parallels Doesn’t Do Well

• Kernel-level anti-cheat games (Valorant, Fortnite, League of Legends) will not run. This is a Windows ARM + virtualization limitation, not specific to Parallels.
• The subscription model ($99.99/year) is a recurring cost.
• Hardware requiring specific x86 drivers (some specialized USB peripherals, legacy hardware) may not work.

How to Set Up Parallels Desktop

1. Download Parallels Desktop from parallels.com and install it
2. Open Parallels and click “Install Windows”
3. Choose “Get Windows 11 from Microsoft”. Parallels handles the download automatically.
4. Follow the on-screen prompts; installation takes approximately 15–20 minutes.
5. Once complete, Windows opens in a window. Enable Coherence Mode from the View menu for the best experience.
6. Install your Windows applications inside the Windows environment as normal

Parallels Desktop is available directly from Parallels.com and on Amazon. If you’re on an Apple Silicon Mac and want the most seamless Windows experience without any manual configuration, it remains the clear first choice for everyday professional use.

Related: Things You Most Likely Didn’t Know About Dual Boot vs Virtual Machine

Method 2: VMware Fusion – Best Free Option

Works on: Apple Silicon (M1–M5) and Intel Macs. Cost: Free for personal use (Broadcom account required); $149 one-time for commercial use. Windows license required: Yes. Ease of use: Good for technically comfortable users; more manual than Parallels

VMware Fusion became free for personal, educational, and commercial use in November 2024. For budget-conscious users comfortable with a slightly more hands-on setup, it’s a genuinely capable option.

What VMware Fusion Does Well

• Full Windows 11 ARM virtualization on Apple Silicon
• DirectX 11 support was introduced in Fusion 13.5, a meaningful improvement for graphics-heavy applications
• No recurring subscription fee (one-time $149 for commercial, free for personal)
• Solid performance on Apple Silicon, typically within 5% of Parallels on office application benchmarks
• USB and peripheral passthrough support

VMware Fusion Limitations in 2026

• No Coherence Mode on Apple Silicon; Unity Mode (VMware’s equivalent) is not yet available for M-series Macs. Windows runs in a window, not integrated into the macOS desktop.
• Manual setup; no automatic Windows download like Parallels. You need to download a Windows ISO separately from Microsoft.
• Community-only support; since Broadcom’s acquisition, official support has been largely discontinued. If you run into problems, you’re relying on community forums.
• Boot time is approximately 8–9 seconds versus Parallels’ sub-5-second launch.
• Slower update cadence than Parallels.

Who Should Choose VMware Fusion

VMware Fusion is the right choice if you need Windows occasionally rather than daily, you’re comfortable troubleshooting technical issues independently, you want to avoid a recurring subscription cost, or you’re an IT professional or developer setting up test environments.

Basic VMware Fusion Setup Steps:

1. Create a free Broadcom account and download VMware Fusion from broadcom.com
2. Download a Windows 11 ARM ISO from Microsoft’s website (microsoft.com/software-download)
3. Open Fusion, click the “+” icon, select “New,” and choose “Install from disc or image”
4. Select your Windows ISO and follow the installation wizard
5. Install VMware Tools inside Windows when prompted for best performance and integration

Method 3: CrossOver – Run Windows Apps Without Installing Windows

Works on: Apple Silicon (M1–M5) and Intel Macs. Cost: $74/year Windows license required: No, CrossOver doesn’t install Windows at all Ease of use: Straightforward for supported apps; limited for unsupported ones

CrossOver takes a fundamentally different approach. Rather than installing a full Windows operating system and running your apps inside it, CrossOver translates Windows API calls directly into macOS instructions. Your Windows application runs without any Windows environment around it.

Why CrossOver Is Unique

The key advantage is that no Windows license is required. CrossOver costs $74/year, and you’re done. No additional purchase of Windows 11 (which costs $139 from Microsoft) on top of your virtualization subscription.

For supported applications, CrossOver can also deliver better performance than virtualization because there’s no Windows operating system layer consuming resources. The app runs almost natively on macOS.

CrossOver maintains a compatibility database showing which Windows applications work well, partially work, or don’t work.

Popular applications with excellent CrossOver support include Microsoft Office, many Adobe products, various productivity tools, and an extensive list of Windows games via its integration with Apple’s Game Porting Toolkit.

CrossOver Limitations

CrossOver cannot run every Windows application. It depends on how closely the application follows standard Windows API calls.

Software with deep driver dependencies, complex DRM systems, or unusual system integrations may not work at all. Before purchasing, check the CrossOver compatibility database at codeweavers.com to confirm your specific application is supported.

Who Should Choose CrossOver

CrossOver is ideal if you need one or two specific Windows applications, want to avoid buying a Windows license, or primarily want to run Windows games on an Apple Silicon Mac.

For gaming specifically, CrossOver combined with Apple’s Game Porting Toolkit provides access to a large library of Windows-only titles.

Method 4: Boot Camp – Best Performance, Intel Macs Only

Works on: Intel Macs only (2019 and earlier models). Cost: Free (Windows license required: ~$139) Windows license required: Yes Ease of use: Moderate, requires restarting to switch between macOS and Windows

Boot Camp is Apple’s built-in utility for running Windows natively on Intel Macs. When you use Boot Camp, Windows runs directly on your Mac’s hardware with no virtualization overhead. This means:

• Maximum performance for any application, including GPU-intensive games and professional software
• Direct hardware access; all drivers work as they would on a native Windows PC
• No sharing of resources between macOS and Windows

The significant trade-off: you must restart your Mac to switch between macOS and Windows. You can’t have a Mac app and a Windows app open at the same time. It’s a commitment every time you need to cross platforms.

Boot Camp is not available on any Apple Silicon Mac. If you have an M1, M2, M3, M4, or M5 Mac, this option does not exist; use Parallels, VMware Fusion, or CrossOver instead.

Setting Up Boot Camp (Intel Macs)

1. Open Boot Camp Assistant from Applications → Utilities
2. Download a Windows 11 ISO from Microsoft’s website and have a USB drive ready
3. Follow the Boot Camp Assistant wizard; it partitions your drive and creates the installer
4. Restart your Mac; it boots into the Windows installer
5. Complete Windows installation, then install Boot Camp drivers inside Windows
6. To switch between macOS and Windows: restart and hold the Option key, then select your OS

Method 5: UTM – Free, Open-Source, Highly Flexible

Works on: Apple Silicon (M1–M5) and Intel Macs. Cost: Free (or ~$10 on Mac App Store to support development) Windows license required: Yes Ease of use: Moderate to Advanced, more manual than Parallels or Fusion

UTM is a free, open-source virtualization and emulation tool that deserves more attention than it gets.

Unlike Parallels and VMware Fusion, UTM supports both virtualization (running Windows ARM on Apple Silicon at near-native speed) and full x86 emulation (running older x86 Windows on Apple Silicon, albeit slowly).

This makes UTM particularly useful for running legacy software, Windows 7, Windows XP on newer Macs, which neither Parallels nor Fusion supports cleanly.

UTM Strengths

• Completely free with active development
• Supports both ARM virtualization and x86 emulation
• Runs Linux, older Windows versions, and other operating systems
• Available directly from utm.app for free, or on the Mac App Store for a modest fee

UTM Weaknesses

• No macOS integration features like Coherence/Unity Mode
• No drag-and-drop or shared clipboard without manual SPICE driver setup
• More complex setup than Parallels or Fusion
• 3D graphics acceleration is limited, making it unsuitable for gaming
• Slower than Parallels or Fusion for everyday use

Who should use UTM: Developers, power users, people who need to run older versions of Windows, and anyone who wants maximum flexibility without spending money.

Method 6: Windows 365 Cloud PC – No Local Installation Required

Works on: Any Mac (Apple Silicon or Intel) Cost: Starts at approximately $20/month Windows license required: No (included in the subscription) Ease of use: Very easy, just a browser or app

Windows 365 Cloud PC is Microsoft’s cloud-hosted Windows service. Rather than running Windows on your Mac, you stream a full Windows desktop from Microsoft’s servers and access it through your browser or the Windows 365 app.

Why This Is Worth Considering

• Full x86 Windows compatibility; the server runs standard x86 Windows, so every application works, including ones that don’t run on Windows ARM
• No local resources consumed; your Mac doesn’t bear the processing load; Microsoft’s servers do
• Works on any Mac, including older Macs that lack the RAM or storage for local virtualization
• Works on MDM-managed corporate Macs where IT policies prevent installing virtualization software locally
• Accessible from any device, anywhere

Cloud PC Limitations

• Requires a stable internet connection; slow or unreliable internet makes the experience frustrating
• Monthly cost adds up; at $20–$35/month, it’s more expensive long-term than Parallels.
• Latency is higher than local virtualization; acceptable for productivity apps, problematic for gaming.
• Not suitable for applications requiring direct hardware access (USB devices, audio interfaces)

Who should use Windows 365: Users who only need Windows occasionally, corporate users on managed Macs, anyone who needs full x86 Windows compatibility on an Apple Silicon Mac, and doesn’t want to pay for Parallels.

Method 7: Remote Desktop – Use Windows on Another PC

Works on: Any Mac. Cost: Free (Microsoft Remote Desktop app) Windows PC required: Yes Ease of use: Simple, but requires an existing Windows PC

If you already have a Windows PC elsewhere, at home, at your office, or on a company network, Microsoft Remote Desktop allows you to access and control that PC from your Mac.

You see the full Windows desktop, run any application, and transfer files as if you were sitting in front of the Windows machine.

This isn’t running Windows on your Mac. It’s remotely controlling Windows running on another computer. Performance depends entirely on your network connection.

For productivity applications on a local network, it works well. For gaming or latency-sensitive tasks, it’s not suitable.

Related: How to Perform Remote Desktop File Transfer in Windows

Parallels vs VMware Fusion: Detailed Comparison

For most users, choosing between the two main virtualization options:

Minimum System Requirements

Before choosing a method, confirm your Mac can handle it:

Expert tip on RAM: For Apple Silicon Macs running Parallels or VMware Fusion, 16 GB of unified memory is the practical minimum for a good experience.

Allocating 4–8 GB to the Windows virtual machine while macOS uses the rest. On 8 GB Macs, performance will be noticeably limited. 24 GB is the sweet spot where neither macOS nor Windows feels constrained.

Related: How to Check If Your RAM Is DDR3 or DDR4 in Windows?

What Windows Programs Won’t Run on a Mac (Even With These Methods)

Understanding limitations upfront saves frustration. These categories of Windows software have significant compatibility issues regardless of the method:

Kernel-level anti-cheat games: Valorant, Fortnite, League of Legends, and many other competitive multiplayer games use anti-cheat software (Easy Anti-Cheat, Vanguard, BattlEye) that operates at a deep system level and specifically blocks virtual machine environments.

These games will not run in Parallels, VMware Fusion, UTM, or CrossOver on any Mac. Boot Camp on Intel Macs can run them natively, as can Windows 365 (cloud).

Hardware requiring x86 drivers: Certain specialized USB peripherals, audio interfaces, video capture cards, and industrial equipment have drivers written specifically for x86 Windows. On Apple Silicon running Windows ARM, these drivers may not function correctly.

32-bit Windows applications: Windows ARM does not support 32-bit (x86) applications, only 64-bit (x64) and ARM applications. Many legacy applications from before 2017 may be 32-bit and won’t run on Apple Silicon Macs.

Applications tied to specific hardware: Software that requires a hardware dongle or specific hardware fingerprint may behave unexpectedly inside a virtual machine.

How to Transfer Files Between macOS and Windows

File sharing is one of the most important practical aspects of running Windows on a Mac, and the experience varies significantly by method:

Parallels Desktop: Shared folders work automatically. You can drag files between macOS and Windows, copy and paste between the two, and access macOS folders from inside Windows. Best integration of any option.

VMware Fusion: Shared folders require enabling in Fusion settings. Works well once configured, though shared folder sync on Apple Silicon is still somewhat limited compared to Parallels.

CrossOver: Files are accessible through CrossOver’s integrated file browser. Less seamless than Parallels but functional.

Boot Camp: When running in Windows, you can access macOS files on the main partition using a third-party tool like Paragon HFS+ (your macOS partition uses a file system Windows doesn’t natively read). When in macOS, the Windows partition appears as a readable volume.

UTM: File sharing requires installing SPICE guest tools inside the Windows VM, then configuring shared directory settings. More manual than Parallels or Fusion.

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Assuming Boot Camp works on Apple Silicon. Boot Camp is an Intel Mac feature only. If you have an M-series chip and try to run Boot Camp, it won’t appear. Use Parallels, VMware Fusion, or CrossOver instead.

Allocating too little RAM to the virtual machine. Giving your Windows VM 2–4 GB of RAM makes everything painfully slow. Allocate at least 4 GB – 8 GB if your Mac has 16 GB or more. In Parallels: Settings → Hardware → Memory. In VMware: Settings → Processors & Memory.

Trying to run kernel-level anti-cheat games in a VM. Valorant, Fortnite, Apex Legends, and similar competitive games with kernel-level anti-cheat actively detect and block virtual machine environments. No virtualization tool will let these run. Boot Camp on Intel or a native Windows PC is the only option.

Ignoring Windows updates inside the VM. A Windows virtual machine is still a real Windows installation. It needs security updates, just like a physical PC. Enable Windows Update and let it run.

Mapping your entire macOS home directory into Windows. Sharing your entire Mac file system with Windows increases the risk of accidental file deletion or malware from Windows affecting Mac files. Share only the specific folders you need.

Using CrossOver for apps not in its compatibility database. CrossOver is excellent for supported apps and unreliable for unsupported ones. Always check codeweavers.com before purchasing to confirm your specific application has a tested compatibility rating.

Buying a Windows license separately before checking if you already have one. Check whether your employer, school, or Microsoft 365 subscription already includes Windows licenses. Many organizations provide Windows through volume licensing that can legally be used in virtualization.

Related: How to Find the Maximum RAM Capacity of Your PC or Laptop?

Decision Guide: Which Method Is Right for You?

I use Windows apps every day for work and want the smoothest possible experience: → Parallels Desktop. Coherence Mode, automatic setup, and best performance justify the subscription.

I want Windows on my Mac for free, and I’m technically comfortable: → VMware Fusion for a full Windows environment, or UTM if you need more flexibility. Expect more manual setup.

I only need one or two specific Windows applications: → CrossOver. No Windows license required, lower annual cost, and for supported apps, it works brilliantly.

I have an Intel Mac and need the best possible performance for gaming or professional 3D work: → Boot Camp. Running Windows natively without virtualization overhead is unbeatable for performance.

I need Windows occasionally and want zero local installation: → Windows 365 Cloud PC or another cloud desktop service. Access full x86 Windows from any browser.

I’m a developer or IT professional needing test environments: → VMware Fusion or UTM, both of which offer more granular control and are better suited to technical users.

I want to play Windows-only games on Apple Silicon: → CrossOver with Apple’s Game Porting Toolkit, or Boot Camp if you have an Intel Mac.

Summary

Running Windows programs on a Mac in 2026 is entirely achievable. But the right method depends heavily on whether you have an Apple Silicon Mac or an Intel Mac, and what you actually need Windows for.

For most users on Apple Silicon with everyday Windows needs, Parallels Desktop is the most polished, most seamless, and best-supported option.

VMware Fusion is a capable free alternative that suits technically confident users who don’t need daily Windows access.

CrossOver is the smart choice when you only need specific applications and want to avoid buying a Windows license altogether.

Boot Camp remains the performance champion for Intel Mac owners who don’t mind rebooting to switch OS.

The landscape has changed substantially since 2020. Boot Camp isn’t coming back for Apple Silicon, and that’s fine; the virtualization tools have improved dramatically to fill the gap.

Most Windows productivity software runs without issues through Parallels or VMware Fusion on M-series Macs, and the experience continues to improve with each generation of Apple Silicon.

Related: What Can You Do If You Can’t Upgrade Your PC to Windows 11?

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)