For older versions of Windows, you’ll have to go through retailers like Best Buy. Which version depends on your Mac’s age: Those from mid-2012 and newer support Windows 8 and 10, while models from early-2012 only support Windows 7 and 8.įor Windows 10, you can get a copy of the Home version as either a USB stick or download from Microsoft for $119. Check system requirements, then buy Windowsįirst off, you’ll need a 64-bit edition of Windows. Without further ado, here’s how to set up Boot Camp and install Windows. Boot Camp is also better at running Windows software than virtual machines like Parallels or VMWare Fusion, which are programs that simultaneously run Windows inside Mac’s operating system.
For instance, PC MMOs such as Star Trek Online, Tera, and Star Wars: The Old Republic only run on Windows. Probably the most common reason Mac owners use Boot Camp is to play Windows-only games. With the press of a button, you can switch between Mac and Windows every time your computer turns on.
So you have a Mac but also want to run Windows? You’re in luck: shortly after the first Intel-based Macs arrived on the market in 2009, Apple released a tool called Boot Camp, which lets Mac owners install and start their machines natively in Microsoft Windows.
