RUN WINDOWS 10 IN MACOS

Run Windows 10 from a virtual machine window on your macOS desktop

Create a Windows 10 ‘virtual machine’

VirtualBox is a free app in which you can create a Windows 10 ‘virtual machine’.

This means you can run Windows, use programs written for it, and share files from the comfort of your macOS desktop. In order to proceed, all you need to do is buy a Windows 10 DVD or download an ISO file, as well as obtain a valid product key for your chosen version.

Our guide also contains tips on installing the VirtualBox Extension Pack and Guest Additions. These allow for the more advanced features that you would find in a physical computer, including fullscreen mode (press

ç+F to switch to it) and support for USB devices. Once you have followed our walkthrough, check out VirtualBox’s Devices menu for more hidden treasures. Choose Devices > Shared Clipboard > Bidirectional to be able to copy and paste text between macOS and your virtual Windows machine.

You can use drag and drop to move files and folders between systems. PCs are more prone to malware than Macs, so you may want to make this one way with the ‘host to guest’ setting. For further peace of mind, you can choose only to share specific folders from your Mac, such as Downloads. Pick Devices > Shared Folders > Shared Folders Settings to add a specific Mac folder. You’ll then have access to your designated folders in Windows’ File Explorer under Network > VBOXSVR.

You can access shared Mac folders under Networks in Windows; right-click to create a shortcut on the desktop.

Look in your virtual machine’s View menu to find options for how Windows’ desktop scales and to take screenshots.