Run iOS apps on your Mac

Get some cross–platform goodness for your apps in a few easy steps.

REQUIRES

An M1 Mac running macOS 11 or later, an iOS device

YOU WILL LEARN

How to download and install iOS apps on macOS

IT WILL TAKE 10 minutes

When Apple announced its Macs were transitioning from Intel processors to its own M1 chips, one of the touted benefits was being able to run iOS apps natively on your Mac. And the really good news is that this is extremely easy to do, which we will outline in this tutorial.

That said, there are some things to be aware of. For one thing, macOS and iOS work in different ways. Mac apps can use multiple windows, for example, while iOS apps cannot; Mac apps are designed for mouse or trackpad control, not finger-based gestures. Not every iOS app has been optimized for macOS, so running an unoptimized iOS app on your computer may not be quite what you expect.

When browsing the Mac App Store for iOS apps, look out for “Not verified for macOS” in the description. If you do not see that text, it indicates the developer has taken the time to adapt the app for the Mac and is likely to therefore give you a better experience.

Some apps, though, may have had less care devoted to them when they were ported using Apple’s Mac Catalyst framework (see the Jargon Buster). There is still hope, though, as there are plenty of ways you can improve these apps’ functionality. We will take you through them in this tutorial, showing you not only how to run these apps but how to make the most of them too.

ALEX BLAKE

GENIUS TIP Lots of iOS games work well when played on the Mac. That said, don’t forget to check if yours rely on your device’s gyroscope for controls!

Even though many iOS apps are compatible on macOS and more than usable, you should be prepared for some things – such as menus – being designed with touch controls in mind.

JARGON BUSTER Mac Catalyst is Apple’s tool for porting iPad apps to the Mac. Many of Apple’s own apps use it, making them more consistent across different platforms.