How to set up Windows 10 system on Mac for free

You can use Windows 10 on a macOS computer (with an Intel chip). Here’s how.

Even if you’re completely satisfied with your MacBook Pro, there’s always something Windows has to offer where macOS can’t, whether it’s software, a game, or some other feature. And you may not know it, but if you only have an Apple computer at home, you can still run Windows 10 on it.

If you have an Intel Mac with enough memory and the correct Windows 10 ISO file, which can be downloaded for free from the Windows website, you can install Windows 10 on your Apple computer in less than an hour. After that, when you turn on your Mac, you can choose to launch either Windows 10 or macOS. Here’s how.

What to do before you start

To run Windows on your Mac computer, here’s what you need:

• Intel Mac (if your computer is on this list, this is not possible).
• 64 GB of free space on the boot drive.
• Mains powered.

If you’re not sure if your computer has an Intel chip, click the Apple logo in the upper left corner of the screen and go to About This Mac. If you use the word “processor”followed by the name of the Intel processor, you have an Intel Mac.

Before you start, it’s also best to back up your machine in case something goes wrong.

1. Download the Windows 10 ISO file.

Windows 11 is not currently compatible with Boot Camp Assistant on macOS. Therefore, you will need to download Windows 10. You can download the Windows 10 disk image for free from the official Windows website.

1. On a Mac, go to the Windows download page.
2. Click Select Edition and choose Windows 10 (ISO Multi Edition).
3. Click Confirm and wait.
4. When you’re done, select your language and click Confirm.
5. Finally, click 64-bit download.

The Windows 10 ISO file is about 6 GB in size. Depending on your bandwidth, this may take some time. After downloading the file, leave it in your Downloads folder and proceed to the next step.

2. Launch Boot Camp Assistant

The software that you will use to run Windows 10 on your Mac is called Boot Camp Assistant and it is installed on your Mac. It has been designed specifically to install Windows on your computer and the process is very simple.

1. Launch Boot Camp Assistant on your Mac and click Continue.
2. Click “Select Windows 10 ISO Image”and select the file you downloaded in the previous step.
3. Move the slider to set the size of the Windows partition (minimum 42 GB).
4. Click “Install”and wait about 10 minutes for the partition to be created.

After creating the Windows partition, your computer will restart.

3. Install Windows on Mac

Your computer will start, but instead of the usual Apple logo, you will see the Windows logo.

1. Perform a Windows installation.
2. Enter your product key if you have one.

Even without the key, you can still access Windows on your Mac, don’t panic. Installation may take several minutes.

4. Set up Windows on Mac

Your Mac will restart, but this time the system will ask you to set up Windows just like you would on a Windows computer. You can use Cortana and your voice to complete the setup, but you can also use your keyboard, mouse, and trackpad.

1. Choose your language, keyboard layout, Wi-Fi and more.
2. If you have a Windows account, sign in to it.
3. Windows will start on your Mac. You will be prompted to create a password and/or PIN to log into your computer. Do it.

5. Install Boot Camp on Windows

Finally, install and update Boot Camp on Windows. This will allow you to make various changes to the partition or fix certain problems while you are under Windows. When you first sign in to Windows, you should be notified that Boot Camp is being installed. This will take a few minutes and is the last thing you need to do before you can safely use Windows.

6. Use Windows on a Mac

You can use Windows however you like. Just like on a Windows computer. Everything is normally available.

7. Switch from Windows to Mac

If you want to switch back to macOS from Windows, do the following:

1. Restart your computer.
2. Once the screen turns black, press and hold the Option key for 5 seconds.
3. On the screen, you will have the option to download macOS or Windows.
4. Select a section to launch.

Use this keyboard shortcut to switch between sections.