Boot Camp Free Mac
By AppleInsider Staff
Monday, February 05, 2018, 03:09 pm PT (06:09 pm ET)
Jul 08, 2017 Thanks to the switch from PowerPC to Intel many years ago, a Mac is just another PC. Sure, Macs come with macOS, but you can easily install Windows alongside macOS using Apple’s built-in Boot Camp feature. Boot Camp installs Windows in a dual-boot configuration, which means both operating systems will be installed separately. Boot Camp is a free utility software designed by Apple, Inc. That allows users to install Windows OS (Windows XP, Vista and 7) or GNU/Linux OS on Intel-based Mac computers. This software features two programs- Boot Camp Assistant and Boot Camp. Boot Camp Assistant allows users to partition their hard drive as well as resize an existing HFS+ partition if needed. Boot Camp is a Mac OS X utility that lets you run Windows on your Mac without relying on virtual machines or crippled emulators. Boot Camp supports Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7 (with OS. Boot Camp is a Mac OS X utility that lets you run Windows on your Mac without relying on virtual machines or crippled emulators. Boot Camp supports Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7. Sep 16, 2019 Boot Camp lets you install Windows on a Mac computer in its own partition, so you can use either Windows or Mac OS X on your Mac computer. The Boot Camp Assistant application creates a Windows partition on your Mac and then restarts your Mac using your Windows installation disc. Here we show you how to install Windows on Mac for free using Boot Camp. Yes that’s right, it doesn’t cost you a cent to install Windows on your Mac in 2017 and it’s perfectly legal.
Choosing between a Windows computer and a Mac can be a tough decision. Some users think they'll be giving up features or apps they enjoyed on Windows when making the switch to Mac. Luckily, you can have the best of both worlds by running Windows on a Mac using Apple's Boot Camp.If you have already installed Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 8, or Windows 7 on your Mac using Boot Camp, you can set Parallels Desktop to run Windows from the Boot Camp Partition or import Windows and your data from Boot Camp into Parallels Desktop as a new virtual machine.
Why would you want to run Windows on an Apple machine in the first place? First of all, there's quite a large number of programs and apps that only work on Windows, especially professional software. If you're a gamer, you can't go without Windows as the selection of games on macOS is extremely limited.
So why not just buy a Windows computer? Well Apple computers are known for their reliability and they hold their value very well compared to PCs. Some people still buy used Apple laptops that are a few years old, something almost unheard of for Windows laptops.
Mac owners can use Apple's built-in Boot Camp Assistant to install Windows for free. The first-party assistant makes installation easy, but be forewarned that you will need to restart your Mac whenever you want to access the Windows provision.
Another option is Parallels Desktop, a third-party service that allows you to switch back and forth between macOS and Windows without having to reboot, but that product requires an annual subscription.
Before we begin installing Windows using Boot Camp, make sure you're on an Intel-based Mac, have at least 55GB of free disk space on your startup drive, and have backed up all of your data.
The first thing we need is a Windows disc image file, or ISO. Use Google to search and find the 'Download Windows 10 ISO' file page on Microsoft's website. Once there, select 'Windows 10,' and hit 'Confirm.' Choose your language and select '64 bit' unless you're running an older Mac that only supports 32 bit programs.
If you're not sure, click the Apple logo at the upper-left hand corner of your Mac's home screen and select 'About this Mac.' If it says 'Core Duo' in the processor section, then your Mac is 32-bit.
If you're running OS X El Capitan 10.11 or later on a Mac, Windows installation is going to be a breeze since those models use the computer's internal drive to temporarily store Windows installation files. If not, you'll need to insert a blank 16GB or larger USB flash drive or external SSD to complete the installation.
Once your ISO file is done downloading, open Spotlight Search or Launchpad and search for 'Boot Camp Assistant.'
Click continue, then click choose and select your newly downloaded ISO file. Next, Boot Camp will ask you to adjust the size of your Windows partition. You should make it larger if you plan on downloading and playing games or using professional software.
If you're on an older Mac operating system, you'll see some options to create an install disk and download the latest Windows support software. Make sure all of them are checked, then click continue.
Now choose your ISO image file, and the destination disk, which is your USB Flash drive. Then click continue, choose the partition size for Windows 10, and click install.
If the installation is successful, the system will ask for your Mac's password. Make sure to save any important documents or files, as your Mac will instantly restart into Windows once you enter your password.
After the reboot, you'll be greeted with the windows setup menu. If your mouse isn't working, click a couple of times and the mouse pointer should show up.
Click Next, then enter your Windows 10 activation key if you have it. If you don't have one yet, click 'I don't have a product key.' In that case, choose which version of Windows 10 you want to install. We chose Windows 10 Home. Accept the terms and click next on the next page to begin the installation.
When it's finished, Windows will automatically restart and bring you through the rest of the installation. Once at the Windows desktop, the boot camp installation program will show up. This will install all the necessary drivers for Windows to run properly.
Your system will restart one more time and then Windows is ready for use!
To get back to macOS, find boot camp at the bottom right hand corner of the screen, right click on it? And click 'Restart in MacOS'
If you get an error message, don't worry. Just restart your system while holding down the option key to choose which operating system to start up in.
To get back to Windows from macOS, you can either use the restart while holding the option key method, or you can use Spotlight search to open the Startup Disk settings. Click the lock and authenticate to unlock the settings, then click on Bootcamp, and click restart.
If you want to completely remove the Boot Camp partition, open Boot Camp Assistant again and click Restore. Just remember that this operation will delete all data and contents on the Windows partition.
Boot Camp
Install Windows on your Mac
Boot Camp is a utility that comes with your Mac and lets you switch between macOS and Windows. Download your copy of Windows 10, then let Boot Camp Assistant walk you through the installation steps.
Update AMD graphics drivers for Windows in Boot Camp
Download and install the latest AMD graphics drivers for Windows on Mac models that use AMD graphics.
Update AMD graphics drivers for WindowsUse your Apple keyboard in Windows
You can use an Apple keyboard or a keyboard designed for Microsoft Windows with your Mac. Many of the keys that you'd see on a PC have equivalent keys on an Apple keyboard.
Learn more about keyboards and Boot CampResources
Have a question? Ask everyone.
The members of our Apple Support Community can help answer your question. Or, if someone’s already asked, you can search for the best answer.
Ask nowIs Mac Boot Camp Free
Tell us how we can help
Answer a few questions and we'll help you find a solution.