How to run Windows apps on a Mac without installing Windows

There are a number of options available that allow you to install Windows on your Mac – either using Boot Camp on older Macs with Intel processors, or using virtualization programs such as Parallels Desktop or VMware Fusion, which can run on both Intel and Apple powered Macs. Silicon processors. Installing a full version of the Windows operating system on your Mac is a good option – provided you have a fast Mac, with plenty of memory and storage – because then you should be able to run any Windows software you want , ranging from games to professional software. -business software, graphics or design level.

However, there is another option that allows you to run many Windows apps and games on a Mac without even needing to install Windows. The best-known program in this area is CrossOver, described by its developers at Codeweavers as a compatibility layer or translation layer. Instead of requiring you to install the entire Windows operating system on a virtual machine, CrossOver allows you to create a “bottle” that mimics certain aspects of the Windows operating system.

You can install individual Windows applications in this bottle, using the application’s normal installer, and when you launch the application, CrossOver translates the Windows programming code for that application into the equivalent programming code for macOS. This allows you to run your Windows applications on a Mac without needing to install Windows at all. CrossOver works with hundreds of different Windows apps and games. Many people use it specifically for gaming, but CrossOver also works with many professional Windows software.

Advantages and disadvantages of the crossover

Foundry

In many ways, it’s an ideal solution for people who only need to run a limited number of Windows apps or games on their Mac, as it offers better performance than the use of virtualization programs like Parallels Desktop or VMware Fusion. It’s also cheaper, because you don’t need to pay any subscription fees for Parallels Desktop, and you don’t even need to buy a copy of Windows either. However, compatibility is more of an issue with CrossOver and similar programs, such as Whiskey, so you may find that some Windows apps or games may not work properly at all.

In some ways, CrossOver is similar to Apple’s Rosetta software, which translates software written for older Macs with Intel processors so that it can run on newer Macs using Apple Silicon processors, such as the latest M3 chips and M4.

CrossOver is based on an open source project called WINE, which you can download for free. However, WINE is quite complex software, so Codeweavers developed CrossOver as a commercial product providing greater ease of use for people who are not experienced programmers or developers. CrossOver costs $74/£60 per year, but that price also includes 12 months of technical support in case you have problems with particular Windows apps or games you need to run. There’s also a $494/£414 version that you can own for life. There is also a 14-day trial available for CrossOver so you can see if it works with the Windows software you want to run.

Codeweavers also maintains a compatibility database containing help and information on running hundreds of Windows applications and games. It’s worth mentioning that Apple’s Game Porting Toolkit for developers shares some of the same open source code developed by Codeweavers for CrossOver, so even Apple recognizes how well CrossOver works.

Other options for running Windows apps on a Mac

Foundry

The Game Porting Toolkit is primarily aimed at developers who want to bring their Windows games to Mac, but there is a program called Whiskey that is based on elements of the Game Porting Toolkit, but aimed at a wider audience. Whiskey is a sort of middle house that sits somewhere between open source WINE and commercial CrossOver. Whiskey is also open source, so it’s free to download, although it lacks the more polished interface and tech support you get when you pay for CrossOver.

There’s another option that lets you run Windows software on your Mac without actually installing Windows, and it comes from Microsoft itself. Windows 365 is an online service that gives you access to a Cloud PC running Windows on one of Microsoft’s online servers (not to be confused with Microsoft 365, which is now the name of the old Microsoft Office suite). As long as your internet connection is fast enough, you can connect any device to Microsoft’s servers – including Macs, iPads, or Android devices – and stream Windows directly from the cloud. But where CrossOver and similar programs focus largely on gaming, Windows 365 is aimed primarily at business users. It’s also quite expensive, with prices starting at $31/£34.56 per month, although you can try it free for a month before paying for the full subscription.

How to run Windows apps in Crossover

Foundry

The key to installing Windows software using Crossover Office is to understand what a bottle is, because when installing something you will be asked to create one. It’s actually very simple: a bottle is just a fake C: drive, like you might find on a real PC, with all the folders you might find there, such as C:windows or C:Users .

However, it also includes the appropriate system components that allow Windows applications to run. Normally, when you install a Windows application using Crossover Office, you install it in a new bottle, isolated from the rest of the system, although existing bottles can be used more than once.

Since there are many different versions of Windows – from Windows XP to Windows 11 – there are ready-made bottles for each of them. CrossOver has been licensed by Microsoft to run Windows 11 on Macs with Apple Silicon. So you need to select the bottle with the desired Windows version in which you can install the Windows application you want to run.

1. Start Crossover Office, then click the large button labeled Install Windows Application.
2. If the application is popular, like Microsoft Office, you can simply type its name in the dialog box that appears under the Select an application to install heading.
3. Note that after a few seconds you see a report on how well the application is working.
4. Select the entry from the drop-down list that matches what you entered, then click the Continue button.
5. Next, you will need to tell Crossover Office where the installation file is located. It could be a single .exe file, in which case you should click Choose installation file and then select it. If you are installing from a DVD-ROM or ISO image, click Choose installation folder and select it.
6. Click Continue when finished.
7. Finally, click the Install button to start the installation routine. It is very likely that several system components will be downloaded and installed, and you may need to click on each of them, just like when installing them in Windows. The screen may also flicker when starting installers and then disappear instantly. Don’t worry, it’s normal.
8. Finally, you will be prompted to install the actual product, which may involve entering the serial number, for example. Simply go through the wizard as you would when installing on a real Windows computer. However, you may want to leave your Mac alone while you complete the installation steps in case you accidentally interfere with anything.
9. Once the installation is complete, Crossover Office will perform a handful of familiar housekeeping tasks, such as creating file associations, before reporting that it is complete. You can then click on the Done button.