How to Install Windows 11 on Your M1 Mac

If you're an Apple Silicon Mac user looking to install Windows 11, you've come to the right place. With the help of the UTM app, installing and running Windows 11 ARM on your M1 Mac is a relatively straightforward process. In this walkthrough, we'll guide you through every step, from downloading the necessary files to getting internet access working.

Step 1: Download the SPICE Guest Tools ISO

To get started, download the SPICE Guest Tools ISO from the UTM website. This file is essential for installing Windows 11 on your M1 Mac. Once downloaded, locate the file and move it to a convenient location.

Step 2: Create a New Virtual Machine in UTM

Open UTM on your Mac and click the '+' button to create a new virtual machine. This will allow you to set up your Windows 11 VM.

Step 3: Download the Windows 11 VHDX ARM Image

Download the Windows 11 VHDX ARM image from Microsoft's website. You'll need a Windows Insider login to access this file, which is free to sign up for if you don't have one already.

Step 4: Set Up Your Virtual Machine

Click the big Play button to boot your virtual machine and begin setup. Choose the amount of RAM and CPU cores you want to designate to Windows 11 (we recommend at least 8GB RAM for better performance). Then, click Next again.

Step 5: Import the Windows 11 Image

Click the 'Browse' button and select the Windows 11 VHDX ARM image you downloaded earlier. Make sure to choose 'Import Image' and then click Next.

Step 6: Virtualize Your Machine

Choose 'Virtualize' from the 'I Want to' screen, then select Windows. This will set up your virtual machine with Windows 11.

Step 7: Install Windows 11

Wait a few minutes for Windows 11 to launch and begin setup. Walk through the setup process as usual, choosing your region, account name, etc. Note that networking and internet access won't work yet – we'll cover this in our next step.

Step 8: Set Up Internet Access

To get internet access working in your Windows 11 VM, download the SPICE Guest Tools ISO again from the UTM website. Once downloaded, click the disc icon in the toolbar of your active Windows 11 VM and choose CD/DVD Iso > Change, selecting the spice-guest-tools-xxx.iso file you just downloaded.

That's it! You should now have a fully installed and set up Windows 11 VM on your M1 Mac. Keep in mind that Intel Macs offer many other ways to run Windows 11 in virtual machines, but this walkthrough is specifically geared towards Apple Silicon Macs. With the UTM app, you can enjoy the benefits of running Windows 11 ARM on any M1 Mac, regardless of its processor.

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