How to Install Windows on a Mac with VirtualBox

Here I explain how to install Windows on a Mac using the (free) virtualization software, VirtualBox.

VirtualBox is free software that allows you to install different operating systems on your machine. By using VirtualBox, you can install Windows on your Mac. This enables you to run Windows-only applications on your Mac.

Here are the main steps involved in installing Windows on a Mac:

  1. Download and Install VirtualBox
  2. Create a Virtual Machine
  3. Download and Install Windows

Here they are in more detail.

Download and Install VirtualBox

To run Windows on a Mac, you need to use virtualization software such as VirtualBox. While there are other options available (such as Parallels and VMware Fusion), VirtualBox is free. And while Bootcamp is also a free option, it doesn't let you run macOS and Windows simultaneously (you have to reboot the machine every time you want to switch to the other operating system). So with VirtualBox you get the best of both worlds — it's free, and it allows you to run both Windows and macOS simultaneously so you can switch between them as required without having to reboot.

  1. Download VirtualBox

    Go to the VirtualBox download page and click OS X Hosts.

    Screenshot of the VirtualBox download page
  2. Install VirtualBox

    Double-click the VirtualBox.pkg icon to install VirtualBox. This will enable you to run VirtualBox from your Applications folder.

    Screenshot of the VirtualBox installation icon.

Create a Virtual Machine

Now that you've installed VirtualBox, you can create a virtual machine. This virtual machine is where you'll install Windows.

  1. Launch VirtualBox

    Launch VirtualBox via the Applications folder (just as you'd launch any other application).

  2. Start the Wizard

    Click New to start the process of creating a new virtual machine.

    Screenshot of VirtualBox with the New button highlighted.
  3. Name and Operating System

    Enter a name for the virtual machine (make it descriptive, such as Windows 10 or similar).

    Also choose Microsoft Windows and select the 64 bit version (unless you have reason to choose the 32 bit version).

    Click Continue.

    Screenshot of the VirtualBox wizard - Name and Operating System screen.
  4. Set the Memory Allocation

    Use the slider to specify how much memory is allocated to the virtual machine. I selected 4 GB (4000 MB), which should be sufficient to run SQL Server inside Windows. If your Mac has a lot more RAM, then you might be able to allocate more to the virtual machine.

    Click Continue.

    Screenshot of the VirtualBox wizard - Memory Size screen.
  5. Hard Disk

    Leave it at the default setting and click Create.

    Screenshot of the VirtualBox wizard - Hard Disk screen.
  6. Hard Disk File Type

    Leave it at the default setting and click Continue.

    Screenshot of the VirtualBox wizard - Hard Disk File Type screen.
  7. Storage on Physical Hard Disk

    Leave it at the default setting and click Continue.

    Screenshot of the VirtualBox wizard - Storage on Physical Hard Disk screen.
  8. File Location and Size

    Leave it at the default setting and click Create.

    Screenshot of the VirtualBox wizard - File Location and Size screen.
  9. Done!

    Your new virtual machine has been created. It appears in the left pane of the VirtualBox home screen.

    This is where you launch your virtual machine from whenever you need to use Windows.

    Screenshot of the VirtualBox home screen.

Download and Install Windows

  1. Download the Windows Disk Image

    Go to the Windows download page and select the latest version of Windows. Follow the prompts to download the ISO file to your Mac.

    Alternatively, go to the Microsoft Evaluation Center and download a free evaluation trial. This is the option I used in this tutorial. This tutorial uses the Windows 10 Enterprise Evaluation edition (which is free to use for 90 days).

  2. Start the Installation

    Double-click on the virtual machine that you created previously.

    Screenshot of the VirtualBox home page with the virtual machine highlighted.
  3. Select the Windows Disk Image

    Use the interface to browse to, and select, the Windows ISO file that you downloaded.

    Click Start.

    Screenshot of VirtualBox - selecting the Windows ISO image.
  4. Select Language, etc

    Select your language and other preferences, then click Next.

    Screenshot of the Windows setup wizard - language and other preferences.
  5. Start the Installation

    Click Install now.

    Screenshot of the Windows setup wizard - Install Now screen.
  6. License Agreement

    Select I accept the license terms and click Next.

    Screenshot of the Windows setup wizard - License Terms.
  7. Installation Type

    Select Custom: Install Windows only (advanced).

    Screenshot of the Windows setup wizard - Installation type.
  8. Select the Drive

    Here, the 50 GB drive (that you created when you created your virtual machine previously) should already be selected. If not, select it.

    Click Next.

    Screenshot of the Windows setup wizard - Select the drive.
  9. Select Region

    Select your region and click Yes.

    Screenshot of the Windows setup wizard - Select your region.
  10. Select Keyboard Layout

    Select your preferred keyboard layout and click Yes.

    Screenshot of the Windows setup wizard - Select your keyboard layout.
  11. Add Another Keyboard?

    Click Skip (unless you want to add another keyboard, in which case click Add layout and follow the prompts).

    Screenshot of the Windows setup wizard - Add another keyboard.
  12. Join Domain

    Microsoft wants you to sign in but for the purposes of this tutorial, we won't be doing that.

    For this tutorial, click Domain join instead.

    Screenshot of the Windows setup wizard - Sign In screen.
  13. Add Name

    Add your name (or pseudonym) and click Next.

    Screenshot of the Windows setup wizard - Add name.
  14. Create a Password

    Enter a password and click Next.

    Screenshot of the Windows setup wizard - Create Password.
  15. Confirm Password

    Enter your password again to confirm and click Next.

    Screenshot of the Windows setup wizard - Confirm Password.
  16. Password Hint

    Add a password hint and click Next.

    Screenshot of the Windows setup wizard - Password Hint.
  17. Cortana?

    Click either Yes or No depending on whether you want to use the Cortana personal assistant. (In this case I chose No.)

    Screenshot of the Windows setup wizard - Cortana.
  18. Privacy Settings

    Disable any privacy settings you want to, then click Accept.

    Screenshot of the Windows setup wizard - Privacy.
  19. Finally... Done!

    Windows is now installed. The Windows desktop is displayed, and you can now go ahead and start using Windows on your Mac!

    Screenshot of the Windows desktop.