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macOS Virtualization Restrictions

This cluster focuses on Apple's policy allowing macOS to be virtualized only on Apple hardware, with discussions on legal permissions, tools like Virtualization Framework and Parallels, and workarounds or debates for non-Apple hardware.

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Top Contributors

saagarjha (46) moondev (31) walterbell (30) Wowfunhappy (23) stephenr (21)

Keywords

JIT M1 apple.com CI AWS techsviewer.com EPT QEMU VM IP macos vm apple mac apple hardware hardware run qemu virtualization virtualbox

Sample Comments

jdboyd • Mar 3, 2013 • View on HN

OSX is virtualizable, but they only let you do it (license wise) on Mac hardware.

tasogare • Oct 26, 2021 • View on HN

Apple have not forbidding running MacOS under virtualization for years...

Wowfunhappy • Jan 8, 2022 • View on HN

Virtualizing macOS is explicitly allowed by Apple as long as you do so on Apple hardware.

kube-system • Mar 5, 2025 • View on HN

MacOS is permitted to be virtualized... as long as the host is a Mac. :)

jmnicolas • Apr 22, 2016 • View on HN

It's still the case, the VM has to run on Apple hardware.

justinclift • Jan 21, 2024 • View on HN

Any luck with virtualising macOS itself on that? :)

RobMurray • Sep 13, 2020 • View on HN

macOs works fine in a VM, there's no need to buy mac hardware.

nwellinghoff • Nov 20, 2020 • View on HN

Easy problem to solve. Apple needs to allow macos to run virtualized, on non Mac hardware. Get over the hill already Apple, your wasting our time.

astrange • Jan 29, 2023 • View on HN

No such thing on Macs anymore. You'd need qemu.

innagadadavida • Feb 22, 2019 • View on HN

Should be possible for Apple to support this via virtualization. Do you just use boot camp and run it natively?