partitioning hard drive mac for windows 10

#Partitioning hard drive mac for windows 10 how to#
#Partitioning hard drive mac for windows 10 install#
#Partitioning hard drive mac for windows 10 update#

If you have a Mac from 2015 or later, the process is a bit simpler.

Because Boot Camp will be moving and re-allocating space on your hard drive, you should back up any important data before you continue, in case anything becomes corrupted during the process.

After restarting, check for software updates again until no new ones are available.

#Partitioning hard drive mac for windows 10 install#

Go to Updates and install any software updates for macOS. Click the Apple menu in the upper left and then hit App Store.(Need help backing up your data? Our sister site Macworld has put together the best software for backing up your files.)

#Partitioning hard drive mac for windows 10 update#

Here’s a list of some of the best tools to free up space on your Mac.īefore you run Boot Camp, Apple recommends you have the latest software update and that you backup your important files.

If you don’t have 55 GB free, you’ll have to delete or transfer files until you do.

Click Storage so you can see how much free space on your hard drive.

To see available hard drive space, click on the Apple menu in the upper left and then select About This Mac.

Play it safe and go with the large allocation. Boot Camp says it only needs 50 GB, but Apple’s own online support document recommends 55GB. To use Boot Camp, you’ll need at least 55 GB of free space on your Mac’s hard drive. Make sure your Mac has enough hard drive space

If your Mac doesn’t meet the criteria, you’ll need to choose a version of Windows with lower system requirements.Compare your Mac’s specs for Processor and Memory (RAM) against those listed in the Windows system requirements.Next, click on the Apple menu in the upper left and choose About This Mac.Examine the system requirements for the version of Windows you plan on buying: Windows 10, Windows 8, or Windows 7.Since different versions of Windows have different system requirements for the amount of RAM, hard drive space, and processor speed, you’ll want to double-check to make sure your system can run that edition comfortably.

For older versions of Windows, you’ll have to go through retailers like Best Buy. Which version depends on your Mac’s age: Those from mid-2012 and newer support Windows 8 and 10, while models from early-2012 only support Windows 7 and 8.įor Windows 10, you can get a copy of the Home version as either a USB stick or download from Microsoft for $119. Check system requirements, then buy Windowsįirst off, you’ll need a 64-bit edition of Windows.

#Partitioning hard drive mac for windows 10 how to#

Without further ado, here’s how to set up Boot Camp and install Windows. Boot Camp is also better at running Windows software than virtual machines like Parallels or VMWare Fusion, which are programs that simultaneously run Windows inside Mac’s operating system.

For instance, PC MMOs such as Star Trek Online, Tera, and Star Wars: The Old Republic only run on Windows. Probably the most common reason Mac owners use Boot Camp is to play Windows-only games. With the press of a button, you can switch between Mac and Windows every time your computer turns on. So you have a Mac but also want to run Windows? You’re in luck: shortly after the first Intel-based Macs arrived on the market in 2009, Apple released a tool called Boot Camp, which lets Mac owners install and start their machines natively in Microsoft Windows.