Download Windows Support Software For Mac

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Mac vs Windows. Windows vs Mac. Why choose if you can get the best of both worlds by dual booting? Install Windows on Mac so you can jump back and forth from one operating system to another on the same computer.

Tip: The 64-bit version is installed by default unless Office detects you already have a 32-bit version of Office (or a stand-alone Office app such as Project or Visio) installed.In this case, the 32-bit version of Office will be installed instead. To change from a 32-bit version to a 64-bit version or vice versa, you need to uninstall Office first (including any stand-alone Office apps you. Windows 10 (32-bit and 64-bit) Windows 8 (32-bit and 64-bit) Windows 7 (32-bit and 64-bit) Windows XP SP3 more (32-bit and 64-bit) CPU: PC with X86 processor (2 GHz or higher) Memory: 4GB RAM minimum, 8GB RAM recommended. Hard Disk: The installation and operation of the program requires 1 G disk space. You can scan more images if the disk space.

By now, the practice is well-established and Windows can work on Mac well. In this article, we’ll have a deep look at installing Windows on Mac. Don’t worry, we’ll have your back the whole way through!

Boot Camp for Mac vs virtualization software

If you want to install Windows on your Mac, you have two options. You can either use Mac Boot Camp, a native feature of the macOS operating system, or you can use a third party virtualization program. Both methods have their own pros and cons, so let’s dive in.

Boot Camp is built into the operating system of all Macs. If you go to your Applications > Utilities folder, you’ll see the Boot Camp Assistant app. It makes the separate partition on your hard drive for installing and running Windows. Once Windows is installed in Boot Camp, every time you turn on your Mac, you will be asked to choose the operating system you want to run. This means that in order to switch from macOS to Windows, you need to reboot your computer.

Advantages

  • built into your operating system
  • easy to use — Boot Camp Assistant guides you through the installation process
  • puts less strain on your Mac’s memory and processing power
  • completely free (not Windows of course)
  • easy to update

Disadvantages

  • you need to reboot your computer to switch between the systems
  • transferring data between operating systems isn’t easy

Virtualization programs are third-party applications that allow to install a separate operating system on one machine. They run like any other app on your Mac, so you can see the entire Windows desktop within a window on your computer.

Among the most popular virtualization programs are VirtualBox, Parallels, and VMware. Each one has its peculiarities, but we’ll try to sum up what they have in common.

Advantages

  • you can run both operating systems at the same time
  • easy file integration between systems

Disadvantages

  • you need at least 8 GB of RAM for Mac to run smoothly
  • virtualization apps are not cheap
  • updates are not free

Depending on your specific needs, you can choose the option that works best for you. But we suggest using Boot Camp. It’s a free native feature of your operating system, running directly on your hardware. Therefore, it will be faster than any other method. And below, you’ll find all information on how to run Boot Camp on your Mac.

How to use Boot Camp: Preparing your Mac

1. Check the system requirements

Some versions of Windows require a certain processor and more hard drive space than the others. Therefore, you have to check the documentation that came with your copy of Windows to learn what you need.

You also need to make sure that your Mac is compatible with the version of Windows you want to install. For instance, Windows 10 is supported on these models:

  • MacBook (2015 and later)
  • MacBook Pro (2012 and later)
  • MacBook Air (2012 and later)
  • iMac (2012 and later)
  • Mac Mini (2012 and later)

2. Clean up your hard drive

You need to have at least 55 GB of free disk space on your startup drive for installing Windows on a Mac. And if you don’t feel like spending the next several hours cleaning your Mac manually, you can use a powerful utility CleanMyMac X to find and remove all the junk from your startup disk.

CleanMyMac has everything to finish the 3-hour task of cleaning your hard drive in less than 5 minutes. It will scan every inch of your system and remove gigabytes of junk in two clicks. By the way, CleanMyMac finds about 75 GB of junk on average — more than enough for a smooth Windows installation.

Download

Here’s how to clean your Mac with CleanMyMac X:

  1. Download CleanMyMac here.
  2. Run the app and click Scan.
  3. Click Run.

That’s it! Gigabytes of junk are gone from your computer forever.

3. Back up your Mac

Finally, you should also perform a backup of your Mac in case something goes wrong. Although, it happens very rarely, it’s always better to back up your important data. There are a few methods of backing up your Mac, so choose the most convenient one for you.

You can make automatic backups with Time Machine — software that comes with your Mac. It backs up all data, so you can recover individual files or your entire system from your backups. You may also store files in iCloud and access them whenever you need. iCloud comes with 5 GB of free storage but you can upgrade it any time. If you have an external storage device, you can copy some files and folders on it.

We do recommend you to back up your Mac before installing Windows as it minimizes the chance of losing important data.

How to Install Windows with Boot Camp

Here’s how to install Boot Camp. The installation can be a little time consuming, but it is by no means difficult. Check out the details below.

Step 1: Get a Windows disk image

First of all, you need to get the Windows disk image (ISO file) from the Microsoft website. Here’s how to download it:

  1. Visit the Windows 10 disk image download website.
  2. Go to the Select edition menu and choose Windows 10.
  3. Click Confirm.
  4. Choose the language of installation and click Confirm.
  5. Click 64-bit Download and then click Save.

The ISO file now will be downloaded to your Mac.

Step 2: Open Boot Camp Assistant

Boot Camp Assistant guides you through installing Windows on your Mac. You just have to follow the onscreen instructions. To launch the Boot Camp Assistant, go to Applications > Utilities folder. Click continue and Boot Camp for Mac will automatically locate the ISO file on your system.

Step 3: Create a partition for Windows

When you are done with the Assistant, your Mac restarts to the Windows installer. When you are asked where you want to install Windows, choose the BOOTCAMP partition and click Format.

*Note that this step is only required if you’re using a flash drive or optical drive to install Windows. In other cases, the right partition will be selected and formatted for you automatically.

Step 4: Install Windows

To finish the installation, you have to follow the onscreen instructions. Take a long breath — the next 12 steps may seem like climbing Everest, but it’s much easier than you think. Here’s how to install Windows on a Mac:

  1. Choose your ISO file and click the Install button.
  2. Type your Password and click OK. You will see the Windows Setup screen.
  3. Select your language.
  4. Click Install Now.
  5. Type your product key if you have it. Otherwise, click 'I don’t have a product key'.
  6. Select Windows 10 Pro or Windows Home and then click Next.
  7. Click Drive 0 Partition X: BOOTCAMP.
  8. Click Next. Windows 10 will be installed.
  9. When the Setup screen appears, click either Use Express Settings or Customize Your Installation. We recommend you to choose the Customize button and disable most, if not all of the switches.
  10. Then you’ll be asked to create an account. Type a username. You can also add a password if you want.
  11. Click Next.
  12. Choose whether you want to use the Cortana personal assistant or not. You can disable it by clicking Not Now button.

Windows will boot fully so you can use it normally.

On the Welcome to Boot Camp Installer box, click Next and accept the terms in the license agreement. Then click Install to proceed. When the installer completes, click Finish to reboot your machine.

Step 5: Restart your Mac

By default, your Mac will still boot to macOS. To access Windows, you have to turn your Mac off and then turn it on while holding the Option (Alt) key. You will be asked from which drive you’d like to boot.

Note that while in Windows, the Mac’s Command key functions as the Windows key, while the Option key functions as the Alt key. If you have a Touch Bar, you’ll see a complete set of buttons, similar to the Control Strip in macOS.

How to remove Windows from your Mac

If for some reasons you don’t need Windows anymore, you can permanently remove it from your Mac. Follow these steps:

  1. Boot into macOS, launch Boot Camp Assistant and click Continue.
  2. Choose 'Remove Windows 7 or later version' or 'Remove Windows 10 or later version'.
  3. Click Restore when you see the Restore Disk to a Single Volume option.

The Boot Camp Assistant will automatically remove Windows from your Mac.

Warning: All data, including software and files, stored on the Windows partition will be deleted, so make the backup copies first.

That may seem like a lot of steps, but it doesn’t take all that long to install Windows on a Mac. Now you can enjoy two operating systems and switch between them right when you need. Cheers!

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Recommended Installers (64-Bit)

EXE for per-user deployment: Allows users to install and update on their own, keeping you up-to-date and secure with the latest features and fixes. (Click here to learn more about managing installation for Windows.)

DMG for macOS: For macOS 10.10 or later (macOS 10.9 Mavericks and earlier no longer supported). If the file downloads as a .json, remove the .json and try to download again.

Only if Needed

For per-user deployment: 32-Bit EXE | For machine-wide installation: 64-Bit MSI - 32-Bit MSI

By clicking the buttons to download above, you acknowledge and accept the 8x8 Terms of Use and (where applicable) the 8x8 Beta Services Terms of Use

Version 7.2.4 (2) published on 10/23/20.

How To Download Windows Support Software For Mac Without Bootcamp

Minimum System Requirements

  • Operating System
    • Windows 7 and newer
      *Click here for important information about Windows 7 support.
    • MacOS 10.10 and newer
      *Click here for important information about macOS X Yosemite support.
  • Hardware Requirements
    • 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor
    • 1 gigabyte (GB) RAM (32-bit) or 2 GB RAM (64-bit)
    • 16 GB of available hard disk space (32-bit) or 20 GB (64-bit)
  • Bandwidth
    • Minimum 1.5 Mbps down/up (Cable modem, DSL, or better)

For a complete list of requirements, refer to the Technical Requirements.

What's new in this release?

Note for IT Admins: As of v 7.0, IT admins leveraging the EXE installer on Windows should consider updating firewall and antivirus rules since the Desktop application now features a new app file name and path on the disk.

The key features in Work for Desktop v 7.2 are:

Core & Voice

  • Theming support (Dark/Light mode)
  • Improved Caller ID selection
  • Snooze chat/SMS notifications
  • Improved unsupported SMS numbers handling
  • Improved MMS sending UX
  • Load room avatar set through Work for Mobile 10.2
  • Adhere to Google sign-in branding style guide for Contacts Import
  • [Windows] Work for Desktop always-on-top & Meetings AOT showing on top of RDP window

Download for Windows

8x8 provides two Work for Desktop packages for Windows. The two packages are fundamentally different, using different deployment and update mechanisms. 8x8 strongly recommends employing the EXE installer, as it ensures that users are easily able to enjoy the latest fixes, features, and security enhancements available in Work for Desktop.

Engineering and developmental support of Work for Desktop for Windows 7 ended February 12, 2020.Click here for details.

EXE Version for Per-User Deployment (Recommended)

The EXE version allows users to self-install and upgrade without need for central management, providing the best and most seamless user experience.

What to Consider

How To Download Bootcamp On Windows

  • With a new application name and disk path as of Work for Desktop v 7.1, IT admins should consider updating firewall and antivirus rules for the app.
  • EXE version will be installed to %LOCALAPPDATA%.
  • Automatic updates are downloaded and installed for the user. (In previous versions, users were prompted to install the update.)
  • No need for maintenance — Work for Desktop will keep itself up-to-date and secure.
  • Work for Desktop will check for updates every time the user signs in or once every 24 hours. Users can also check for updates manually. The updates are downloaded in the background without user intervention
  • If there is an update to be installed, Work for Desktop will apply the update automatically when the user signs into Work for Desktop. If the user has not installed an update three days after it was downloaded, they will see a Relaunch to Install banner. They can click the link and install the update.


EXE version

MSI for Machine-Wide Installation

Download Latest Windows Support Software For Mac

For companies that must strictly control software installs and updates, the Windows Installer file (MSI) package installs Work for Desktop machine-wide to the Program Files folder. By installing in the Program Files folder, it can be used by multiple users on one computer. Click here to learn more about managing Work for Desktop installations and updates.

What to Consider

  • Single installation on a machine that multiple users that use the computer can leverage.
  • IT Admins are required to manually keep Work for Desktop up-to-date and secure


MSI version

Download for Mac

Click the button below to download and install Work for Desktop for macOS (DMG file).

Note: The Work for Desktop macOS app auto-update mechanism works only for users with admin privileges. Non-admin users will need to manually update Work for Desktop.

Engineering and developmental support of Work for Desktop for macOS X Yosemite ended October 16, 2019.Click here for details.

General Troubleshooting

  • For issues with installation on Windows, try running Microsoft's Program Install and Uninstall Troubleshooter.
  • After installing or starting Work for Desktop if you see an error message about a missing file such as MSVCR100.dll or mfc100.dll, click here to install the required file from Microsoft.

Previous Versions of Work for Desktop

If for some reason you are unable to use the latest version of Work for Desktop, you can download the previous GA release here.