05 May 2021

How to install Intel x86 Windows on Apple Silicon Mac with UTM app

It is the reality that we can run Intel Windows 10 on Apple Silicon Mac in addition to Arm Windows 10.
Windows 10 runs 1/4 to 1/2 speed compared to physical machine.

Following is the procedure and my tip.

  1. Prepare three items:
    UTM app (Mac App Store version or free version) and install it,
    Windows 10 installer ISO (I tested with Windows 10 version 2004 Japanese),
    and additional driver ISO file from UTM app site.
  2. Launch UTM app.
  3. Create new VM with "+" button.
    At [Information] tab, names the VM on [Name] field (you can change it later).
    At [System] tab, specify [x86_64] on [Architecture], 4096MB on [Memory], check [Show Advanced Settings] and [8Cores] on [CPU Cores].
    At [Drive] tab, create [30GB] system drive with [New Drive] button, in addition, specify Windows ISO with [Import Drive] button, and again, spice-guest-tools ISO with [Import Drive] button.
    At [Display] tab, select [vmware-svga] on [Emulated Display Card].
    At [Sound] tab, select [Intel HD Audio Controller (ich9)] on [Emulated Audio Card] (because driver for default [Intel 82801AA AC97 Audio] will not be found in Windows).
    After specify above, push [Save] button.
  4. Power on and do setup with "play (right triangle)" button.
    During setup, reboot will be initiated two times (after "Copying files" and after "Preparing Windows"), but reboot will not occur automatically, so you should manually power off and on the VM when the window becomes black and CPU is only around 100% when you inspect with macOS System Monitor (it is 300-500% during setup is busy).
    Setup will be finished about in one hour (it seems similar to real PC).
  5. Log in to booted Windows 10.
    At initial session, the load will be high due to device configuration ([QEMU USB Keyboard]), Windows Update and Search Indexer.
    If you check [Device Manager], you will find [PCI simple communication controller] is warning state, so you should [Update driver] with E: drive ([VirtIO Serial Driver (Red Hat, Inc.] will be installed).
    In addition, do [Windows Activation].
    Windows will boot in 30 seconds and power off in one minute after initial configuration is finished.

Don't you feel it easy?
On Apple Silicon Mac, Intel Windows will not supported with Paralles, VMware Fusion and Boot Champ.
Therefore, UTM app is only solution at the present time.
If you have interest, try it and give me your feedback.

[Japanese version of this post]