Want to run Linux on your Mac without dual-booting? Whether you're a developer needing a Linux environment, a student learning server administration, or just curious about Linux, this guide will show you the easiest way to get started in just 5 minutes.
Running Linux on a Mac has never been faster, especially with the new generation of Apple Silicon chips (M1, M2, M3, ...). In this comprehensive guide, I'll walk you through the simplest method to get a fully functional Linux environment on your macOS system using virtualization.
Before we dive into the how-to, let's talk about why you might want Linux alongside macOS. As a developer, I often need to test applications in Linux environments, work with Docker containers, or deploy to Linux servers. Having a Linux VM on my Mac means I can:
The best part? You don't need to partition your drive or choose between macOS and Linux at startup. With virtualization, both operating systems run simultaneously.
First, you'll need a virtualization app designed specifically for Mac. Our app is optimized for both Apple Silicon and Intel Macs, providing native performance that rivals running Linux directly on hardware.
Head to the Mac App Store and download the app. It's lightweight (under 10MB) and installs in seconds. Unlike other VM solutions, our app is built specifically for macOS integration, which means better performance and battery life.
Download from App StoreMulvos will automatically choose and configure an optimal image for your system. We highly recommend using this option.
Ubuntu is the default distribution, it's user-friendly, well-documented, and has a massive community for support. More experienced users might prefer other distributions, you can provide an iso file of your choice.
For custom images, be sure to select the correct architecture for your system! ARM64 for Apple Silicon, x86_64 for Intel Macs.
Be sure to select enough storage for your installation, you cannot change this afterwards! It is a maximum value, only space actually used is allocated on your Mac.
Click the install button, and the app will download and install the selected distribution. This process takes 15-20 minutes, but subsequent launches are nearly instant. The system starts automatically after installation. It genuinely feels like Linux is just another Mac app - which is exactly the point.
You can configure the virtual machine to your liking. You can change the amount of memory and CPU cores. There is no need though, the app will automatically configure the virtual machine suited to your system.
Modern virtualization on Apple Silicon is incredibly fast—often within 5-10% of native performance. For most development work, you won't notice the difference. The convenience of running both systems simultaneously far outweighs the minor performance trade-off.
Absolutely! Our app is optimized specifically for Apple Silicon. In fact, ARM-based Linux distributions run exceptionally well on Apple Silicon chips. The app automatically looks for Linux-images optimal to your system. You can provide a custom iso-file, but be sure it is compatible with your architecture.
The app is free to test for a couple of days, it costs a small annual subscription after some days. We believe everyone should have access to Linux on their Mac, whether you're a student learning programming or a professional developer.
Running Linux on Mac opens up a world of possibilities. You get to keep the polished macOS experience while having instant access to Linux's powerful command-line tools, server software, and development environments.
Whether you're learning system administration, developing cross-platform software, or just exploring the world of open-source, having Linux running alongside macOS is an invaluable tool. Give it a try—you might be surprised at how often you find yourself using it.
Got questions? Join our community of Mac users running Linux. We're here to help you get the most out of your virtual machines.