How to run Windows software on a Mac.

For years the standard answer was Boot Camp. Intel Macs could restart into a real copy of Windows, and everything just worked. Macs with Apple silicon use a different kind of processor, and Apple does not support Boot Camp on them. Windows still runs there, but it has to run inside another program rather than on the bare machine.

That sounds like a setback, and for a while it was. Today it is mostly a matter of choosing the right tool for how often you need Windows and how much hassle you will tolerate.

A virtual machine is a pretend computer running inside a window on your Mac. You install Windows in it, then install your program in Windows. Parallels Desktop is the best-known example. Microsoft has named Parallels as an authorized way to run Windows 11 on Apple silicon Macs, in the version of Windows built for the same kind of processor.

The strengths are speed, because it is your own machine, and working without a connection. The costs are real: the software itself is paid, a Windows licence is separate and not included, and the virtual machine takes a big slice of your disk and memory. Programs written for older Intel-style Windows usually run through translation, which works for most but not every program.

Tools such as CrossOver, built on the open-source Wine project, run some Windows programs directly on macOS without installing Windows at all. When it works, it is light and quick, and you skip the Windows licence.

The catch is that compatibility is uneven. Some programs run perfectly and others do not run at all, and you often only find out by trying. Check the vendor's compatibility list for your exact program and version before you commit.

A cloud PC is a whole Windows computer that lives in a data centre and that you reach from your Mac. Microsoft's Windows 365 is the best-known: each person gets their own persistent machine for a monthly fee per person. It behaves like a second computer you can open from anywhere.

It is a good fit if you want a full Windows desktop with all your files in one place. It can be more than you need if your goal is a single program, because you are paying for and managing a whole computer.

The lightest version of the cloud idea is to run only the program you need on a Windows machine somewhere else and view it in a browser tab. There is no Windows to install on your Mac, no second desktop to manage and nothing taking space on your disk. This is what FarDesktop does.

It suits occasional and focused use: the tax season package, the client tool, the legacy program. It is less suited to heavy graphics work or anything that needs hardware plugged into your own computer. You also need an internet connection while you work.

A few honest questions settle most cases.

• How often do you need it? Daily and for hours, a virtual machine or cloud PC earns its cost. Now and then, streaming one program is usually simpler.
• How many programs? One or two favours streaming. A whole Windows workflow favours a virtual machine or cloud PC.
• Does it need your hardware or heavy graphics? If so, a local virtual machine or a dedicated setup is the safer bet.
• Who pays for licences? A virtual machine needs its own Windows licence, and every option still needs the licence for the program itself.