what happened to boot camp on mac?
boot camp is for intel-based macs only. apple's boot camp page says boot camp requires one of a list of mac models that have an intel processor, and it lets you switch between macos and windows when you restart. for macs with apple m1, m2 and m3 chips, microsoft's support page lists two ways to use windows 11 instead: a windows 365 cloud pc, or parallels desktop.
this guide follows apple's and microsoft's support pages as we read them in november 2026. for intel apps rather than windows, see is rosetta going away on mac.
updated november 5, 2026: the options section and limits now follow microsoft's wording more closely, and every source was rechecked that day.
download the remynd desktop app to search text you saw in a focused window, by app and date.
why doesn't boot camp work on newer macs?
in our read, boot camp stayed tied to intel processors while the mac moved on. apple says that starting with certain models introduced in late 2020, it began the transition from intel processors to apple silicon. apple's boot camp model list excludes the macbook air (m1) and the 13-inch macbook pro (m1) from that year.
apple's boot camp assistant user guide still describes installing windows on your intel-based mac, and offers versions up to macos tahoe. apple's compatibility page says apple silicon macs can upgrade to golden gate, which it calls the latest major version of macos.
how do you check which kind of mac you have?
- choose about this mac from the apple menu.
- look for an item labeled chip, followed by the chip name. that means your mac has apple silicon.
- if you see an item labeled processor, followed by an intel processor name, your mac is intel-based.
what are your options for windows on a mac now?
this guide covers three options: boot camp on an intel-based mac, or, per microsoft, a windows 365 cloud pc or parallels desktop on an m1, m2 or m3 mac.
| boot camp | windows 365 cloud pc | parallels desktop | |
|---|---|---|---|
| which macs | the intel-based models apple lists | many devices, including macs built with m-series processors | apple m1, m2 and m3 computers, per microsoft |
| how windows runs | installed on its own partition; you restart to switch | streamed from the cloud | an arm version of windows in a virtual environment |
| windows version | windows 10 home or pro, on apple's page | windows 11, streamed (microsoft names no edition here) | arm versions of windows 11 pro or enterprise |
| what you need | a full version of windows if it's your first install, plus storage space | a windows 365 service, which microsoft describes as for organizations of all sizes, offered per user, per month | a separate windows pro license if you don't have one |
| nested virtualization | not covered on apple's page | supported, per microsoft | not supported, per microsoft |
microsoft says parallels desktop versions 18, 19 and 20 are authorized solutions for this. it adds that features which depend on nested virtualization aren't supported there, including windows subsystem for android, windows subsystem for linux, windows sandbox and virtualization-based security.
microsoft also says 32-bit arm apps from the store aren't supported on these macs, while x64 or x86 apps can run in emulation, and that the arm version of windows has limitations that can affect some hardware, games and apps, including those that rely on directx 12.
microsoft says windows 365 supports nested virtualization, for testing, running emulators, full application compatibility and more.
to connect from a mac to a cloud pc or to another windows pc, see what happened to microsoft remote desktop on mac.
how do you install windows with boot camp on an intel-based mac?
apple's page gives these steps, in this order:
- check your secure boot setting. on a mac with the apple t2 security chip, change it back to full security before installing windows if you changed it to no security.
- open boot camp assistant (in the utilities folder of your applications folder) and follow its instructions. plug in a usb flash drive if it asks for one. pick a partition size that fits your needs, since you can't resize the partition later.
- when your mac restarts into the windows installer and it asks where to install windows, choose the bootcamp partition and click format. in most cases, the installer picks and formats it on its own.
- unplug external devices you don't need, click next and follow the onscreen instructions to install windows.
- when windows starts, follow the boot camp installer to add boot camp and windows support software (drivers), then restart.
apple says your mac startup disk needs at least 64gb of storage space available, and that at least 128gb gives the best experience. if an imac pro or mac pro has that much memory or more, apple says its startup disk needs at least as much free storage space as the mac has memory. to switch systems, hold down the option (or alt) key while the mac restarts.
is boot camp's windows version still supported?
apple's boot camp install page covers windows 10. microsoft's end of support page says it reached end of support on october 14, 2025, and that technical assistance, feature updates and security updates are no longer provided. for devices that can't run its newer windows, microsoft recommends its extended security updates program or a replacement device.
where does remynd fit?
in microsoft's work trend index, published may 9, 2023, which surveyed 31,000 full-time employed or self-employed workers in 31 markets, 62% of respondents said they struggle with spending too much of their workday searching for information. the same survey found 86% were looking for ai to help find the information and answers they need.
in our read, if you move work between two systems, it helps to have one place to find what you saw on the mac side. remynd records your screen, runs ocr locally with apple vision, and keeps a searchable index on your computer. text comes from the focused window only, and video covers windows you have not excluded.
you can exclude apps and sites, and private browser windows are excluded by default.
press control space to search in plain language, refine by app, date or source, and jump to an exact moment, provided remynd was running then, the window was not excluded and, for text, it was the focused window. it needs macos 14 or later on an apple silicon mac.
remynd also runs on windows 11 (x64 or arm64).
limits of this guide
- it follows apple's and microsoft's support pages as we read them, last rechecked on the update date above. we did not install windows on a mac for this guide.
- microsoft's page is written for m1, m2 and m3 macs, and its parallels section names only those chips. this guide does not cover later chips.
- apple's boot camp install page we read does not mention a later windows version.
download the remynd desktop app and search what you saw in a focused window, by app and date.