Running macOS on Windows Using Docker

Have you ever wished to run macOS on your Windows machine? Perhaps you need to test software compatibility or explore the Apple ecosystem without investing in a Mac. Thanks to the combined power of Docker, Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL), QEMU, and a few other tools, you can now achieve this feat with near-native speed. In this article, I’ll walk you through the steps to set up macOS within a Windows environment.

Prerequisites

Before diving into the installation process, make sure you have the following prerequisites:

1. Windows 10 or Windows 11: This guide assumes you’re using one of these operating systems.
2. Docker Desktop: Docker allows you to create and manage containers, including macOS. You can download Docker Desktop from the official website.
3. Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL): WSL provides a Linux-compatible kernel interface for Windows. Install WSL by following the instructions on the Microsoft documentation.
4. QEMU: QEMU is an open-source emulator that enables virtualization. We’ll use it to run macOS.

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Install Docker Desktop:
   • Download and install Docker Desktop from the official website.
   • Launch Docker Desktop and ensure it’s running.
2. Enable WSL:
   • Enable your PC to run WSL, you’ll need to enable it from the Optional Features area.
   • Open PowerShell as an administrator.
   • Run the following command to enable WSL: wsl --install
   • Restart your computer if prompted.
3. Install WSL 2:
   • Follow the instructions on the Microsoft documentation to install WSL 2 if needed.
   • Set WSL 2 as the default version (this will most likely already be set, but just to be sure): wsl --set-default-version 2
4. Install QEMU:
   • Download and install QEMU from the official website.
   • Add the QEMU installation directory to your system’s PATH environment variable.
5. Clone the GitHub Repository:
   • Open a terminal or WSL shell.
   • Clone the Docker-OSX repository: git clone https://github.com/sickcodes/Docker-OSX.git
6. Configure Docker-OSX:
   • Navigate to the cloned repository: cd Docker-OSX
   • Edit the config.sh file to customize your macOS settings (e.g., CPU cores, RAM).
   • Run the setup script: ./setup.sh
7. Start macOS Container:
   • Run the following command to start the macOS container: ./start.sh
8. Access macOS:
   • Open a web browser and visit http://localhost:8080.
   • You’ll see the macOS desktop running within your browser!

Result?

With the right tools and a bit of configuration, you can now experience macOS on your Windows machine. Remember that this setup is for testing purposes and may not provide the full native experience. Explore, experiment, and enjoy the best of both worlds! For more details and troubleshooting, refer to the GitHub repository.

As always, if you have any questions or need a hand, please comment!