How to Run Windows 11 ARM on Any M1 MacBook Air?

Are you looking for a way to run Windows 11 on your M1 MacBook Air? If so, you're in luck! With the right tools and steps, you can easily install and set up Windows 11 ARM on your Apple Silicon Mac. In this article, we'll guide you through the process of installing and running Windows 11 ARM on any M1 MacBook Air.

To start, you'll need to download the UTM app for free from their website. Once downloaded, drag the app to the Applications folder and install it on your Mac. This will allow you to create a virtual machine that can run Windows 11 ARM.

Next, you'll need to download the Windows 11 VM for ARM from Microsoft's website. You'll need a Windows Insider login to access this file, which is free to sign up for if you don't already have one. Once downloaded, open UTM on your Mac and click the + button to create a new virtual machine.

Choose the 'Browse' button and select the Windows 11 VHDX ARM image that you downloaded earlier. Select 'Import Image' and then click Next. You'll then be prompted to choose how much RAM and CPU cores you want to allocate to your Windows 11 VM. We recommend allocating at least 8GB of RAM for better performance.

Once you've selected your settings, click the big Play button to boot up your Windows 11 VM and begin setup. You'll then be taken through a series of steps, including choosing your region, account name, and other basic settings. Note that networking and internet won't work yet - this takes an additional setup process which we'll cover in a moment.

For now, choose that you have no network connectivity and let Windows 11 set itself up. Once complete, click the big Play button again to boot up your Windows 11 VM. You can then allocate more resources as needed, such as CPU cores or RAM.

To get internet access working in your Windows 11 VM, download the SPICE Guest Tools ISO from the UTM website and follow their instructions. This will allow you to connect to the internet and access online services.

That's it! With these simple steps, you should now be able to install and run Windows 11 ARM on any M1 MacBook Air. Note that this walkthrough is specific to Apple Silicon Macs, but Intel Macs offer many other ways to run Windows 11 in virtual machines such as VirtualBox, VMware, or Parallels.

In conclusion, running Windows 11 ARM on your M1 MacBook Air is a straightforward process that requires the right tools and steps. With UTM and Microsoft's free VM image, you can easily install and set up Windows 11 ARM on your Apple Silicon Mac.

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