How to Install Windows 10 on Mac. For Free!

The Mac has always had this unique ability of letting users install Microsoft’s Windows along with the stock Macintosh OS. That way you can enjoy the best of both worlds at the cost of one!

With the tech industry raving about how good the new Win 10 OS is, I’m sure most Mac users will be tempted to have a go at it. So here’s our guide to installing Win 10 on your Mac for free!First of all, make sure you have a Mac that supports Win 10. Apple has put up a list of compatible devices on their website:Alright then, if you have a Mac that is capable of running the latest Windows, follow these simple instructions to experience Microsoft’s latest offering firsthand.

Step 1: Download Window 10 ISO Disk Image (setup files) by clicking this link.

• In ‘Select Edition’ dropdown choose ‘Windows 10’
• In ‘Select the Product Language’ dropdown choose ‘English’
• Select 64 bit download

But before you go any further there are two things you need to do:

• Insert a 16 GB pen drive into your Mac and leave it there for the rest of the process. Disconnect any other USB drives you have connected.

• Move the Windows 10 ISO file to the desktop and leave it there. Do NOT rename it.

Step 2: Locate and Open an App called “Boot Camp Assistant” in your Utilities folder under Applications. If that’s too complicated, just use Spotlight

• Boot Camp will ask you to backup your hard disk. You SHOULD DO it. Although the chance of anything going wrong is really slim, it’s still not a risk worth taking. Backup all your data to either a Time Machine drive or an external HDD.

• On the next page you will be asked what tasks you want the Boot Camp to perform. Check the boxes of all the tasks and hit Continue.

• On the following page you will be asked to locate the ISO file you had downloaded in the previous step. Because we already placed the file on the desktop , Boot Camp should automatically be able to find it. Click ‘Continue’.

Step 3: Creating a Bootable USB and partitioning your Hard Drive

• The pen drive you inserted in Step 2 should automatically be chosen as the install disk. If it doesn’t, select it manually and hit ‘Continue’.
• Boot Camp will format the USB and copy the installer onto it. It will also download and write any support files it needs from the Microsoft website. So make sure you are connected to the internet and you have something to do, because this could take a while.
• Boot Camp will now ask you to choose the size of the partition for Windows. If you are installing Win 10 for just experiencing it and are not going to use it for any serious work, 50 GB should be more than enough. However, if you are going to be using it for a long time, and that too extensively, we suggest at least 250-300 GB. Preferably, half the size of your inbuilt hard disk.
• Use the ‘slider’ to change the partition size. Once done, hit “Install”.

Step 4:  Installing Windows

• Boot Camp will automatically restart and boot your Mac from the USB. Follow the onscreen instructions till you come to screen that says “Where do you want to install Windows?”
• Here, choose the partition that’s marked ‘BOOTCAMP’.
• Hit OK and then NEXT.
• You should by now be seeing the familiar Microsoft style of windows and other interface buttons. That means you have done everything right.
• Now just sit back and wait (60 – 90 minutes) for the installation to be done.
• Once finished, your Mac will boot again, but this time from the new partition with Windows on it.

Step 5: Finishing the setup.

• After the restart, you will be asked to go through the normal steps of setting up a new Windows system, including creating a user account.
• When you log in for the first time, you will see an installer window for Boot Camp. Follow the onscreen instructions (like you would for any other software installation) and it will install the Boot Camp Assistant on your Windows partition as well.
• NOTE: When the installer asks for your Windows product key, click “Skip”. You can add the key later if you decide to keep using Windows after the trial period.
• Once finished, restart the system.
• That’s it, you are DONE!!

Using BootCamp has its pros and cons. The biggest advantage is that it lets Windows make use of all the computing power of your Mac. The drawback is that you will have to restart your system every time you want to shift from one OS to the other.

We hope you enjoy this dual experience. After all, the more the merrier, right?