How to Download and Install Windows 10 on MacBook Air
Do you have a MacBook Air but want to run some Windows-only software or games? Or do you want to test and develop cross-platform applications without buying another device? Or do you just want to experience the latest features and updates of Windows 10? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then this article is for you.
In this article, we will show you how to download and install Windows 10 on your MacBook Air using two different methods. The first method is using Boot Camp Assistant, which is a built-in utility that allows you to create a separate partition on your Mac's hard drive and install Windows on it. This way, you can boot into either macOS or Windows 10 whenever you restart your Mac. The second method is using Parallels Desktop, which is a third-party software that allows you to create and run a virtual machine that runs Windows 10 inside your macOS. This way, you can switch between macOS and Windows 10 without rebooting your Mac.
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Before we get into the details of each method, let's go over some of the requirements and prerequisites that you need to run Windows 10 on your MacBook Air.
What You Need to Run Windows 10 on MacBook Air
To run Windows 10 on your MacBook Air, you will need the following:
A MacBook Air with an Intel processor. If you have a MacBook Air with an Apple M1 chip, you will not be able to use Boot Camp Assistant or Parallels Desktop to run Windows 10. However, you may be able to use other virtualization software such as VMware Fusion or UTM, but they are not officially supported by Apple or Microsoft and may have limited functionality or performance.
A Windows 10 license and a disk image (ISO) file. You will need to purchase a valid license key for Windows 10 from Microsoft or an authorized retailer. You will also need to download a disk image (ISO) file of Windows 10 from the Microsoft website. This file contains the installation files and drivers for Windows 10.
A USB flash drive with at least 16GB of space. You will need a USB flash drive with enough space to store the Windows 10 ISO file and the Boot Camp support software. You will also use this USB drive to create a bootable installer for Windows 10 on your Mac.
Boot Camp Assistant or Parallels Desktop software. You will need one of these software to install and run Windows 10 on your MacBook Air. Boot Camp Assistant is free and comes pre-installed on your Mac, while Parallels Desktop is paid and requires a separate download and installation.
Once you have all these things ready, you can proceed with the next steps.
How to Download Windows 10 ISO File for MacBook Air
The first step is to download the Windows 10 ISO file from the Microsoft website. Here's how to do it:
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Go to and click on the Download tool now button under Create Windows 10 installation media.
Run the downloaded file and accept the license terms.
Select Create installation media (USB flash drive, DVD, or ISO file) for another PC and click Next.
Select the edition and language of Windows 10 that you want to download. You can use the recommended options based on your current system settings, or you can change them according to your preference. Click Next.
Select ISO file as the media type and click Next.
Choose a location on your Mac where you want to save the ISO file and click Save.
Wait for the download to complete. The ISO file size may vary depending on the edition and language of Windows 10 that you chose, but it should be around 5GB.
Once the download is finished, you can close the tool and locate the ISO file on your Mac.
How to Create a Bootable USB Drive for Windows 10 on Mac
The next step is to create a bootable USB drive for Windows 10 on your Mac. This USB drive will contain the installation files and drivers for Windows 10, and you will use it to install Windows 10 on your MacBook Air. Here's how to do it:
Insert your USB flash drive into your Mac and open the Disk Utility app from the Applications folder or the Launchpad.
Select your USB drive from the sidebar and click on the Erase button at the top.
Name your USB drive as WININSTALL, choose MS-DOS (FAT) as the format, and choose Master Boot Record as the scheme. Click Erase.
Next and proceed with the installation of Windows 10 on your MacBook Air. Enter your product key when prompted or skip it if you want to activate Windows later.
Your Mac will restart several times during the installation process. Do not interrupt or turn off your Mac until the installation is complete.
After the installation is finished, you will see the Windows 10 setup screen. Follow the steps to customize your settings and preferences.
Once you reach the desktop, insert your USB drive again and open it. Double-click on the setup.exe file in the BootCamp folder to install the Boot Camp support software. This software will enable the proper functioning of your Mac's hardware and features in Windows 10.
Follow the instructions on the screen to install the Boot Camp support software. Your Mac may restart again during this process.
After the Boot Camp support software is installed, you can remove your USB drive and enjoy Windows 10 on your MacBook Air.
Congratulations, you have successfully installed Windows 10 on your MacBook Air using Boot Camp Assistant. You can now boot into either macOS or Windows 10 whenever you restart your Mac by holding down the Option key and choosing your startup disk.
How to Install Windows 10 on MacBook Air Using Parallels Desktop
The second method to install Windows 10 on your MacBook Air is using Parallels Desktop. This method will create and run a virtual machine that runs Windows 10 inside your macOS. This way, you can switch between macOS and Windows 10 without rebooting your Mac. Here's how to do it:
Download and install Parallels Desktop on your Mac from . You will need to purchase a license key to activate the software or use a free trial for 14 days.
Open Parallels Desktop and click on the New button in the toolbar.
Choose Install Windows or another OS from a DVD or image file and click Continue.
Select the Windows 10 ISO file that you downloaded earlier and click Continue.
Enter your product key for Windows 10 or skip it if you want to activate Windows later. Click Continue.
Select how you want to use Windows 10 on your Mac. You can choose between productivity, gaming, development, or design modes. Parallels Desktop will optimize the settings of your virtual machine accordingly. You can also customize the settings manually by clicking on Change settings before installation. Click Continue.
<li Start the installation of Windows 10 on your virtual machine. Parallels Desktop will automatically mount the ISO file and boot into the Windows installer. Follow the steps on the screen to install Windows 10 on your MacBook Air.
After the installation is finished, you will see the Windows 10 setup screen. Follow the steps to customize your settings and preferences.
Once you reach the desktop, install the Parallels Tools software from the menu bar or the Dock. This software will enable the seamless integration of your Mac and Windows environments, such as sharing files, folders, clipboard, mouse, keyboard, etc.
Follow the instructions on the screen to install the Parallels Tools software. Your virtual machine may restart during this process.
After the Parallels Tools software is installed, you can enjoy Windows 10 on your MacBook Air.
Congratulations, you have successfully installed Windows 10 on your MacBook Air using Parallels Desktop. You can now switch between macOS and Windows 10 without rebooting your Mac by launching or quitting your virtual machine from the Parallels icon in the menu bar or Dock.
How to Switch Between macOS and Windows 10 on MacBook Air
Now that you have installed Windows 10 on your MacBook Air using either Boot Camp Assistant or Parallels Desktop, you may wonder how to switch between macOS and Windows 10 on your Mac. Here's how to do it:
If you use Boot Camp Assistant, you can choose which operating system to boot into whenever you restart your Mac. To do this, hold down the Option key while your Mac is starting up and select either macOS or Windows from the list of startup disks. You can also set a default startup disk from the System Preferences app in macOS or the Boot Camp Control Panel app in Windows.
If you use Parallels Desktop, you can run Windows 10 as a virtual machine inside your macOS. To do this, open Parallels Desktop and click on the Start button next to your virtual machine. You can also pause, stop, or resume your virtual machine from the Parallels icon in the menu bar or Dock. You can also use the Coherence mode to run Windows apps as if they were native Mac apps, without seeing the Windows desktop.
You have now learned how to switch between macOS and Windows 10 on your MacBook Air using either Boot Camp Assistant or Parallels Desktop. You can choose whichever method suits your needs and preferences best.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Running Windows 10 on MacBook Air
Running Windows 10 on your MacBook Air can have some advantages and disadvantages that you should be aware of before deciding whether to do it or not. Here are some of them:
Advantages include:
Having access to a wider range of software and games that are not available or compatible with macOS. Some examples are Microsoft Office, Adobe Photoshop, AutoCAD, Fortnite, Minecraft, etc. You can also use some of the native Windows features and apps that are not available on Mac, such as Cortana, Edge, Paint, etc.
Being able to test and develop cross-platform applications without needing another device or emulator. If you are a developer or a tester who works with different operating systems, running Windows 10 on your MacBook Air can save you time and money by allowing you to test and debug your applications on both macOS and Windows without switching devices or using emulators.
Experiencing the latest features and updates of Windows 10, such as dark mode, snap layouts, widgets, etc. You can also customize your Windows 10 settings and appearance according to your liking.
Disadvantages include:
Having to pay for a Windows license and a virtualization software license (if using Parallels Desktop). Running Windows 10 on your MacBook Air is not free, as you will need to purchase a valid license key for Windows 10 from Microsoft or an authorized retailer. You will also need to purchase a license key for Parallels Desktop if you want to use it as your virtualization software. Alternatively, you can use other free or cheaper virtualization software such as VMware Fusion or UTM, but they may have less features or performance than Parallels Desktop.
Having to sacrifice storage space and performance for running another operating system on your Mac. Running Windows 10 on your MacBook Air will take up some of your Mac's hard drive space, either as a separate partition (if using Boot Camp Assistant) or as a virtual disk file (if using Parallels Desktop). You will also need to allocate some of your Mac's memory and CPU resources for running Windows 10, which may affect the performance of your Mac and Windows applications. You may also experience some lag, glitches, or crashes when running Windows 10 on your Mac, especially if you run intensive tasks or games.
Having to deal with potential compatibility issues, bugs, or security risks that may arise from running Windows on a Mac. Running Windows 10 on your MacBook Air may not be as smooth or stable as running it on a native Windows device, as there may be some compatibility issues or bugs with some of your Mac's hardware or features, such as the keyboard, trackpad, camera, microphone, speakers, etc. You may also need to update your drivers and software regularly to ensure the proper functioning of your Windows 10 system. Moreover, you may expose your Mac and Windows systems to more security risks by running another operating system on your Mac, as you will need to protect both systems from malware, viruses, hackers, etc.
These are some of the advantages and disadvantages of running Windows 10 on your MacBook Air. You should weigh them carefully before deciding whether to do it or not.
Conclusion
In this article, we have shown you how to download and install Windows 10 on your MacBook Air using two different methods: Boot Camp Assistant and Parallels Desktop. We have also explained how to switch between macOS and Windows 10 on your Mac and what are the pros and cons of running Windows 10 on your MacBook Air. We hope that this article has been helpful and informative for you.
If you have any questions or comments about this article, feel free to leave them below. We would love to hear from you and help you out.
FAQs
Here are some of the frequently asked questions about running Windows 10 on MacBook Air:
Can I run Windows 10 on MacBook Air with M1 chip?
No, you cannot run Windows 10 on MacBook Air with M1 chip using Boot Camp Assistant or Parallels Desktop, as they are not compatible with the Apple silicon architecture. However, you may be able to run Windows 10 on ARM edition using other virtualization software such as VMware Fusion or UTM, but they are not officially supported by Apple or Microsoft and may have limited functionality or performance.
Can I delete Windows 10 from my MacBook Air if I don't want it anymore?
Yes, you can delete Windows 10 from your MacBook Air if you don't want it anymore. If you use Boot Camp Assistant, you can use the same app to remove the Windows partition from your Mac's hard drive and restore the space to macOS. If you use Parallels Desktop, you can simply delete the virtual machine file from your Mac and free up the space.
Can I update Windows 10 on my MacBook Air?
Yes, you can update Windows 10 on your MacBook Air just like you would on a native Windows device. You can use the Windows Update app in the Settings menu to check for and install the latest updates for your Windows 10 system. You can also update the Boot Camp support software or the Parallels Tools software from their respective apps in Windows.
Can I backup my Windows 10 data on my MacBook Air?
Yes, you can backup your Windows 10 data on your MacBook Air using various methods. You can use the File History app in the Settings menu to backup your files and folders to an external drive or a network location. You can also use the Backup and Restore app in the Control Panel to create a system image of your Windows 10 system and restore it later if needed. You can also use third-party backup software such as Acronis True Image or EaseUS Todo Backup to backup your data.</p Can I run macOS and Windows 10 at the same time on my MacBook Air?
Yes, you can run macOS and Windows 10 at the same time on your MacBook Air if you use Parallels Desktop as your virtualization software. Parallels Desktop allows you to run Windows 10 as a virtual machine inside your macOS, so you can switch between them without rebooting your Mac. You can also use the Coherence mode to run Windows apps as if they were native Mac apps, without seeing the Windows desktop.
If you use Boot Camp Assistant, you cannot run macOS and Windows 10 at the same time on your MacBook Air, as they are installed on separate partitions on your Mac's hard drive. You can only boot into one operating system at a time by choosing your startup disk when you restart your Mac. 44f88ac181
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