Note: This article provides recommendations for setting up Windows on a personally owned (BYO device) Mac. To set up Windows on a device managed by Digital Services, see: How do I install a Windows virtual machine on a Digital Services-managed Mac?

Introduction

While IT services at Deakin University are cross-platform, some apps required for your course may be Windows-only. It's best practice to contact your unit chair to find out what software is required and whether it has specific needs, such as a Windows operating system or certain type of graphics capability.

If you have already bought a Mac, you may be able to use Windows-only apps through the Apps and Desktops Anywhere (ADA) service: https://ada.deakin.edu.au

However, some apps cannot be hosted in ADA, either because they're not compatible with the environment or licensing does not cover it.

In this case, you may need to set up a Windows environment on your Mac. While there are multiple options available to do so, this article provides guidance on how to do this using tools available to you for free as a Deakin student.

Note: A Windows environment set up on your Mac will have performance limitations and may not function optimally. When you need to use a Windows app, it's best to use a native Windows device.

Note: This article provides guidance only. Digital Services do not support personally owned devices.

Requirements

To set up a Windows environment on your Mac, you will need the following:

• A modern Mac. A device that is no more than about three years old is best, as older computers will struggle to run Windows and macOS at the same time.
• A program to create a virtual machine on your Mac.
• A Windows operating system to install within that virtual machine.
• A activation key to activate Windows within that virtual machine.

UTM

UTM is a free, open-source app which enables you to create virtual machines on your Mac.

1. Go to: https://mac.getutm.app
2. Click the Download link.
   Note: The version from the Mac App Store link is the same product but is not free.
3. Once downloaded, follow the installation instructions from the UTM user guide.

Microsoft Windows operating system

The easiest ways to obtain a copy of the Windows operating system installer are:

• Download the Windows 11 ISO file from Microsoft's website, or
• Use CrystalFetch to download the latest Windows 11 ISO.

Activation key

You must have a valid license from Microsoft to run Windows 11. If you don't already have an activation code, students and staff can access a number of free Microsoft tools, including Windows 11 operating systems, via Deakin's Azure Dev Tools for Teaching subscription.

1. Go to Deakin's Software Library website and access the "Azure Dev Tools for Teaching" page: https://software.deakin.edu.au
2. Click Sign In.
3. Sign in with your Deakin email address and complete Duo MFA.
4. Agree to the terms, if prompted.
5. In the Azure Education portal, look for the "Free software" section and click "Explore all."
   
   
6. Use the Product category filter and the Search box to locate the latest Windows 11 Education operating system.
7. Click Windows 11 Education.
   
8. Click View Key to access the activation key. You will require this when installing Windows into your virtual machine.
   

Creating a virtual machine

UTM has a gallery of predefined virtual machines which preconfigure the virtual processor, memory, storage space and other specifications. All you need to do is provide the Windows installer image. Or you can create a custom virtual machine through UTM's assistant.

Follow the guide on the UTM website to set up a new Windows virtual machine. You can also find video guides on YouTube to show you step-by-step.

Once your virtual machine is up and running, UTM will prompt you to install UTM Guest Tools, which helps your virtual Windows work better with your Mac.

Support

For help with UTM, see the UTM Docs website: https://docs.getutm.app. They have guides, advanced topics and even a Discord server.

For help with Microsoft Windows, see Microsoft's Windows support site: https://support.microsoft.com/en-au/windows

Note: This article provides guidance only. Digital Services do not support personally owned devices.

Tips

1. Make sure automatic Windows updates are enabled to keep your virtualised Windows up to date and patched for security issues. A vulnerable version of Windows may be blocked by Deakin's systems just as a vulnerable version of macOS may be blocked.
2. You can find Windows apps to install from Deakin's Software Library website: https://software.deakin.edu.au