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nfzerox/VirtualIntelMacOnAppleSilicon

A macOS app that runs Intel macOS versions from Tiger 10.4 to Big Sur 11 on Apple silicon Macs, with graphics acceleration.

Open-source alternative to:Parallels Desktop

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4 days ago

What is it?

Virtual Intel Mac is a macOS app for Apple silicon Macs that runs Intel versions of macOS, from Mac OS X Tiger 10.4 through macOS Big Sur 11, as virtual machines. It is aimed at running older 32-bit and 64-bit Intel apps such as iWork '09, iLife '11, Aperture, Final Cut Pro 7 and Front Row, as well as PowerPC apps like AppleWorks.

The app provides Metal and OpenGL acceleration depending on the guest version. OpenGL acceleration covers Tiger through High Sierra, while Metal and OpenGL cover Mojave through Big Sur for 64-bit apps. It also includes Retina resolution, live resizing, automatic setup, USB and audio passthrough, shared and bridged networking, file sharing, remote login and clipboard sync.

On Apple silicon hosts, x86 guests run through QEMU-based emulation, so CPU performance is limited. On Intel hosts, the project runs with near-native CPU and GPU performance. It supports macOS Sequoia 15, Tahoe 26 and the newer 27 Golden Gate hosts.

Key features

  • 01Runs Intel macOS guests from Tiger 10.4 through Big Sur 11 on Apple silicon.
  • 02Provides OpenGL acceleration for older guests and Metal plus OpenGL for Mojave through Big Sur.
  • 03Runs PowerPC apps such as AppleWorks alongside 32-bit and 64-bit Intel apps.
  • 04Supports USB and audio passthrough, shared and bridged networking, and file sharing.
  • 05Automatically installs graphics drivers after macOS installation completes.

Use cases

  • Running legacy creative apps such as Final Cut Pro 7 or Aperture on a modern Mac.
  • Preserving and testing classic Mac software across OS X releases.
  • Developing or testing older Mac apps, including 32-bit Carbon apps, in a matching OS version.

Quick start

  1. 1

    Download the Virtual Intel Mac 2.0 zip from the GitHub releases page

  2. 2

    Create a new virtual Mac in the app, choosing a macOS version and letting automatic setup install macOS

Things to know

  • Requires a recent macOS host (Sequoia 15, Tahoe 26, or 27); it is a Mac-only app.
  • Signing into iCloud or an Apple Account is not supported in guests.
  • On Apple silicon, CPU performance is emulated and well below native Intel speed.
  • Relies on Rosetta 2 for the Intel graphics slice, which an update for macOS 28 and later is still planned to address.

In collections

Open-source Mac apps

Topics

#virtualization#macos#qemu#emulation#graphics-acceleration#retro-computing

FAQ

What is VirtualIntelMacOnAppleSilicon?
A macOS app that runs Intel macOS versions from Tiger 10.4 to Big Sur 11 on Apple silicon Macs, with graphics acceleration. Virtual Intel Mac is a macOS app for Apple silicon Macs that runs Intel versions of macOS, from Mac OS X Tiger 10.4 through macOS Big Sur 11, as virtual machines. It is aimed at running older 32-bit and 64-bit Intel apps such as iWork '09, iLife '11, Aperture, Final Cut Pro 7 and Front Row, as well as PowerPC apps like AppleWorks.
Is VirtualIntelMacOnAppleSilicon free to use? What license does it have?
VirtualIntelMacOnAppleSilicon is open source under the MIT license. Check the license terms before using it in commercial products.
Is VirtualIntelMacOnAppleSilicon still maintained?
Actively maintained. The last commit to VirtualIntelMacOnAppleSilicon was on Nov 3, 2026.
What can I use VirtualIntelMacOnAppleSilicon for?
Running legacy creative apps such as Final Cut Pro 7 or Aperture on a modern Mac. Preserving and testing classic Mac software across OS X releases. Developing or testing older Mac apps, including 32-bit Carbon apps, in a matching OS version.
How do I install VirtualIntelMacOnAppleSilicon?
Download the Virtual Intel Mac 2.0 zip from the GitHub releases page Create a new virtual Mac in the app, choosing a macOS version and letting automatic setup install macOS
Where can I get VirtualIntelMacOnAppleSilicon?
The source code and installation instructions are on GitHub: https://github.com/nfzerox/VirtualIntelMacOnAppleSilicon

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