Learn How to Download and Install Mac OS Sierra on VMware in Windows in Easy Steps
How to Download and Install Mac OS Sierra on VMware in Windows
Do you want to enjoy the best of both worlds by running Mac OS Sierra on your Windows PC? If yes, then this article is for you. In this article, you will learn how to download and install Mac OS Sierra on VMware in Windows. This way, you can experience the features and benefits of Mac OS Sierra without buying a new computer or dual-booting your system.
Download Mac Os Sierra Iso For Vmware
But before we get into the details, let's first understand what is Mac OS Sierra and what is VMware.
What is Mac OS Sierra?
Mac OS Sierra is the thirteenth major release of macOS, the operating system developed by Apple for its Mac computers. It was released in September 2016 and was succeeded by macOS High Sierra in September 2017. Some of the notable features and benefits of Mac OS Sierra are:
It supports Siri, the intelligent personal assistant that can help you with various tasks such as searching the web, sending messages, setting reminders, playing music, etc.
It supports Continuity, a feature that allows you to seamlessly switch between your Apple devices, such as iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, etc. For example, you can copy text from your iPhone and paste it on your Mac, or answer phone calls from your Mac.
It supports iCloud Drive, a cloud storage service that lets you access your files from any device. You can also sync your desktop and documents folders across your devices.
It supports Apple Pay, a secure and convenient way to pay online using your iPhone or Apple Watch.
It supports Picture-in-Picture, a feature that lets you watch videos in a small window while working on other apps.
It supports Optimized Storage, a feature that helps you free up space on your Mac by storing rarely used files in iCloud or deleting unnecessary files.
It supports Auto Unlock, a feature that lets you unlock your Mac with your Apple Watch without entering a password.
It supports Universal Clipboard, a feature that lets you copy content from one device and paste it on another device.
It supports Night Shift, a feature that adjusts the color temperature of your screen to reduce eye strain and improve sleep quality.
It supports Tabs, a feature that lets you use multiple tabs in various apps, such as Finder, Maps, Mail, etc.
As you can see, Mac OS Sierra is a powerful and user-friendly operating system that can enhance your productivity and entertainment. But what if you don't have a Mac computer? Can you still use Mac OS Sierra? The answer is yes, thanks to VMware.
What is VMware?
VMware is a software company that provides virtualization and cloud computing solutions. Virtualization is a technology that allows you to run multiple operating systems and applications on a single physical machine. Cloud computing is a technology that allows you to access computing resources over the internet.
One of the products that VMware offers is VMware Workstation, a software that lets you create and run virtual machines on your Windows PC. A virtual machine is a software-based emulation of a physical computer that can run a different operating system and applications. For example, you can create a virtual machine that runs Mac OS Sierra on your Windows PC.
Some of the features and benefits of VMware Workstation are:
It supports various operating systems, such as Windows, Linux, macOS, etc.
It allows you to run multiple virtual machines simultaneously and switch between them easily.
It allows you to share files and folders between the host and guest operating systems.
It allows you to take snapshots and backups of your virtual machines.
It allows you to customize the hardware settings of your virtual machines, such as memory, processor, hard disk, network, etc.
It allows you to use advanced features such as 3D graphics, USB devices, drag-and-drop, etc.
As you can see, VMware Workstation is a powerful and versatile software that can help you run Mac OS Sierra on your Windows PC. But why would you want to do that? Let's find out in the next section.
Why Install Mac OS Sierra on VMware in Windows?
There are many reasons why you might want to install Mac OS Sierra on VMware in Windows. Some of them are:
You want to try out Mac OS Sierra without buying a new computer or dual-booting your system.
You want to test or develop applications for Mac OS Sierra without affecting your main system.
You want to use some Mac-only software or features that are not available on Windows.
You want to learn how to use Mac OS Sierra or improve your skills.
You want to have fun and experiment with different operating systems and applications.
No matter what your reason is, installing Mac OS Sierra on VMware in Windows is a great way to enjoy the best of both worlds. But how do you do it? Let's find out in the following sections.
How to Download Mac OS Sierra ISO for VMware
The first step to install Mac OS Sierra on VMware in Windows is to download the Mac OS Sierra ISO file. An ISO file is an image file that contains all the data and files of an optical disc, such as a CD or DVD. You can use an ISO file to install an operating system or an application on a virtual machine.
There are two ways to download the Mac OS Sierra ISO file for VMware:
Download it from Apple's official website. This is the recommended and legal way to get the Mac OS Sierra ISO file. However, this method requires you to have an Apple ID and a Mac computer with App Store access. Here are the steps to download the Mac OS Sierra ISO file from Apple's website:
Go to https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208202.
Click on the "Download macOS Sierra" button. This will open the App Store app on your Mac computer.
Click on the "Download" button next to the macOS Sierra icon. This will start downloading the macOS Sierra installer app on your Mac computer.
Once the download is complete, go to the Applications folder and find the "Install macOS Sierra.app" file.
Right-click on the file and select "Show Package Contents".
Navigate to Contents > SharedSupport and find the "InstallESD.dmg" file. This is the disk image file that contains the Mac OS Sierra installation files.
Copy the "InstallESD.dmg" file to your desktop or another location of your choice.
Open the "InstallESD.dmg" file with Disk Utility or another disk image tool.
Select the "Mac OS X Install ESD" volume and click on the "Convert" button.
Choose a destination folder and a file name for the converted file. Make sure to select the format as "DVD/CD master" and the encryption as "none".
Click on the "Save" button. This will create a ".cdr" file that is equivalent to an ISO file.
Rename the ".cdr" file to ".iso" and copy it to a USB drive or another location that you can access from your Windows PC.
Download it from a third-party website. This is an alternative and unofficial way to get the Mac OS Sierra ISO file. However, this method may not be legal or safe, as you may violate Apple's terms of service or download a corrupted or infected file. Therefore, we do not recommend this method and we are not responsible for any consequences that may arise from using it. If you still want to try this method, here are some steps to download the Mac OS Sierra ISO file from a third-party website:
Go to https://isoriver.com/macos-sierra-10-12-iso/.
Scroll down and click on the "Download macOS Sierra 10.12 ISO" button. This will redirect you to another page.
Scroll down and click on the "Download Now" button. This will start downloading a ZIP file that contains the Mac OS Sierra ISO file.
Once the download is complete, extract the ZIP file and copy the Mac OS Sierra ISO file to a USB drive or another location that you can access from your Windows PC.
Now that you have downloaded the Mac OS Sierra ISO file, you can proceed to the next step, which is installing VMware Workstation on your Windows PC.
How to Install VMware Workstation on Windows
The next step to install Mac OS Sierra on VMware in Windows is to install VMware Workstation on your Windows PC. VMware Workstation is a software that lets you create and run virtual machines on your Windows PC. You can download VMware Workstation from VMware's official website. Here are the steps to install VMware Workstation on your Windows PC:
Go to https://www.vmware.com/products/workstation-pro/workstation-pro-evaluation.html.
Click on the "Download Now" button under "Workstation 16 Pro for Windows". This will start downloading the VMware Workstation installer file.
Once the download is complete, double-click on the installer file and follow the instructions to install VMware Workstation on your Windows PC.
When prompted, enter your license key or choose to use the trial version. You can get a license key by purchasing VMware Workstation or by registering for a free trial.
When the installation is complete, launch VMware Workstation on your Windows PC.
Now that you have installed VMware Workstation on your Windows PC, you can proceed to the next step, which is running macOS Unlocker on VMware Workstation.
How to Run macOS Unlocker on VMware Workstation
The next step to install Mac OS Sierra on VMware in Windows is to run macOS Unlocker on VMware Workstation. macOS Unlocker is a tool that enables Mac OS support on VMware Workstation. By default, VMware Workstation does not support Mac OS as a guest operating system. Therefore, you need to run macOS Unlocker to unlock this feature. You can download macOS Unlocker from GitHub. Here are the steps to run macOS Unlocker on VMware Workstation:
Go to https://github.com/paolo-projects/auto-unlocker/releases.
Download the latest release of auto-unlocker.zip.
Extract the ZIP file and run win-install.cmd as administrator.
Wait for the script to finish and close it when done.
Restart VMware Workstation on your Windows PC.
Now that you have run macOS Unlocker on VMware Workstation, you can proceed to the next step, which is creating a new virtual machine for Mac OS Sierra.
How to Create a New Virtual Machine for Mac OS Sierra
The next step to install Mac OS Sierra on VMware in Windows is to create a new virtual machine for Mac OS Sierra using VMware Workstation. A virtual machine is a software-based emulation of a physical computer that can run a different operating system and applications. Here are the steps to create a new virtual machine for Mac OS Sierra using VMware Workstation:
Open VMware Workstation on your Windows PC and click on the "Create a New Virtual Machine" button.
Select "Typical (recommended)" and click on the "Next" button.
Select "I will install the operating system later" and click on the "Next" button.
Select "Apple Mac OS X" as the guest operating system and "macOS 10.12" as the version. Click on the "Next" button.
Enter a name and a location for your virtual machine. Click on the "Next" button.
Specify the disk size and type for your virtual machine. We recommend at least 40 GB of disk space and a single file for better performance. Click on the "Next" button.
Click on the "Customize Hardware" button to edit the hardware settings for your virtual machine. You can adjust the memory, processor, hard disk, network, etc. according to your preference and system resources. We recommend at least 4 GB of memory and 2 cores of processor for optimal performance. Click on the "Close" button when done.
Click on the "Finish" button to create your virtual machine.
Now that you have created a new virtual machine for Mac OS Sierra, you can proceed to the next step, which is editing the virtual machine settings for Mac OS Sierra.
How to Edit the Virtual Machine Settings for Mac OS Sierra
The next step to install Mac OS Sierra on VMware in Windows is to edit the virtual machine settings for Mac OS Sierra. This is to ensure that your virtual machine can run Mac OS Sierra smoothly and without errors. Here are the steps to edit the virtual machine settings for Mac OS Sierra:
Right-click on your virtual machine and select "Settings".
Select the "Options" tab and click on the "General" option.
Make sure that the guest operating system is set to "Apple Mac OS X" and the version is set to "macOS 10.12". Click on the "OK" button.
Select the "Hardware" tab and click on the "Display" option.
Check the box next to "Accelerate 3D graphics". This will enable 3D graphics support for your virtual machine.
Select the "VMware SVGA 3D" as the graphics adapter type. This will improve the graphics quality of your virtual machine.
Adjust the graphics memory size according to your preference and system resources. We recommend at least 128 MB of graphics memory for optimal performance.
Click on the "OK" button to save your changes.
Now that you have edited the virtual machine settings for Mac OS Sierra, you can proceed to the next step, which is attaching the Mac OS Sierra ISO to the virtual machine.
How to Attach the Mac OS Sierra ISO to the Virtual Machine
The next step to install Mac OS Sierra on VMware in Windows is to attach the Mac OS Sierra ISO to the virtual machine as a CD/DVD drive. This will allow you to boot and install Mac OS Sierra from the ISO file. Here are the steps to attach the Mac OS Sierra ISO to the virtual machine:
Right-click on your virtual machine and select "Settings".
Select the "Hardware" tab and click on the "CD/DVD (SATA)" option.
Select the "Use ISO image file" option and click on the "Browse" button.
Locate and select the Mac OS Sierra ISO file that you downloaded earlier. Click on the "Open" button.
Click on the "OK" button to save your changes.
Now that you have attached the Mac OS Sierra ISO to the virtual machine, you can proceed to the next step, which is booting and installing Mac OS Sierra on the virtual machine.
How to Boot and Install Mac OS Sierra on the Virtual Machine
The next step to install Mac OS Sierra on VMware in Windows is to boot and install Mac OS Sierra on the virtual machine using the ISO file. This will start the installation process of Mac OS Sierra on your virtual machine. Here are the steps to boot and install Mac OS Sierra on the virtual machine:
Power on your virtual machine by clicking on the "Power on this virtual machine" button.
Wait for the Apple logo and a loading bar to appear on the screen. This may take a few minutes.
Select your language and click on the "Next" button.
Click on the "Utilities" menu and select "Disk Utility".
Select your virtual hard disk and click on the "Erase" button.
Enter a name for your disk, such as "Macintosh HD". Choose "Mac OS Extended (Journaled)" as the format and "GUID Partition Map" as the scheme. Click on the "Erase" button.
Click on the "Done" button and close Disk Utility.
Click on the "Install macOS" option and click on the "Continue" button.
Agree to the terms and conditions and select your disk as the destination. Click on the "Install" button.
Wait for the installation to complete. This may take several minutes or hours depending on your system resources.
Your virtual machine will restart automatically after the installation is done. Follow the instructions to set up your Mac OS Sierra, such as choosing your country, keyboard layout, Apple ID, etc.
Congratulations! You have successfully installed Mac OS Sierra on VMware in Windows. But you are not done yet. There is one more step to improve your experience, which is installing VMware Tools on Mac OS Sierra.
How to Install VMware Tools on Mac OS Sierra
The final step to install Mac OS Sierra on VMware in Windows is to install VMware Tools on Mac OS Sierra. VMware Tools is a software that enhances the performance and functionality of your virtual machine. Some of the benefits of installing VMware Tools are:
It improves the graphics resolution and color depth of your virtual machine.
It enables seamless mouse movement between the host and guest operating systems.
It enables drag-and-drop and copy-paste features between the host and guest operating systems.
It enables shared folders between the host and guest operating systems.
It enables better network connectivity and performance for your virtual machine.
It enables time synchronization between the host and guest operating systems.
As you can see, installing VMware Tools on Mac OS Sierra is highly recommended and beneficial. Here are the steps to install VMware Tools on Mac OS Sierra:
Power on your virtual machine and log in to your Mac OS Sierra.
Click on the "Player" menu and select "Manage". Then, select "Install VMware Tools".
A dialog box will appear asking you to confirm the installation. Click on the "Install" button.
A CD/DVD icon will appear on your desktop. Double-click on it to open it.
Double-click on the "Install VMware Tools" icon to start the installation.
Follow the instructions to install VMware Tools on your Mac OS Sierra. You may need to enter your password and restart your virtual machine during the process.
When the installation is complete, eject the CD/DVD icon from your desktop.
Congratulations! You have successfully installed VMware Tools on Mac OS Sierra. Now, you can enjoy Mac OS Sierra on VMware in Windows with better performance and functionality.
How to Enjoy Mac OS Sierra on VMware in Windows
You have completed all the steps to install Mac OS Sierra on VMware in Windows. Now, you can enjoy Mac OS Sierra on VMware in Windows with all its features and benefits. Here are some tips and recommendations to make the most of your experience:
Explore the features and settings of Mac OS Sierra and customize them according to your preference and needs.
Download and install some Mac-only software or features that are not available on Windows, such as Safari, iMessage, FaceTime, GarageBand, etc.
Use Siri to help you with various tasks, such as searching the web, sending messages, setting reminders, playing music, etc.
Use Continuity to seamlessly switch between your Apple devices, such as iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, etc.
Use iCloud Drive to access your files from any device. You can also sync your desktop and documents folders across your devices.
Use Apple Pay to pay online securely and conveniently using your iPhone or Apple Watch.
Use Picture-in-Picture to watch videos in a small window while working on other apps.
Use Optimized Storage to free up space on your Mac by storing rarely used files in iCloud or deleting unnecessary files.
Use Auto Unlock to unlock your Mac with your Apple Watch without entering a password.
Use Universal Clipboard to copy content from one device and paste it on another device.
Use Night Shift to adjust the color temperature of your screen to red