I know that it is against the Apple EULA to run MacOS in a virtual machine on a PC, but is it okay to run it on a Mac? To be clear, I will run it in VirtualBox running on MacOS on a real Macbook Pro. I am not running Windows, Linux, or some other OS on my mac - this is MacOS virtualized inside MacOS.
Thank you for any answers!
Thanks, this is just what I needed. I was actually planning to use MacOS Monterey but I looked at the documents for that and it is the same. This is the line that helped me, for those other people reading this thread:
2B(iii): to install, use and run up to two (2) additional copies or instances of the Apple
Software, or any prior macOS or OS X operating system software or subsequent release of the
Apple Software, within virtual operating system environments on each Apple-branded computer
you own or control that is already running the Apple Software, for purposes of: (a) software
development; (b) testing during software development; (c) using macOS Server; or (d) personal,
non-commercial use.
Thanks, this is just what I needed. I was actually planning to use MacOS Monterey but I looked at the documents for that and it is the same. This is the line that helped me, for those other people reading this thread:
2B(iii): to install, use and run up to two (2) additional copies or instances of the Apple
Software, or any prior macOS or OS X operating system software or subsequent release of the
Apple Software, within virtual operating system environments on each Apple-branded computer
you own or control that is already running the Apple Software, for purposes of: (a) software
development; (b) testing during software development; (c) using macOS Server; or (d) personal,
non-commercial use.
Assuming macOS 14, seemingly yes, but I am not a lawyer.
See 2B(iii) and 3D, among other sections.
https://www.apple.com/legal/sla/docs/macOSSonoma.pdf
It is OK to run macOS virtualized on Mac hardware.
As already said, respectful virtual machine vendors don't allow some macOS virtualized if it is forbidden. For example VMware Fusion can virtualize OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard Server but refuses to do that with the "normal" OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard Retail version (there was one VMware Fusion version which obviously accidentally allowed this but it was very quickly fixed).
Such old OS X might be somewhat gray area because it is not officially supported so the newer Mac can not natively boot to it.
Most virtual machine vendors will not even try to run macOS, except on a Mac, because Apple pursues violators vigorously.
The fact that that Parallels and VMware Fusion will run macOS, on a Mac, says a lot about what is allowed.
Thanks for the suggestion, but my main purpose of the VMs is to experiment with deleting core macOS components and seeing what happens. Such destructive actions should be done in virtualized environments where I can easily spin up a new installation and delete the old one. This is still great advice for other use cases, however.
I'd suggest running macOS from external SSD, which is much easier and safer! You can also make a dual boot macOS versions on the internal SSD.
Is it okay to run MacOS in a VM on a real Mac?
