Can MacBook Air (2022) run Windows? Yes, but it takes some work

Apple recently introduced the second generation of Apple Silicon, starting with the Apple M2 chip. This new processor debuts inside the all-new MacBook Air, and offers some big performance improvements over the previous generation. But Apple Silicon is still relatively new, and there is a lot of difference with this arm-based architecture. So, you might be wondering if the 2022 MacBook Air can run Windows. Well, it can, but it’s not as simple as you’d like.

First, it removed Apple Boot Camp from Apple Silicon Macs completely. Boot Camp used to be the primary way to run Windows on Macs, so this makes things more complicated since you now have to rely on third-party software. You also need a version of Windows designed to run on Arm-based processors. And although Microsoft makes Windows for Arm, it’s not available for download – the only official way to get it is to buy an Arm device that already has Windows installed.

This means that some solutions are necessary, but it is technically possible to run Windows on MacBook Air. To do this, you will need the help of Parallels Desktop, which is a paid program, which means that you need to purchase not only a Windows license, but also a Parallels Desktop license.

How to install Windows on your MacBook Air

As mentioned, the first thing you’ll need to run Windows on your MacBook Air 2022 is a license Parallels Desktop 17. This is the latest version of Parallels-Virtualization software, and the key here is that it officially supports Windows 10 and 11 on Apple Silicon Macs. This means that you can expect the company to continue to provide support and technical assistance if you have any issues. Parallels Desktop 17 is available as a subscription service starting at $79.99 per year. The Standard Edition is also available as a one-time purchase for $99.99, but that means you don’t get 24/7 premium support or upgrades to the latest version.

Next, you’ll need to download Windows, but as mentioned, you can’t actually download Windows for Arm devices in a typical way. The only way to download Windows for Arm is through the Windows Insider Program. If you go to Windows Insider Preview Downloads pageYou can download the VHDX file, which is basically a virtual hard drive on which Windows 11 is already installed. But since this is part of the Insider program, it’s not a final version of Windows 11 – it’s a preview build, which means you might run into some stability issues. You’ll also need a Windows license, of course.

Once you have these, it is very easy to get started. You can launch Parallels Desktop and create a new virtual machine (VM), choosing your VHDX file as its image. We have a more detailed guide on how to install Windows on Apple Silicon Macs. You may want to check it out if you need step-by-step instructions on how to set it up. Keep in mind that the guide focuses on Windows 10, but the process is basically the same for creating a VM.

Once the VM is set up, you will need to go to the Settings app on Windows 11 and go to File activation page (in System section) to enter your license key in order to activate Windows. Another thing you might want to do is head over to a file Windows Update Section and then choose Windows Insider Program. From here, turn on the option Deregister this device when the next version of Windows is released. This will cause you to no longer receive Insider builds once the next major build of Windows is available, so you can already install a stable build of Windows.

In fact, running Windows on a MacBook Air 2022, or any other Apple Silicon-based Mac, is more complicated and expensive than on Intel Macs, but the option is there. If you love your new MacBook Air but need certain Windows apps, this is the only solution. Otherwise, you could try buying an old, refurbished MacBook Air, or use a Windows laptop instead — there are plenty of great laptops in the Windows space too.