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Best Productivity ResourcesBy Shushant LakhyaniVerified creator

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Virtual Mac for iPad

Run macOS apps like Xcode and Final Cut Pro directly on supported iPads.

Visit Virtual Mac for iPad4.3

  • Rating

    4.3 / 5

  • Pricing

    Free

  • Difficulty

    Advanced

  • Works on

    iOS

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What is Virtual Mac for iPad?

Virtual Mac is an experimental project that lets supported iPads run macOS, so pro apps such as Xcode, Terminal, Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro and Pixelmator Pro run on device. It requires an iPad Pro (M1, M2) or iPad Air (M1) on iPadOS 14 up to 16.3.1.

Third-party open-source projects. We are not affiliated with their authors; repositories are provided as-is by their maintainers. Review each project's license, code and security before installing. See our Disclaimer.

Pros: what Virtual Mac for iPad does well

  • Brings pro Mac apps to iPad hardware
  • MIT licensed
  • 1,800+ stars

Cons: where it falls short

  • Only works on specific iPads and old iPadOS versions
  • Experimental and not for everyday reliance

Who Virtual Mac for iPad is for

Advanced users with a compatible iPad who want to experiment with macOS on it.

Who can skip it

Anyone on a current iPad or iPadOS version.

What people use Virtual Mac for iPad for

  • Running Xcode and Terminal on an iPad Pro to build and test apps
  • Editing video in Final Cut Pro or music in Logic Pro on iPad hardware
  • Trying full desktop macOS apps on a spare jailbroken iPad

How to get started

  1. 1Check your device: an iPad Pro (M1 or M2) or iPad Air (M1) on iPadOS 14 up to 16.3.1.
  2. 2Jailbreak it with Dopamine (iPadOS 15 to 16.3.1) or Taurine (iPadOS 14 to 14.8.1), following the guides linked in the README.
  3. 3In Sileo, add the repository listed in the README, then search for Virtual Mac and install it.
  4. 4Set up macOS inside it; the README recommends macOS 15 Sequoia and choosing Set Up Later for Apple Account sign-in.

Virtual Mac for iPad pricing

Virtual Mac is a free community project under the MIT licence. There are no paid plans. It is not affiliated with Apple. See current prices on Virtual Mac for iPad's site

Checked 2026-10-30. Prices change, so double-check before you pay.

Virtual Mac for iPad FAQ: quick answers

Does Virtual Mac work on iPadOS 17 or 18?
No. It only works up to iPadOS 16.3.1, because Apple removed hypervisor support from the iPadOS kernel in 16.4.
Do I need to jailbreak my iPad?
Yes. It installs through Sileo on a jailbroken iPad, using Dopamine or Taurine depending on your iPadOS version.
Can I sign in to iCloud inside Virtual Mac?
No. iCloud and Apple Account sign-in are not supported, so you skip that step during macOS setup.

Virtual Mac for iPad alternatives

Not sold on Virtual Mac for iPad? These do a similar job, and each card says what it has in common.

All Personal Productivity resources

CleanShot X

Focus: screenshots, screen recording and annotation. Shares macos with Virtual Mac for iPad. Paid but Affordable (Virtual Mac for iPad: Free). Adds macOS. Rated 4.8 (Virtual Mac for iPad: 4.3).

Mac AppPaid but AffordablemacOS
4.8Visit

Loop

Focus: window manager, productivity and keyboard. Shares macos with Virtual Mac for iPad. Adds macOS. Rated 4.8 (Virtual Mac for iPad: 4.3).

Mac AppFreemacOS
4.8Visit

Karabiner-Elements

Focus: keyboard remapping, shortcuts and hyper key. Shares macos with Virtual Mac for iPad. Adds macOS. Rated 4.7 (Virtual Mac for iPad: 4.3).

Mac AppFreemacOS
4.7Visit

PureMac

Focus: cleaner, open source and privacy. Shares macos with Virtual Mac for iPad. Adds macOS. Rated 4.6 (Virtual Mac for iPad: 4.3).

Mac AppFreemacOS
4.6Visit

Dayflow

Focus: time tracking, work journal and daily standup. Shares macos with Virtual Mac for iPad. Adds macOS. Rated 4.5 (Virtual Mac for iPad: 4.3).

Mac AppFreemacOS
4.5Visit

Free alternatives to Virtual Mac for iPad

Want to spend nothing? These free picks cover similar ground.

hop

Focus: menu bar, utilities and pomodoro. Shares macos with Virtual Mac for iPad. Adds macOS. Rated 4.5 (Virtual Mac for iPad: 4.3).

Mac AppFreemacOS
4.5Visit

Quicksilver

Focus: launcher, keyboard and open source. Shares macos with Virtual Mac for iPad. Adds macOS. Rated 4.5 (Virtual Mac for iPad: 4.3).

Mac AppFreemacOS
4.5Visit

simslim

Focus: ios, simulator and developer tools. Shares xcode with Virtual Mac for iPad. Adds macOS. Rated 4.5 (Virtual Mac for iPad: 4.3).

Mac AppFreemacOS
4.5Visit

yabai

Focus: window manager, tiling and keyboard. Shares macos with Virtual Mac for iPad. Adds macOS. Rated 4.5 (Virtual Mac for iPad: 4.3).

Mac AppFreemacOS
4.5Visit

Blurt

Focus: dictation, speech to text and accessibility. Shares macos with Virtual Mac for iPad. Adds macOS. Rated 4.4 (Virtual Mac for iPad: 4.3).

Mac AppFreemacOS
4.4Visit
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