# UTM — Virtual Machines for macOS and iOS

> An open-source virtualization app for Apple platforms that uses QEMU and Apple Virtualization.framework to run Windows, Linux, and other operating systems on Mac, iPad, and iPhone.

## Install

Save as a script file and run:

# UTM — Virtual Machines for macOS and iOS

## Quick Use
```bash
# Install on macOS via Homebrew
brew install --cask utm

# Or download from https://mac.getutm.app
# iOS version available on the App Store
```

## Introduction
UTM is a full-featured virtual machine host for macOS and iOS. It wraps QEMU emulation and Apple's native Virtualization.framework in a polished SwiftUI interface, letting users run guest operating systems ranging from Windows and Linux to older platforms like macOS 9 and DOS. On Apple Silicon Macs, ARM64 guests run at near-native speed.

## What UTM Does
- Runs virtual machines on macOS (Intel and Apple Silicon) and iOS/iPadOS
- Supports both QEMU emulation (any architecture) and Apple Virtualization.framework (native ARM64)
- Provides a graphical VM manager with snapshot, clone, and shared directory support
- Emulates x86_64, ARM, RISC-V, PowerPC, SPARC, and other CPU architectures via QEMU
- Enables USB device pass-through and network bridging on macOS

## Architecture Overview
UTM is a native Swift/SwiftUI application that manages VM lifecycle through two backends. The Virtualization.framework backend provides near-native performance for ARM64 Linux and macOS guests by using Apple's hypervisor. The QEMU backend handles cross-architecture emulation, supporting dozens of CPU targets. VM configurations are stored as `.utm` bundles containing disk images, NVRAM, and metadata.

## Self-Hosting & Configuration
- Download the `.dmg` from the project website or install via Homebrew Cask
- Create a new VM by selecting an ISO and choosing emulation or virtualization backend
- Allocate CPU cores, RAM, and disk size through the graphical settings panel
- Enable shared directories between host and guest for file exchange
- Import pre-built VM images from the UTM Gallery for quick setup

## Key Features
- Native Apple Silicon virtualization for ARM64 guests with near-native speed
- QEMU emulation lets Apple Silicon Macs run x86 Windows and legacy operating systems
- Snapshot and restore for safe experimentation with guest configurations
- Clipboard sharing and directory sharing between host and guest
- Runs on iOS and iPadOS with the same VM format as macOS

## Comparison with Similar Tools
- **Parallels Desktop** — commercial macOS hypervisor with deeper integration; UTM is free and open source
- **VMware Fusion** — enterprise VM platform for Mac; UTM is lighter and supports iOS
- **VirtualBox** — cross-platform hypervisor; does not run on Apple Silicon natively or on iOS
- **QEMU (raw)** — the underlying emulator; UTM adds a native GUI, snapshots, and device management
- **Lima** — CLI-focused Linux VM for macOS; UTM provides a full graphical VM manager

## FAQ
**Q: Can I run x86 Windows on an Apple Silicon Mac?**
A: Yes, via QEMU emulation. Performance is usable for light workloads but slower than native ARM64 guests.

**Q: Is there a cost for UTM?**
A: UTM is free to download from the website. The iOS App Store version has a small fee to support development; the functionality is identical.

**Q: Can I use UTM for software development testing?**
A: Yes. Many developers use it to test on different OS versions, architectures, or to run Linux toolchains on macOS.

**Q: Does it support GPU acceleration for guests?**
A: Apple Virtualization.framework provides basic GPU acceleration for macOS guests. QEMU guests use software rendering.

## Sources
- https://github.com/utmapp/UTM
- https://mac.getutm.app/

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Source: https://tokrepo.com/en/workflows/asset-1c3117c8
Author: Script Depot