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Install Windows 11 ARM on macOS with VMware | Complete Guide 2025 | RocketMod

Step-by-step guide to install Windows 11 ARM virtual machine on macOS using VMware Fusion. Perfect for Cronus Zen Studio setup on Mac (Intel & Apple Silicon).

🖥️ Install Windows 11 ARM on macOS with VMware Fusion

Complete A-Z guide to set up a Windows 11 ARM virtual machine on macOS using VMware Fusion. This is the first step for Mac users who want to run Cronus Zen Studio.

💡 After completing this guide, continue to Install Zen Studio on macOS to set up Cronus Zen Studio.

📋 Prerequisites

Before starting, ensure you have:

  • Mac with Apple Silicon (M1, M2, M3, M4) or Intel Mac
  • 8GB RAM minimum (16GB recommended)
  • 50GB free disk space minimum
  • macOS 11.0 (Big Sur) or later
  • Stable internet connection for downloads

🔧 Step 1: Download Required Software

1.1 Download VMware Fusion

  1. Visit the VMware Fusion website:

  2. For Apple Silicon Macs (M1/M2/M3/M4):

    • Download VMware Fusion 13 or later (supports ARM)
    • Choose the Free Personal Use License

  3. For Intel Macs:

    • Download VMware Fusion 13 (latest version)
    • Choose the Free Personal Use License

  4. Install VMware Fusion:

    • Open the downloaded .dmg file
    • Drag VMware Fusion to Applications folder
    • Launch and accept the license agreement

1.2 Download Windows 11 ARM ISO

  1. Visit the Windows Insider Preview Downloads page:

  2. Sign in with a Microsoft account (create one if needed)

  3. Join Windows Insider Program (if not already enrolled):

    • Select Dev Channel or Beta Channel
    • Accept terms and conditions

  4. Download Windows 11 ARM64 ISO:

    • Choose the latest build
    • Select your language
    • Download the ISO file (approximately 5-6GB)

💡 Alternative Method: You can also download Windows 11 ARM from UUP Dump:

  • 👉 uupdump.net
  • Search for "Windows 11 ARM64"
  • Download and create ISO using their script

🚀 Step 2: Create Windows 11 ARM Virtual Machine

2.1 Launch VMware Fusion

  1. Open VMware Fusion from Applications
  2. Click File → New (or press ⌘ + N)
  3. Select Create a custom virtual machine

2.2 Configure Operating System

  1. Select Operating System:

    • Choose Microsoft Windows
    • Select Windows 11 64-bit ARM (or Windows 11 64-bit for Intel Macs)
    • Click Continue

  2. Choose Installation Method:

    • Select Use another disc or disc image
    • Click Continue

  3. Select ISO Image:

    • Click Choose a disc or disc image...
    • Navigate to your downloaded Windows 11 ARM ISO file
    • Select it and click Open
    • Click Continue

2.3 Choose Firmware Type (Apple Silicon Only)

If you're on Apple Silicon Mac:

  • Select UEFI (recommended)
  • Click Continue

2.4 Finish Virtual Machine Creation

  1. Save Configuration:
    • Choose a name: e.g., "Windows 11 ARM"
    • Choose save location (default is fine)
    • Check Customize Settings before finishing
    • Click Save

⚙️ Step 3: Configure Virtual Machine Settings

3.1 Optimize Performance

  1. In the Settings window, configure:

    Processors & Memory:

    • Click Processors & Memory
    • Allocate 4 CPU cores (or 50% of your Mac's cores)
    • Allocate 8GB RAM minimum (16GB recommended if available)
    • Click Show All to return

    Hard Disk:

    • Click Hard Disk
    • Set disk size to 60GB minimum (100GB recommended)
    • Click Apply
    • Click Show All to return

    Display:

    • Click Display
    • Enable Accelerate 3D Graphics
    • Allocate 2GB Graphics Memory (maximum available)
    • Click Show All to return

    Network Adapter:

    • Click Network Adapter
    • Select Share with my Mac (NAT) for internet access
    • Click Show All to return

  2. Close the Settings window

💿 Step 4: Install Windows 11 ARM

4.1 Start Installation

  1. Click the Play button (▶️) to start the virtual machine
  2. Windows Setup will load from the ISO

4.2 Windows 11 Setup Process

  1. Language and Region:

    • Select your language
    • Select time format
    • Select keyboard layout
    • Click Next

  2. Install Now:

    • Click Install now

  3. Product Key:

    • Click I don't have a product key (you can activate later)

  4. Select Windows Edition:

    • Choose Windows 11 Pro (recommended)
    • Click Next

  5. Accept License Terms:

    • Check I accept the license terms
    • Click Next

  6. Installation Type:

    • Select Custom: Install Windows only (advanced)

  7. Partition Setup:

    • Select Drive 0 Unallocated Space
    • Click Next
    • Windows will create partitions automatically

  8. Installation Progress:

    • Wait for installation (15-30 minutes)
    • VM will restart automatically multiple times

4.3 Windows 11 Out-of-Box Experience (OOBE)

After installation, complete the setup:

  1. Region Selection:

    • Choose your country/region
    • Click Yes

  2. Keyboard Layout:

    • Select your keyboard layout
    • Click Yes
    • Skip second layout or add if needed

  3. Network Connection:

    • Connect to network (should detect automatically)
    • Click Next

  4. Microsoft Account:

    • Option A: Sign in with Microsoft account
    • Option B: Create offline account (recommended for VM):
      • Click Sign-in options
      • Click Domain join instead or Offline account
      • Create a username and password

  5. Privacy Settings:

    • Configure privacy settings as desired
    • Click Accept or Next

  6. Windows 11 Setup Complete

    • Wait for final configuration
    • You'll reach the Windows 11 desktop

🔧 Step 5: Install VMware Tools

5.1 Install VMware Tools for Performance

  1. In VMware Fusion menu bar:

    • Click Virtual Machine → Install VMware Tools

  2. In Windows 11:

    • Open File Explorer
    • Go to This PC
    • Open DVD Drive (D:) (VMware Tools)
    • Double-click setup64.exe

  3. VMware Tools Setup:

    • Click Next
    • Choose Typical installation
    • Click Install
    • Click Yes if prompted by User Account Control
    • Wait for installation to complete
    • Click Finish
    • Restart the virtual machine when prompted

5.2 Benefits of VMware Tools

After restart, you'll have:

  • ✅ Better graphics performance
  • ✅ Seamless mouse integration
  • ✅ Shared clipboard (copy/paste between Mac and Windows)
  • ✅ Drag-and-drop files between Mac and Windows
  • ✅ Shared folders access
  • ✅ Auto-resize display

🔄 Step 6: Enable Shared Folders (Optional)

6.1 Setup Shared Folders

  1. In VMware Fusion menu:

    • Click Virtual Machine → Settings
    • Click Sharing

  2. Enable Shared Folders:

    • Check Enable Shared Folders
    • Click + to add a folder

  3. Add Mac Folder:

    • Choose a folder from your Mac (e.g., Downloads)
    • Set permissions (Read & Write recommended)
    • Click Add

  4. Access in Windows:

    • Open File Explorer in Windows
    • Go to Network → VMware Shared Folders
    • Your Mac folders will be accessible

6.2 Transfer Files Between Mac and Windows

You can now easily transfer files:

  • Download files on Mac
  • Access them in Windows via shared folders
  • Drag and drop between Mac and Windows
  • Share documents and scripts seamlessly

⚡ Performance Optimization Tips

For Apple Silicon Macs (M1/M2/M3/M4)

  1. Allocate More Resources:

    • Use 8GB RAM minimum (12-16GB if possible)
    • Allocate 4-6 CPU cores

  2. Enable Metal Graphics:

    • Already enabled by default in VMware Fusion 13+

  3. Disable Unnecessary Windows Features:

    • Turn off Windows animations
    • Disable background apps
    • Use Windows 11 Performance mode

For Intel Macs

  1. Enable Hardware Virtualization:

    • Should be enabled by default
    • Check in Mac BIOS/UEFI if having issues

  2. Close Other Applications:

    • Free up RAM and CPU for VM

  3. Use SSD Storage:

    • Ensure VM is stored on SSD for best performance

🛠️ Troubleshooting

Issue: "This PC can't run Windows 11" Error

Solution:

  • Skip TPM requirement during installation:
    • At Windows Setup screen, press Shift + F10
    • Type: regedit and press Enter
    • Navigate to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\Setup
    • Right-click Setup → New → Key
    • Name it: LabConfig
    • Right-click LabConfig → New → DWORD (32-bit) Value
    • Name it: BypassTPMCheck and set value to 1
    • Create another DWORD: BypassSecureBootCheck set to 1
    • Close Registry Editor and continue installation

Issue: USB Device Not Detected in Windows

Solution:

  1. Ensure USB 3.0 is enabled in VMware settings
  2. Connect USB device to Windows (not Mac):
    • When plugging in, select Connect to Windows
  3. Try different USB ports on your Mac
  4. Restart the virtual machine

Issue: VM Running Slowly

Solution:

  1. Allocate more RAM and CPU cores
  2. Ensure VMware Tools is installed
  3. Disable Windows visual effects
  4. Close unnecessary Windows applications
  5. Check Mac Activity Monitor for resource usage

Issue: No Internet in Windows VM

Solution:

  1. Check Network Adapter settings:
    • Settings → Network Adapter → Share with my Mac
  2. In Windows:
    • Run Network Troubleshooter
    • Reset network settings
  3. Restart the virtual machine

💡 Best Practices

Regular Maintenance

  1. Keep Windows Updated:

    • Install Windows Updates regularly
    • Update Zen Studio when available

  2. Create Snapshots:

    • In VMware: Virtual Machine → Snapshots → Take Snapshot
    • Create snapshot after fresh installation
    • Create snapshots before major changes

  3. Backup Your VM:

    • Regularly backup the VM folder
    • Store backups on external drive

Performance Tips

  1. Shut Down Properly:

    • Always shut down Windows properly
    • Don't force quit VMware

  2. Allocate Resources Wisely:

    • Don't allocate more than 50% of Mac's RAM
    • Leave at least 2 CPU cores for macOS

  3. Use Unity Mode (Optional):

    • Run Windows apps as if they're Mac apps
    • Access via View → Single Window

📊 System Requirements Summary

ComponentMinimumRecommended
ProcessorApple Silicon M1 or Intel Core i5Apple Silicon M2/M3 or Intel Core i7
RAM8GB (4GB for VM)16GB+ (8GB+ for VM)
Storage50GB free100GB+ free
macOSmacOS 11 Big SurmacOS 13 Ventura or later
InternetRequired for downloadsHigh-speed recommended

🎓 Next Steps

Now that you have Windows 11 ARM running on your Mac:

  1. ✅ Install Zen Studio - Zen Studio macOS Installation - START HERE
  2. ✅ Register your Cronus Zen - Registration Guide
  3. ✅ Download RocketMod Scripts - Downloads Page
  4. ✅ Follow setup guide - Setup RocketMod A-Z
  5. ✅ Configure button layout - Button Layout Guide

🔗 Related Articles

🆘 Need Help?

Join our community for support:

Last Updated: January 2025
Compatibility: macOS 11+ | VMware Fusion 13+ | Windows 11 ARM

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