Boot Camp (software)

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Boot Camp

Developer(s)	Apple Inc.
Initial release	April 5, 2006
Stable release	6.1.0 / August 13, 2020
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Engine
Operating system	macOS
Platform	Intel-based Mac
Type	Utility software
License	Proprietary

Boot Camp is a utility developed by Apple Inc. that allows Mac users to install and run the Microsoft Windows operating system on their Intel-based Mac computers. The software assists users in creating a partition on their hard drive and installing Windows alongside macOS, enabling a dual boot configuration.

History

Boot Camp was first introduced as a public beta on April 5, 2006, for Mac OS X Tiger. It was later included as a standard feature in Mac OS X Leopard, released on October 26, 2007. The software has been updated over the years to support newer versions of Windows and macOS.

Features

Boot Camp provides a simple, step-by-step process for installing Windows on a Mac. Key features include:

• **Partitioning**: Boot Camp Assistant helps users create a separate partition on their hard drive for Windows.
• **Driver Support**: The software includes drivers for Windows to ensure that Mac hardware components, such as the trackpad, keyboard, and iSight camera, function correctly.
• **Boot Manager**: Users can choose between macOS and Windows at startup by holding down the Option key.

System Requirements

To use Boot Camp, users need:

• An Intel-based Mac
• A valid copy of Windows (Windows 7 or later)
• Sufficient hard drive space for the Windows partition
• A USB flash drive for creating a Windows installer (for some versions of Windows)

Installation Process

1. **Backup Data**: Users are advised to back up their data before partitioning their hard drive. 2. **Run Boot Camp Assistant**: The utility guides users through the process of creating a Windows partition and installing Windows. 3. **Install Windows**: Users insert their Windows installation media and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation. 4. **Install Drivers**: After Windows is installed, users run the Boot Camp installer to install necessary drivers.

Limitations

Boot Camp does not support running Windows on Apple silicon Macs, as these devices use a different architecture. Additionally, users cannot run macOS and Windows simultaneously; they must restart their computer to switch between operating systems.

See Also

• Parallels Desktop
• VMware Fusion
• VirtualBox
• Wine (software)

Related Pages

• Macintosh
• macOS
• Microsoft Windows
• Dual boot
• Intel-based Mac