MacVisor Beta

Quickstart

Create and run your first MacVisor virtual machine.

1. Choose installation media

Use an Apple IPSW restore image for a macOS guest or an ARM64 ISO for Linux. Keep the image on storage with enough free space for both installation and the VM disk.

2. Create the VM

Click New Virtual Machine or press ⌘N. Choose macOS or Linux, give the VM a name, and set CPU, memory, and disk capacity.

  • Start From offers an empty disk or any template you have already prepared. Creating from a template copies a ready-made guest instead of installing one.
  • macOS requires an IPSW and installs automatically.
  • Linux attaches an ISO for its normal installer.
  • Disks are created in ASIF, Apple's sparse VM disk format. There is no format to choose.

More Options holds the storage location, a custom icon, nested virtualization, and — for macOS guests — automatic first-boot account setup.

3. Complete installation

For macOS, follow the installation progress and then Setup Assistant, unless you filled in automatic setup, which skips it.

For Linux, boot the installer and install to the virtual disk. Eject the ISO afterward if the guest keeps returning to the installer.

4. Install guest tools

Guest tools are enabled by default, and their volume is attached at boot. Inside the guest:

  • macOS — the MacVisor Agent volume opens by itself. Drag MacVisor Agent onto the Applications alias in that window, then open it from Applications.
  • Linux — mount the volume and run sudo ./MacVisorGuestLinux/install.sh once.

The VM's Overview tab shows when the agent connects. See Guest tools.

5. Take a first snapshot

Once the guest is configured, open Snapshots and create a named snapshot. A disk-only snapshot is a good baseline. A live snapshot also captures memory so a compatible VM can resume exactly where it was.

6. Make it reusable

Convert to Template… in the VM's context menu turns the prepared VM into a reusable base; Create VM Using This Template… stamps out new VMs from it. On ASIF disks you can also take a Linked Clone, which forks the VM instantly and shares the disk instead of copying it — see Linked clones.

7. Try the CLI

vz is linked to /usr/local/bin during first-run setup:

vz list
vz images
vz show <vm-name>
vz ip <vm-name>
vz snapshots list <vm-name>

VM selectors accept a name, full UUID, or the short ID printed by vz list.