MacVisor Beta Free 30-day trial

Run macOS, Linux & Windows VMs, natively on Apple Silicon

Native VM management with snapshots, templates, flexible storage, advanced networking, guest tools, and CLI automation for Macs. Operate as desktop virtualization, hypervisor or headless CI automation. Designed for Mac as Infrastructure.

Run AI agents safely in a disposable Linux or macOS VM (AI sandboxes).

  • Developers
  • Creators
  • Power Users
  • Server Macs and Homelabs

Free 30-day trial · macOS 27 · Secured by Polar

Pricing Privacy Changelog

MacVisor 27 Pro: a one-time license for up to 2 Macs, covering every MacVisor 27.x update. Prices may increase upto GA.

Mac and macOS are trademarks of Apple Inc.
Linux distribution logos are trademarks of their respective owners.

Install with Homebrew

$ brew tap scaleninja/tap && brew trust --tap scaleninja/tap$ brew install --cask macvisor

What early users say

From early users

Ok, that’s the best and most out of the box thing I’ve ever seen. Brilliant and kudos!
On r/macsysadmin
“Ran Ventura on MacVisor to debug and fix an issue in Scribbble app. Was such a breeze working with it, thanks for making it”

Kushagra Gour

Maker of Scribbble and CSSBattle

“that is super! … You just got yourself a long term loyal customer.”

Early adopter

Shared with us privately

“Loving it so far. Really smooth experience.”

Early adopter

Shared with us privately

“managed to install and use it, looking great.”

Early adopter

Shared with us privately

Screenshots

One window for the whole fleet.

An Ubuntu dev VM made from a cloud image, with its account, containerd, port forwards, guest tools and live readings

Linux VM

Account, containers, port forwards, guest tools, and live readings on one Overview tab.

A macOS 27 VM's Overview tab beside its own window, set up automatically with the MacVisor Agent running

macOS 27 guest

Installed from Apple's image, signed in, with the MacVisor Agent running.

A Windows 11 VM's Overview tab with Remote Desktop and guest tools, beside the VM's own window

Windows 11 (Tech Preview)

Installed unattended, with Remote Desktop, guest tools, and Windows in its own window.

An AI sandbox's Overview with its agent, model and allow list, beside Settings with a local model server

AI sandbox

An agent's sandbox with its model, allow list, and changes to review, beside the AI settings.

MacVisor's dashboard for the Mac, with the background service, resource allocation, VM counts and Unattended Auto-Start

Dashboard

The Mac at a glance: background service, resources given to VMs, inventory, and auto-start.

The New VM form with the list of Linux cloud images open

New VM

Pick a cloud image or installer; everything else has a default.

The Templates section with cloud images, macOS installers and the Windows 11 installer, and a template's settings

Templates

Cloud images, macOS installers, and your own templates, with their sizes.

The Storage section listing every VM and template bundle with its logical, on-disk and private size

Storage

Every bundle with its logical, on-disk, and private size.

The Networks section with custom networks, VLANs and a port group's topology of attached VMs

Networks

Custom networks, VLANs, port groups, and which VM is attached where.

Guest operating systems

What you can run.

Native ARM64 guests on Apple's Virtualization framework. MacVisor downloads each image or installer once, verifies it, and keeps it for every VM you make from it.

Supported

macOS

Native macOS VMs from Apple's own installers.

  • macOS 27, 26, 15 and 14 from the catalogue, or your own IPSW
  • Downloaded from Apple once, verified, and installed in 20 to 30 minutes
  • macOS 27 guests skip Setup Assistant and get the MacVisor Agent installed for you
  • Accelerated Graphics through a shared GPU
Browse the macOS installers
Supported

Linux

Ready-to-use VMs from a signed catalogue of Linux distro vendor cloud images.

  • Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, Rocky, AlmaLinux, Oracle Linux, CentOS Stream, openSUSE Leap and Alpine
  • cloud-init sets up your account, SSH keys and the guest agent, plus, when you ask, a container runtime (containerd, Docker, Podman or k3s, by distribution) and your home folder
  • Any ARM64 distribution from its installer ISO
  • Rosetta 2 for x86_64 Linux programs, and nested KVM on M3 or later
Browse the cloud-image catalogue
Tech Preview

Windows 11

Windows 11 on ARM for Windows-only apps, PowerShell and .NET work.

  • Installed unattended from Microsoft's ISO, with your account, Remote Desktop and the MacVisor Agent
  • Any resolution in the VM window on MacVisor's Virtio-MVZ display (beta)
  • Remote Desktop through Microsoft's Windows App, sharp at your display's resolution, with sound and the clipboard
  • Needs macOS 27.2. No GPU acceleration, TPM or Secure Boot
Read the Windows 11 guide

Experimental: FreeBSD 15.1 and 16.0-CURRENT, used over SSH only. Mac and macOS are trademarks of Apple Inc. Linux distribution and FreeBSD logos are trademarks of their respective owners. Windows is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation.

Built-in feature set

More than start and stop.

MacVisor brings desktop VM ergonomics and virtualization-platform controls into one native app. These features reflect the current beta implementation, not roadmap items.

MacVisor 27 requires macOS 27. Some features additionally depend on supported Apple Silicon hardware.

In 11 languages

The app, the VM window and the permission prompts follow your Mac's language: English, German, Spanish, French, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Brazilian Portuguese, Romanian, Swedish and Simplified Chinese. The mvz CLI stays in English.

Virtual hardware

  • Dynamic displays for macOS and Linux VMs; Remote Desktop through Microsoft's Windows App for Windows VMs
  • Accelerated Graphics (shared GPU) for macOS
  • Mac keyboard, trackpad, audio, and input capture
  • Virtio or NVMe disks, hot-plug USB disks and ISO media
  • Nested KVM for supported Linux guests
  • USB device passthrough and runtime device capture

Snapshots

  • Instant Disk-only and Live (disk and memory) snapshots
  • Safety snapshots before rollback (revert)
  • Create a VM from any snapshot
  • Reusable templates, copy-on-write clones, and instant linked clones
  • Plain-words recovery when a saved session will not restore: Try Again or Start from Disk

Advanced Networking

  • Default NAT plus named shared-NAT and host-only networks
  • Every VM reachable by name as <vm>.mvz; host.mvz.internal inside cloud-image Linux guests
  • Automatic TCP and UDP port forwarding for cloud-image VMs, plus manual per-VM forwards
  • Host 802.1Q VLAN creation and physical or VLAN bridge uplinks
  • Per-network DHCP and stable MAC/IP address reservations
  • TCP/UDP NAT forwarding and visual network topology
  • Individual DHCP, DNS proxy, NAT44, NAT66, and IPv6 RA controls
  • Host-enforced per-network IPv4 firewall policy, from the app or the CLI

Flexible Storage

  • ASIF sparse disks throughout, with in-place conversion of legacy raw disks
  • Cloud images downloaded once, verified against the vendor checksum, kept as templates; resumable downloads
  • Multiple internal or external storage locations
  • Cold migration for stopped VMs and templates
  • Warm migration for running VMs
  • Portable VM import and export workflows
  • Storage browser with logical, physical, and private sizes per location

Integration and operations

  • mvz shell and exec: an SSH shell in any VM over the guest agent, as your own account
  • A Docker socket and docker context per VM; kubeconfig for k3s VMs
  • Drag-and-drop files between macOS host and guests
  • Bidirectional files, clipboard, and port forwarding tunnels powered by guest tools
  • VirtioFS shared folders for macOS and Linux
  • Autostart, metrics, task progress, and runner health
  • The mvz CLI, serial console, and headless operation

The MacVisor Architecture

A control plane, not a window that happens to run VMs.

MacVisor separates management, clients, and VM execution. An always-running control plane owns orchestration and policy. The native GUI and mvz CLI act as independent clients, while every VM runs in its own isolated process. That same architecture works as a desktop app, a persistent local host, or a CLI-driven virtualization platform.

MacVisor process model

One host, independent lifecycles

Always Online
MacVisor control-plane architecture The MacVisor GUI and mvz CLI connect through XPC to a background control service. The service manages separate runner processes, each of which owns one virtual machine. CLIENTS MacVisor GUI SwiftUI client Library, settings, VM windows mvz CLI Automation client Create, shell, snapshots etc. TYPED XPC CONTROL PLANE MacVisorService USER LAUNCHAGENT · RUN AT LOGIN · KEEPALIVE Library and policy Runner supervision Networks and storage ISOLATED VM PROCESSES VM Runner process A VZVirtualMachine · macOS WINDOWED INDEPENDENT VM Runner process B VZVirtualMachine · Linux HEADLESS AUTOSTART VM Runner process C VZVirtualMachine · Windows CLI STARTED ISOLATED APPLE VIRTUALIZATION · DISKIMAGEKIT · APFS · VMNET · PF · GPU/METAL · VIRTIO · NVME · USB · XPC
01

Separate lifecycles

Restart the GUI, close a display, or run only the CLI without making those client lifecycles the VM lifecycle.

02

Crash isolation

Each VM has a dedicated runtime owner, so one runner failure does not take down every workload or the control plane.

03

One source of truth

GUI and CLI issue the same typed requests and receive the same state events from the service.

04

Service recovery

After a control-plane restart, MacVisor reconciles live runner records and removes stale processes from its registry.

One architecture, three operating modes

Use it like a desktop app or operate it like a platform.

The same VM can move between interactive and unattended workflows without moving to a different runtime or management stack.

Interactive

Native desktop virtualization

Open a VM in its own Mac window with dynamic display sizing, input capture, clipboard, shared folders, file transfer, audio, and USB passthrough.

Best for development, OS testing, and hands-on lab work.

Persistent

A local virtualization host

Start VMs headlessly, keep them running after windows close, enable login autostart, and connect services through named networks and port forwards.

Best for always-on services, clusters, and multi-VM environments.

Programmable

CLI-driven infrastructure

Create a Linux dev VM from a cloud image in one command, open a shell in it, and script lifecycle, snapshots, networks, port forwards, autostart, and serial-console access through the bundled mvz CLI.

Best for repeatable environments, automation, and local CI workflows.

AI Sandboxes Tech Preview

Give AI agents a VM of their own.

Coding agents like Claude Code and Codex do their best work when they can run commands without asking you first. On your Mac that is risky: they can reach your files, your keys and your network. MacVisor runs each agent in its own VM instead, and you check what it changed before anything touches your project.

Can read your SSH keys, passwords and other projects.

Sees one copy of one project, and nothing else from your Mac.

Needs your API keys in its environment.

Never gets a key. MacVisor adds it to each request on the way out.

Can reach the internet, your network and the apps on your Mac.

Reaches only the sites you allow. Your Mac and your network are off limits.

Changes your files directly.

You see a diff first, and apply it when you are happy with it.

How it works

Your keys, your code and your models stay on the Mac

Models Internet Your code
How a MacVisor AI sandbox works Your project is copied into a sandbox VM where a coding agent works on it. The agent reaches models through MacVisor's AI gateway, which uses a model server on your Mac or a cloud provider with your key from the Keychain. The internet is reached through a filter that allows only listed sites. The agent's changes come back as a diff that you review and apply. YOUR MAC Your project ~/src/app Not touched until you apply Keychain Your API keys NEVER SENT TO A VM Local models Ollama, LM Studio, oMLX or llama.cpp THE MAC'S GPU AND MEMORY SHARED BY EVERY SANDBOX MacVisor RUNS IN THE BACKGROUND Review Shows what changed Flags risky files AI gateway Sends each request to a local or cloud model Adds your key on the way Logs what each sandbox used Internet filter Only sites you allow Never your Mac or network Shows what it blocked Sandbox VM LINUX OR MACOS 27 Coding agent Claude Code, Codex, Goose, Aider or OpenCode Copy of your project The files, without git history MacVisor agent The VM's only way out No access to your files, no keys, no direct internet CHECKPOINT · ROLL BACK · DISCARD 1 · copied in 2 · diff 3·apply key Cloud models Claude, GPT, OpenRouter, with your key Sites you allow npm, PyPI, GitHub, and more Everything else Blocked

Five steps

  1. 01 · Create mvz sandbox create ~/src/app --agent claude

    Makes a Linux or macOS VM, copies your project in and installs the agent.

  2. 02 · Run mvz sandbox run app-1 -- "fix the failing test"

    The agent works on its own. Watch it, or open a shell next to it.

  3. 03 · Review mvz sandbox diff app-1

    See every changed file. Scripts, hooks and CI files are flagged.

  4. 04 · Apply mvz sandbox apply app-1

    Bring the changes into your project, or onto a new branch.

  5. 05 · Clean up mvz sandbox discard app-1

    Throw the VM away, or roll back to a checkpoint and try again.

Prefer the app? Click New AI Sandbox... next to + in the sidebar. The sandbox's Overview has buttons to run the agent, review its changes and apply them.

Local models

Use Ollama, LM Studio, oMLX or llama.cpp on your Mac. The model gets the Mac’s GPU and memory, and every sandbox shares it.

Cloud models

Use Claude, GPT or OpenRouter models. Your API keys stay in the Mac’s Keychain.

Five agents, ready to go

Claude Code, Codex, Goose, Aider and OpenCode are installed and set up for you. Or bring your own.

A short list for the internet

npm, PyPI, GitHub and your distribution’s mirrors are allowed. Add or remove sites at any time.

Undo in seconds

Checkpoints save the whole VM, memory included. Roll back when an agent goes off track.

Works with your tools

An MCP server lets agents on your Mac use sandboxes too, with screenshots and clicks in a macOS one.

New in 27.0.0 beta 5, as a Tech Preview. AI sandboxes are tested in every build, but commands and defaults may still change. Models run on your Mac rather than in the VM, where they get the full GPU and memory.

Read the guide

Pricing

Every feature, in every license.

MacVisor is licensed by the Mac, with no limit on VMs or users. The licenses differ only in how they're billed and the support that comes with them. Start with the free 30-day trial: the full app, with no payment details.

MacVisor Pro

For up to 2 Macs, paid once.

$49 for up to 2 Macs, one-time

Launch price, subject to change

  • Up to 2 Macs per license, yours to keep
  • Every MacVisor 27.x update
  • A discounted upgrade to the next major version
  • Email support

MacVisor Business

For teams, billed yearly.

$99 per Mac per year

Launch price, kept at renewal

  • As many Macs as you buy
  • New major versions included while active
  • Priority email support on business days

MacVisor Enterprise

Running Macs as infrastructure?

From $49 per Mac per month

Billed annually, 10+ Macs, by quote

  • 24x7 support with an SLA
  • Deployment through your MDM
  • Build-farm, CI/CD and network design help
  • Purchase orders, bank transfer and volume quotes

Prices are in US dollars, with tax included or added at checkout depending on your country. We may offer periodic promotional pricing and discounts. Pro and Business come with a 14-day money-back guarantee. Compare licenses 

Compare macOS Virtualization

Pick the tool that matches the workload.

MacVisor is not a cross-architecture emulator, and its Windows 11 support is a Tech Preview rather than a Windows desktop product with accelerated graphics. See where it fits against desktop hypervisors, native macOS VM apps, and CI-focused runtimes.

View all comparisons

Privacy

Your VMs stay on your Mac.

MacVisor has no analytics and no telemetry. On its own it connects for two things only: checking your license with ScaleNinja's licensing server, and checking whether a new version exists. Cloud images and macOS installers are downloaded when you ask, from the vendor, and verified. Disks, snapshots, and your guests' traffic never pass through us.

Official music video

MacVisor Sets Me Free.

Two and a half minutes of macOS, Linux and Windows VMs on Apple silicon, set to music. Turn the sound up.

Still from the MacVisor Sets Me Free music video

Further reading

Why we built MacVisor.

Notes from the team behind MacVisor: why a Mac makes a good virtualization host, how the app is built around a background service, and what the public beta can do today.

Turn your Mac into a virtualization host.

Run macOS, Linux and Windows guests with full-machine snapshots, lab networks and sandboxes for AI agents, from one native app or the mvz CLI.

Free 30-day trial, no payment details. 14-day money-back guarantee.

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