How to Install Windows OS on macOS – Complete BootCamp Assistant Steps

Apple’s latest macOS operating system is now available & you can upgrade from 10.12 (Sierra), 10.13 (High Sierra, 10.14 (Mojave), 10.15 (Catalina) to the all-new macOS 11 which is Mojave and experience the new features that it comes packed with. The Mac operating system allows you to install the Windows operating system and use the same under the Dual Boot option which means that you can run only one OS at a time but without the need to buy software, license, or paying for any app you can still get windows on your Apple computer.

To get started you need to use the Boot Camp Assistant app which is the default app from Apple for its users who wish to install windows on their computer. It’s a free app that’s pre-installed on every Mac (post-2006), though it is limited to only a few versions of Windows OS that you need to cross-check before installing.

Prerequisites: These are the three things you need

• At least 64GB free storage space on your Mac startup disk
• An external USB flash drive with a minimum 16GB storage capacity in it. (Not needed for Intel-based latest Mac models)
• Windows 10 Home or Pro ISO along with a license key for the same.

If you are using the latest Apple MacBook Air M1 or the Mac Mini M1 running on Big Sur, you will get the following warning because as of January 2021 Apple has not yet made the software compatible for this version and will have to wait considering that these new computers are running on Apple’s own chipsets.

Steps to Start the Installation:
STEP 1 – The first step is to start the Spotlight Search and search for the “Boot Camp Assistant” App. Once you open the Application, you need to Plug in the USB Drive and would get the option to select the ISO image file as shown in the screenshot below. Select the ISO from your internal storage where you have downloaded it earlier and then select the partition option & divide your internal storage depending on your priorities and the space you might need for the OS you would primarily use.

STEP 2 – The windows installer will start the installation after the partition is created and the computer is rebooted. The setup screen would ask you the language to install, time and currency format, and the Keyboard or input method that are all part of the standard installation following which there would be a restart, and the necessary Windows drivers and support software would be downloaded. Depending on your connection speed, it would complete downloading followed by another restart.

STEP 3 – The New operating system would be installed but in order to boot from it, you will have to set it as the default OS. In order to change the OS, you will have to use the Option key or Alt key while the system boots up which is when you would be taken to the Startup Manager with all the OS you have installed. Select the one you wish or probably the Boot Camp option and it would switch to the newly installed OS.

Common Problems & Issues when Installing Windows with Boot Camp

• Boot Camp Error – your USB drive couldn’t be created or doesn’t have enough space. If you get this error you might have to update the version of your macOS or probably make sure that the latest edition of Windows 10 is being installed. Following this, you need to make sure that the bootable USB drive you are using has a storage capacity of 16GB or more.
• Load Driver Error – No device drivers were found. Make sure that the installation media contains the correct drivers, and then click OK. If you get this specific error, you will have to search for the drivers in the USB installer because it’s probably downloaded during the installation. You need to click on Browse followed by selecting your USB > Bootcamp > Drivers > Apple > AppleSSD.sys. Might also exist in $WinPEDriver$ folder, select this location, and fix the problem.
• Could not locate the OS X boot volume on restart Error – This is a common problem that comes when you install Windows or at times when you upgrade your Mac OS because the computer could not find the boot option after upgrading solid-state drives to the Apple File System (APFS). You will have to just restart your computer and immediately hold the Option or Alt key depending on what works for you and you would see the “Startup Manager Window”. Select the Windows OS or the MacOS that you wish to boot into & your problem will be solved.
• Can’t install the software because it is not currently available from the Software Update server Error – This is an error you get when you try to install on a new computer that Apple has not yet made the software ready/compatible. You should recheck in a few days though another workaround would be restarting the computer followed by disabling the WiFi & reenabling the same again that has worked for us. This specific problem was seen on many 2019 Macbook Pro 16 inch computers and only after Apple updated the backend drivers & made the package distribution files available, you can get this installed.

Sound Issues on Windows after Installing Boot Camp?
If you have outdated software or corrupted drivers, you will be recommended to download the latest version of BootCamp from the official website followed by making sure that you download the latest drivers pack by visiting Apple Support on Internet Explorer, followed by clicking on the Downloads option, that gives you access to all the latest Audio Drivers. Install & restart to fix the issue. Though, if the issue persists, you will have to download the latest Realtek Drivers from their official website & install them.

This is the complete guide on installing Windows OS on your Apple Computer, if you still face any issues around this installation, you can comment the same below & we can troubleshoot the same based on our experience. This is a very straight forward approach that gives you an option of Dual Boot for free of cost, though you will have to purchase the Microsoft Windows License because we would not recommend you to download any illegal copies or pirated software.