Does CrossOver Work on Apple’s M1 Chip?

Yes, CrossOver does work on Apple’s M1 chip. As a leading compatibility layer for running Windows applications on macOS and Linux, CrossOver has been updated to support ARM architecture, which includes Apple’s M1 chip. This update allows users to run many Windows applications without the need for a full Windows installation. However, the performance and compatibility may vary depending on the specific application being used. Always check the CrossOver compatibility database for the latest information on specific applications.

Update to CrossOver 22 for M1 Macs

It is important to note that CrossOver 22 does run on M1-based Macs. However, a significant portion of software may not fully work with CrossOver’s solution that omits the need to run the Windows operating system. This is why many users turn to alternative solutions or simply prefer to search for their favorite applications for compatibility information with CrossOver.

Experience and Technical Details

A user named Diana Crisan has shared her insights on whether CrossOver works on an M1 Mac. Here are some of her detailed observations:

A2A: Yes, indeed it does.

Codeweavers, the developer of CrossOver, has created an M1 native version that uses Rosetta 2 to run many Windows applications at near-native speed on M1 Macs. Some applications work exceptionally well, including first-person shooter games, which can run fast enough to be fully playable on an M1 Mac.

Technically no, but in the most significant way yes.

Being an x86–64 program, CrossOver is not originally designed to run on ARM-based M1 chips. However, Apple’s macOS 11 on ARM CPUs offers Rosetta 2 to run x86–64 applications. If CrossOver is not installed on your M1 Mac, macOS will automatically offer to download and install Rosetta 2 for you.

Rosetta 2’s support for 32-bit applications is a key factor here. CrossOver uses a complex hack to enable 32-bit Windows programs to run, and Rosetta 2 supports this 32-bit Windows compatibility by extension. This is quite impressive, given that Rosetta 2 does not even natively support 32-bit Mac applications.

It is also worth noting that CrossOver on Intel Macs is successful in running many but not all Windows applications. Users who rely on it find it useful for work, considering it as a tech demo that has successfully escaped the lab.

In summary, while CrossOver does work on Apple’s M1 chip, performance and compatibility can vary depending on the specific application. For the best experience, always check the CrossOver compatibility database and consider using alternative solutions if necessary.

Keywords: CrossOver, M1 Chip, ARM Architecture