Blog/2026/01/21/Guide for running x86_64 VMs using Apple Silicon (ARM-based) Macs / Windows on ARM

Guide for running x86_64 VMs using Apple Silicon (ARM-based) Macs / Windows on ARM

2026-01-21 17:05:20

Warning

This method will run VMs in an emulated environment, which will be extremely slow. It is still recommended to use x86_64 architecture devices for the best performance.

For demo purposes, this guide will use an Apple Silicon macOS device as an example, but it also applies to Windows on ARM devices.

Configure the VirtualBox to enable x86 on ARM support

Ref: https://github.com/VirtualBox/virtualbox/blob/20e48f8820b24e954b2a6c395698e646cf6f8961/src/VBox/Main/src-server/SystemPropertiesImpl.cpp#L1063

  1. Download the macOS / Apple Silicon hosts & VirtualBox Extension Pack and install it.
  2. Before launching the VirtualBox, enter this command in your Terminal:
VBoxManage setextradata global "VBoxInternal2/EnableX86OnArm" 1

If you see this icon on your upper right corner, this means that you enabled the settings successfully:

VirtualBox Dev Preview Icon
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