User profile for user: Nathan Alden
Nathan Alden Author
User level: Level 3
948 points

A completely unofficial Win11 install guide

After searching endlessly for a reasonable install guide for Windows 11 on Mac and finding...well, not much in the way of good help on the topic, I think I've come up with one that works well enough.


Let's be clear on one thing: Apple does not officially support Windows 11 on Intel Macs despite that most models past 2018 have the necessary internals to rip through the gauntlet of security checks. The firmware just doesn't transmit them yet--and probably won't, but it should. Windows 10 goes dark in October, but those last Intel Macs that could move to Win11 aren't cut off from macOS until at least two years from now, barring a surprise.


The biggest hang-up, of course, is the TPM security chip. The Win11 installer can't see one, but the guts of a TPM are embedded on modern Intel chips. And the simplest TPM bypass once championed by Microsoft doesn't work.


What to do? This guy did it. Here's what you need:

  • Any 2018 or later Mac (the CPU is more than likely supported); I use an Early 2020 MacBook Air)
  • An 8 GB USB-C thumb drive
  • A Windows 11 ISO or the latest Media Creator Tool (note: I'm in the US, but I'm somehow barred from getting a full ISO image because MS seems to think I'm in Timbuktu or some weird thing).
  • Windows Support Software from Boot Camp
  • Rufus media creator (https://rufus.ie/en/)
  • A working Windows installation -anywhere-to make your media.


  1. Get your media ready. If you have to use the MCT, ask it to make the ISO
  2. Run Rufus and select your Windows 11 image. The rest of the options can be left alone.
  3. Click Start. You'll be asked to select bypass options. Make sure the bypass for the CPU, TPM, and RAM is ON. Click OK or Yes.
  4. Let Rufus work its magic.
  5. Insert the completed stick into the Boot Camp'd Mac
  6. Run Setup. If your current Win10 setup is newer than your installer, leave the update settings as they are.
  7. Let Windows do the thing.
  8. If all goes well, you'll have migrated to Win11


There may be some issues with Bluetooth (as is my case), but if there are driver issues, you should be able to reload the Windows Support Software.


--Nate






MacBook Air 13″, macOS 15.4

Posted on Apr 2, 2025 12:17 AM

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User profile for user: Nathan Alden
Nathan Alden Author
User level: Level 3
948 points

Apr 2, 2025 9:37 PM in response to HJ_

Thanks for taking a look and responding.


I will say that I can't really recommend what you yourself are trying to do, whether there's a video or not. As a self-contained program, Rufus will make the installer work on your model as long as you leave most of the options as is. But, since you're running Catalina and not one of the three supported versions of macOS, that might carry some risks even I don't know about.


Rufus will only work under Windows as far as I know. There are alternate processes for Linux and other Unix-like operating systems. Fortunately, we only need the installer USB drive to be created under Windows. Once that's done, you'll have to decide which path to take insofar as installing Windows. If you're installing onto what otherwise is a clean slate, you need to locate the partition labeled Boot Camp (no spaces) and click the format option.


The instructions that opened this thread were put together with upgrades in mind, and not necessarily clean installs of the OS, drivers, and software. And yet, I see no reason why Boot Camp shouldn't be attempted on an older Mac but you should always be mindful of the risks that come with a system not having the required security hardware, as the 2018 and later models have.


I hope this answers your question, and wish you best of luck.


--Nate

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A completely unofficial Win11 install guide

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