Try MacOS 26: This is how it works with a virtual machine

MacOS 26, when trying it out long-time Mac users, is a small shock: the new, glassy “Liquid Glass” look, the strongly rounded windows, transparent icons and a converted spotlight search are just a few of the innovations. So it makes sense to slowly get used to the big change before it comes for all users in September 2025. If you don’t have a test Mac ready, you can also proceed differently: with a virtual machine (VM) isolated from the remaining computer. This is even free of charge.

What you need for a MacOS 26-VM

The basic prerequisite is an Apple-Silicon computer on which at least MacOS 15 alias Sequoia runs-preferably in the recent stable version 15.5. The second is a virtualization solution. If it should be inexpensive and particularly simple, this can be the open source app Virtual buddy Being, but also the paid parallel desktop that we used for our attempt. Here, too, it should be the latest version (20.4.20).

At the moment, MacOS 26 is only available for download in a second beta. So you have to be with your Apple account On the group’s developer portal Register as a developer. Fortunately, this is free. The beta itself can then be a IPSW file On a download portal be obtained. Alternatively, you wait a little longer: Apple will also be this month A public beta of MacOS 26 drive out.

It doesn’t work without a driver

Finally, special driver software is still necessary, without which the VM cannot be installed under MacOS 15.5. She is either part of Xcode 26 Beta (Currently Beta 2, if you need the same) or to refer to Apple’s Developer Download Portal as a so-called Device Support for MacOS 26 Beta 2. If the drivers are on the Mac, the installation of the VM via parallels desktop or virtualbuddy.

The process was completed quite quickly on our test Mac. After that, a complete MacOS 26 is available as VM and can be extensively tested. Parallels users should consider installing the parallel tools, retrofitting the necessary components so that the VM runs faster. As usual with VMS, the MAC should have sufficient SSD memory (at least 64 GB free) and RAM so that the VM runs performant together with the regular system.