Sep 28, 2020 • Filed to: Solve Mac Problems • Proven solutions
Mac's impressive library of apps gives you everything you need but let's face it: Windows has a far larger library.
Haven't you ever come across software native to Windows which endear themselves to you? But since they all come with the EXE file extension, your Mac is incapable of running them. Well, there are workarounds to this problem and you'll learn about them today.
If you are stuck in such a situation, here we will state ways for you to run Mac apps on Windows 10 device. Don’t be, just remember nothing is impossible. Ways to run Mac Apps on Windows 10. Step 1: Make a Virtual Machine with macOS on it. This is the simplest way to get Mac on Windows and run Mac apps on windows PC. How to install “unlisted” Windows software on a Mac. To install what Crossover Office calls an unlisted app, start Crossover Office and then click the Select Installer tab. Then click the Choose Installer File option, and browse to the.exe file for the installer for that app and click Use This.
It's possible to safely open and run EXE files on your Mac using mediums like Boot Camp, Remote Desktop, CrossOver, Virtual Machine, and WINE, to mention the most prominent ones. And you don't need to be an expert to do this. As long as you can follow simple instructions, you're all set.
Part 1: Can You Run an EXE File on a Mac?
Yes, you can. With how innovative and creative developers have become, it was only a matter of time before they devised a means to run EXE files on Mac, even though such files are incompatible with macOS.
What's an EXE file, though? It's a file extension that denotes an executable file format. Okay, but what's an executable file? It's any file capable of being executed as a program. To put it simply, it's what makes the installation and running of software possible.
EXE files are used in a few operating systems, the most notable of them being Microsoft Windows. You can think of EXE files as the Windows version of APP files (APP files, if you're unaware, are executable files under macOS).
Go further and learn how to fix MS Word not responding on Mac.
Running EXE files on Mac is very possible but only through backdoor means, so to speak. You need an emulator (WINE is by far the most popular), or you install a virtual machine software on your macOS to enable you to load Windows VM or make an extra partition on your disk where you can simultaneously have both macOS and Windows in your Mac.
Part 2: How to Open EXE Files on Mac
Again, you have several options to choose from when attempting this. So many software out there can help you open EXE files on Mac. You are advised to go with the Parallel Desktop.
Parallel Desktop
This software is simplistic and won't take up much on your time because it doesn't even require a Mac restart anytime you wish to run a Windows application. Windows run mac apps. A copy of Microsoft Windows is required though. You have to install it on your hard disk but it's easy to do:
Step 1: Windows Installation
- Open up your Mac's Application folder and double-click on the 'Parallels' icon (you have to do this to install Windows).
- Click on 'File.'
- Click on 'New.'
- Click on 'Install Windows or another OS from DVD or image file.'
- Click on 'Continue.' You can easily install Windows either from a DVD or the more popular .iso disc image; or even a bootable USB drive.
- You can even switch to the manual mode, locate the source for the Windows installation, and choose it by clicking on 'Select a file…'
- Click on 'Continue'. You will be taken to a Windows product key window.
- Leave the 'Express installation' as it is, input the key and click 'Continue.'
- You will be asked to select how you wish to use Windows: Whether for productivity, games only, software development, design, etc. Once you're done selecting, click on 'Continue.'
- Type in a name for the virtual machine and select the directory or location for the Parallels Desktop.
- Click on 'Continue' and the Windows installation will commence. All Intel-based Macs are compatible with both 32 and 64-bit versions of Windows: From Windows XP to Windows 10.
- Once the installation concludes you can open up Windows by clicking on the 'Power' button in the list of the Parallels Virtual Machine.
Step 2: Using Parallels Desktop
- The very first time Windows restarts, 'Parallels Tools' will be installed. This will be what ultimately integrates your Mac with your Windows desktops. After the installation is done, you will be asked to restart Windows.
- Open up your Parallels Desktop from 'Spotlight.'
- Click on 'Virtual Machine.'
- Select 'Configure' in the drop-down menu which appears.
- Click on 'Options.'
- Click on 'Shared Folders.'
- Click on 'Add.'
- Click on 'Choose.' Doing this will add a location from your Mac's desktop to the virtual machine. Simply put any EXE file in this location to enable Windows to access and install them
Part 3: How to Run Windows APPs on Mac
The question now is not whether you want to run EXE files on your Mac, but rather how to go about it conveniently. There are countless of great Windows apps that never made it to macOS, and they probably never will. A lot of them have very attractive features that make Windows the envy of all Mac owners.
Running EXE files on Mac is made easy and convenient via Boot Camp and Remote Desktop. You can use any. It depends on preference and what you find more convenient.
Boot Camp
This application makes it possible for you to install Windows on your Mac. Switching between macOS and Windows thus becomes a matter of you restarting your system and deciding which OS to log into.
Step 1: Windows Installation File
- Boot Camp is compatible with Windows 8,8.1. and 10 (you will need an ISO file of any of these three releases).
Step 2: Launch Your Mac's Utilities folder
- Type in 'Utilities' in your Mac's search bar, then click it.
Step 3: Launch Boot Camp Assistant
- The app's icon looks like a grey hard drive. Click it.
Step 4: On-screen Instructions
- You will be instructed to choose the Windows ISO, the drive you intend to install it on, and restart your Mac.
Step 5: Your Mac Will Restart
- Once you're done setting up Boot Camp, you will be asked to restart Mac.
- After that, you will be taken to the Windows installer screen.
Step 6: Install Windows
- Follow the instructions to install the version of Windows you chose.
Step 7: Startup Manager Franz app mac os.
- Once the install has been completed, your system will restart. Press and hold the 'Option' key while this happens and the 'Startup Manager' will appear.
- Let go of the 'Option' key and you will see all the drives you can boot your Mac from.
Allow apps from unknown sources mac yosemite. Step 8: Boot Camp
- Select 'Boot Camp' and click on 'Return'.
- Your Mac will now be loaded into Windows.
- Navigate to your EXE file and run it.
Remote Desktop
This free tool does what many others fail at: lets you take full advantage of your Windows apps from your Mac. That's pretty convenient, don't you agree? Even though you'll need Mac and PC to use the Remote Desktop, it's still a great software that deserves praise. Here's how you use it:
Step 1: Get Your PC Ready
- Open the start menu and navigate to 'Settings', then 'System', then 'Remote Desktop.'
- Turn 'Enable Remote Desktop' on and 'Confirm.'
Step 2: Know Your IP Address & PC Name
- Still on the 'Remote Desktop' menu, and below the 'How to connect to this PC', jot down your PC name.
- Go to your 'Settings', then 'Network & Internet'.
- Click 'Wi-Fi' and select the network you're connected to. This will bring up the network connection properties screen. At the bottom of the page is your 'IPv4 address'. Jot it down.
Step 3: Install the Mac Version of Microsoft Remote Desktop
- Pick up your Mac and open up your Mac App Store, then search for 'Microsoft Remote Desktop.'
- Download and install it.
Step 4: Open Add Your PC to Remote Desktop
- Open up Remote Desktop on your Mac.
- Click on 'Add Desktop.'
- A dialogue box will pop up. Type in the PC Name you jotted down; if it doesn't work, type in the IP address.
- Click 'Save'.
Step 5: You Can Now Connect
- Keep your PC turned on and make sure it is connected to the network your Mac is connected to.
- Remote Desktop will now show your computer below 'Saved Desktops.'
- Double-click on it to connect.
- You will be required to enter your username and password.
- Click 'OK.'
- A security warning will pop up. Since you're on a private network, ignore the warning and click 'Continue.'
- That's the last step. You can now view and use your Windows on your Mac via Remote Desktop.
Closing Words
Well, there you have it. Running your EXE files via your Mac is now a thing of the past. As long as you have the right tools, you can do it in a matter of minutes.
These tools make your Mac more versatile than even Apple intended and anticipated because they enable you to go beyond what your Mac is capable of doing. You can achieve an end goal that would have otherwise been impossible. That's the power of a Mac for you.
A Comprehensive Guide to Files Recovery on Mac
What's Wrong with Mac
- Recover Your Mac
- Fix Your Mac
- Delete Your Mac
- Learn Mac Hacks
If you are looking for a free HEIC viewer for your Windows or Mac machine, our post below lists some of the best viewer apps for you to view HEIC files on your computers. Read on to find out all the HEIC viewer apps.
While JPG, PNG, and many other image formats are widely supported on most desktop platforms and almost all the image viewers can open them, the same does not hold true for the HEIC images. Ever since Apple made HEIC as the default image format on its devices, people have constantly been looking for apps that can let them view this file type.
Fortunately, we have some HEIC viewers that should allow you to open this file format on both your Windows PCs and Mac machines. These HEIC viewers for Mac and Windows will easily open any file that ends with .heic extension. Let’s check these apps out in the following post.
Top 5 Free HEIC Viewer for Windows and Mac Review
1. iMobie HEIC Converter
HEIC Viewer #1 – AnyGet HEIC Viewer
If you want something that acts as both – a Windows and Mac HEIC viewer – iMobie HEIC Converter is the one for you. It is a web-based app that allows you to upload your HEIC files for them to be converted into the JPG format. Once the files are converted, they can be opened in any of the image viewers you have got on your machines.
The app is so great that it makes your hard-to-view HEIC files compatible with almost all the platforms out there. You would rarely find a device that does not support the JPG format.
App To Open Windows Files On Mac Windows 10
Some of the features you get with the app are:
- Conversion to the most popular image format – JPG.
- Retain the quality of your image after conversion.
- Easy to upload your multiple HEIC files.
- Preserve the EXIF data for your images.
Here’s where it falls short:
- It does not let you view HEIC files without an Internet connection.
If you do not wish to install one more app just to view HEIC files on your computer, use AnyGet HEIC Viewer to view HEIC files without installing anything. It works right off your web browser.
2. Google Photos
Google Photos is a photo management service by Google that lets you upload and organize your photos on the web. The company knows users upload photos in various formats and so it has support for almost all the image formats out there including HEIC.
In order to use the service as a HEIC viewer, all you need to do is head over to their website and upload your HEIC photos. Soon as the photos are uploaded, you will be able to view them like any other images.
The pros of the app are:
- Bulk upload your HEIC files.
- It works on mobile devices as well.
- It provides 15GB of free storage.
The service has the following disadvantages as well:
- You need to pay if you exceed your free storage limit.
- It will not work without the Internet.
If you want access to your HEIC files on your smartphones as well, then Google Photos is an ideal solution for you.
3. Dropbox
HEIC Viewer #3 – Dropbox
Dropbox is yet another service where people upload and share their files including HEIC files. Keeping the users’ needs in mind, the service now allows you to view HEIC files on your Windows and Mac machines right in the Dropbox app.
All the HEIC files that you upload in your Dropbox account instantly become viewable on all of your devices regardless of whether they have the HEIC support or not.
Here’s what it has to offer you:
- Instantly view HEIC files on your computers.
- Works on both Windows and Mac machines.
Here are the cons of the service:
- It only offers 2GB of storage which runs out soon.
- If you do not mind paying a monthly fee to Dropbox for more storage space, Dropbox can be a good HEIC viewer for your Windows 10 and all of your other desktop machines.
4. HEIC to JPG
HEIC to JPG is yet another web-based app that lets you view your HEIC files by first converting them to a popular image format. All it requires you to do is go to their website, upload your files, and download the converted files to your computer.
It may not be an exact HEIC viewer but it gets the job done. Here are the advantages of using the app:
- It works right off the browser so you don’t need to install it
- It supports drag and drop.
![App To Open Windows Files On Mac App To Open Windows Files On Mac](/uploads/1/3/4/0/134068140/988024079.png)
Here are the disadvantages of using the app:
- You can only upload 50 files at a time.
- You may have privacy issues as you don’t know where your files go after they are uploaded.
If privacy is not a big concern for you, then HEIC to JPG is a worth-using app.
5. Phiewer Image Viewer
HEIC Viewer #5 – Phiewer Image Viewer
Image viewer apps are gradually adding support for the HEIC file format and Phiewer Image Viewer is one of the apps that has done it already. It supports viewing HEIC files by default and you can view your files with a few keystrokes using the app on your machine.
The following are the advantages of using the app:
- It has support for multiple image formats including HEIC.
- It lets you view EXIF data as well.
- You can view your HEIC files in a slideshow.
Disadvantages of the app are:
- It only works on Mac.
- The free version has limited features.
If you want an app with built-in support for HEIC, Phiewer Image Viewer is a good HEIC viewer for your Mac.
The Bottom Line
There may be a number of free HEIC viewers in the market but many of those come with ads and a lot of other items that clutter the interface. Our roundup above covers some of the nice HEIC viewers for you to view HEIC on your computers.