There's No Windows for Arm Macs Yet Because Microsoft Has Secret Exclusivity Deal With Qualcomm

Microsoft has declined to make a version of Windows 11 available for Apple's M1, M1 Pro, and M1 Max Macs that are built on an Arm architecture, and now we may know the reason - a secret exclusivity deal with Qualcomm.


According to XDA-Developers, Arm-based Windows has only been made available on devices with Qualcomm SoC's because of a previously unknown deal between the two companies.

Two people familiar with the deal told XDA that the deal is "set to expire soon" but there is no specific word on when it will end. When the agreement between Microsoft and Qualcomm does conclude, it will allow other chip vendors to create machines using Arm Windows, and it may perhaps free up Microsoft to make Arm Windows available on Apple silicon Macs.

Apple silicon Macs do not offer Boot Camp and there is no official Windows support at the current time, leaving ‌M1‌, ‌M1 Pro‌, and ‌M1 Max‌ owners with few options for accessing Windows on their devices. In September, Microsoft said that an Arm version of Windows 11 for Apple silicon Macs through virtualization or otherwise is not "a supported scenario," so there's a chance that it still won't happen.

Apple silicon Mac owners who need Windows access can use Parallels 16.5 or later to run Insider Preview builds of Windows 10 and 11 that have been created for Arm hardware, but there are often issues to deal with. Parallels continues to be the only solution because Microsoft has made no licensed retail version of Arm Windows available for Apple silicon Macs.

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Top Rated Comments

anshuvorty Avatar
47 months ago
Well, it's not a secret anymore...
Score: 30 Votes (Like | Disagree)
joelypolly Avatar
47 months ago
Not a surprise given the behavior of Qualcomm in the past
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Nozuka Avatar
47 months ago

nope
might be a reason, but its not the reason
MS has become data collection company lately, and worst than google on it. why do you think win11 doesnt work without a MS account? they don't want you to use some apps as secondary OS on a mac. now money made that way. they want you to use this as your primary OS, collect data, sell ads and so on.
This is not how MS makes their money. They make their money from paid services.
You can't just make up stuff like this and sell it as a fact.
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
47 months ago
Hahah! Good luck! Windows will be releasing in Mac in the future soon.

Not so much of a secret anymore.

There was a time Microsoft saved Apple. There will be a time Apple will be saving Microsoft :)

[MEDIA=twitter]900773256147480577[/MEDIA]


https://www.cnbc.com/2017/08/29/steve-jobs-and-bill-gates-what-happened-when-microsoft-saved-apple.html
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
toobravetosave Avatar
47 months ago
would love to bootcamp windows on arm
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
LeeW Avatar
47 months ago

Quite a few people actually. Those who want to run Windows software on M1 Macs.
A lot more than some think.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)