Apple updates Boot Camp with support for Windows 10

Aug 16, 2015 11:50 GMT  ·  By

Apple has recently published a new update for its Boot Camp utility, which allows Mac users to install the Microsoft Windows operating system alongside OS X, with support for the recently released Windows 10 OS.

The Boot Camp 6 update is now available via the Mac App Store application, but only for users of the Mac OS X 10.10 Yosemite operating system, which includes OS X 10.10.1, 10.10.2, 10.10.3, 10.10.4, and the recently released 10.10.5.

However, the good news is that Boot Camp 6 includes some attractive new features for your Mac with the support for the Microsoft Windows 10 operating system, such as USB-C compatibility on the 12-inch MacBook Retina Early 2015, as well as Thunderbolt and USB 3.0 support.

There's also support for USB Apple SuperDrive, or built-in alternatives, support for SD or SDXC card slots, and, of course, support for all of Apple's trackpads, mighty mouse, and keyboards devices.

Numerous Intel-powered Mac computers are supported by the new Boot Camp 6 software, so we strongly recommend checking the respective Apple Support page for details before attempting installing Windows 10.

Here's how to install Windows 10 on your Mac

Those of you who want to install the Windows 10 operating system alongside OS X Yosemite on their Macs should first update the Boot Camp utility to version 6 via the Mac App Store by going to the "Update" tab and applying the Boot Camp 6 software update.

To get started, you will need to have an ISO image or a DVD disc of the Windows 10 operating system, a USB mouse or keyboard, a USB flash drive of 16GB or higher capacity, and at least 30GB of free space. Begin by creating a USB bootable medium from the Windows 10 ISO or DVD.

Fire up the Boot Camp Assistant application and follow the instructions displayed on the screen. The app will automatically partition your disk if you have enough free space (see above for requirements) and will prompt you to insert the newly created Windows 10 USB stick.

After the final step, the Boot Camp Assistant will automatically restart your Mac, booting your computer into the Windows 10 installer. Make sure that you choose the BOOTCAMP partition for the Windows 10 installation and then click the "Format" button. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the Windows 10 installation.

Once the Windows 10 operating system has been successfully installed on your Mac, you can easily switch between booting into OS X or Windows 10 via the Yosemite's Startup Disk preference panel or the Boot Camp system tray item in Windows. Have fun!