Install Windows on your Mac without using a USB hard drive or flash drive

Before you install Windows, install all OS X updates.

1. Log in as an administrator on your Mac, quit all open apps, then log out any other users.

2. Choose Apple menu > App Store, click Updates, then install all available updates.

   If your Mac restarts after installing an update, choose Apple menu > App Store again to install any additional updates.

You need to create or download a Windows ISO image of the full-install, 64-bit version of Windows.

Do one of the following:

• If you have a Windows DVD and an optical drive, follow the instructions in the Apple Support article Creating an ISO image from a Windows installation DVD.

• If you don’t have a Windows DVD and an optical drive, download an ISO image from Microsoft.

Boot Camp Assistant helps prepare your Mac for Windows by creating a new partition for Windows, then starting the Windows installer.

1. Open Boot Camp Assistant, located in Launchpad > Other.

2. At the Introduction screen, click Continue.

   If the Select Tasks step appears, you need to use a USB flash drive or hard drive to install Windows. Follow the instructions in Install Windows on your Mac using a USB hard drive or flash drive.

3. In the Install Windows step, click Choose, then select the ISO image you downloaded from Microsoft or created from a Windows installation DVD.

4. When you’re asked to create a Windows partition, specify a partition size by dragging the divider between the OS X and Windows partitions.

   Note: You can’t resize the partition later.

   If you need help determining the best size for your Windows partition, refer to the Windows installer documentation.

5. Click Install.

   Boot Camp Assistant creates a Windows partition named BOOTCAMP, restarts your Mac, then opens the Windows installer.

Follow these instructions to install Windows on your Mac.

1. In the Windows installer, follow the onscreen instructions.

2. When you’re asked where to install Windows, select the BOOTCAMP partition (you may need to scroll through the list of partitions to see it).

   WARNING: Do not create or delete a partition, or select any other partition. Doing so may delete the entire contents of your OS X partition.

   

3. If you see “Drive options (advanced)” below the list of partitions, click it. Otherwise, proceed to step 4.

4. Click Format, then click OK.

   

5. Click Next.

   The installer formats the Windows partition using the NTFS file system.

6. Follow the onscreen instructions to finish installing Windows.

   After you install the Windows software, your Mac automatically restarts using Windows.

7. Use the Windows setup screens to configure Windows.

After installing Windows, Boot Camp drivers that support your Mac hardware start installing.

1. Follow the onscreen instructions.

   Important: Do not click the Cancel button in any of the installer dialogs.

   If a message appears that says the software you’re installing has not passed Windows Logo testing, click Continue Anyway.

   You don’t need to respond to installer dialogs that appear only briefly during installation, but if a dialog asks you to install device software, click Install.

   If nothing appears to be happening, there may be a hidden window that you must respond to. Look behind open windows.

2. When the support software finishes installing, click Restart, then click Yes.

3. After your Mac restarts, follow the instructions for any other installers that appear.

4. Check for updated Windows support software. In OS X, choose Apple menu > App Store, click Updates, then install all available updates..