How to play Genshin Impact on Mac

Many of us are looking to get into Genshin Impact, the new game from miHoYo, but can’t download it due to our using a Mac.

There is not an official version for Mac that players can download. However, there are a couple of ways to get Genshin Impact work on Mac, with the first method being the one we recommend doing as it supports the full Windows version of the game.

1. Use Boot Camp on your Mac

Many of us have used Boot Camp at some point; the software allows you to install Windows on your Mac using a separate partition on Mac’s hard drive. After installing Boot Camp, you can boot up the computer in either Windows or Mac and allow your Mac to use all its power to run Genshin Impact.

In order to install Boot Camp on your Mac, you will need:

• An ISO image of Windows 10 from Microsoft. You can download it for free.
• An external hard drive with at least 16GB of space. This stores the ISO image and will serve as either a Pen Drive or any external hard drive to create the Windows Install Disk. It also saves the Windows Support Software so that your Mac hardware will work with Windows.
• At least 64GB of free space on your Mac. However, 128GB is recommended, as Windows will quickly take up a lot of storage.
• Enough battery power to last for the installation or your Mac plugged in.
• A back-up of your Mac hard drive (or at least the important documents). This isn’t really a requirement as nothing should go wrong, but it never hurts to be safe.

With those necessities in tow, it’s time to get it installed:

1. Go to Applications, then Utilities, and open the Boot Camp Assistant.
2. Boot Camp will warn you about making a partition and to back-up your Mac to be safe. Click Continue.
3. In this next screen, make sure you have selected all options:
   1. Create a Windows 7 or later install disk
   2. Download the latest Windows support software from Apple
   3. Install Windows 7 or later version
4. Click Continue and then “Choose…” and select the ISO Windows 10 image you downloaded. If you are using an external hard drive for it, make sure the image is on there.
5. Click Install.
6. Once the installation is complete, your Mac will restart, and you can configure Windows how you want.
7. When asked for a Product Key, select “I don’t have a product key” since Microsoft no longer requires you to have a key to run Windows anymore.
8. Accept the license prompts, and the installation will finish.
9. After your Mac reboots again, you will go to a final set-up screen called “Get going fast,” where you can configure it how you want.
10. You will be asked to make a Windows account. It will ask you to use the Cortana personal assistant, but we recommend choosing “Not Now.”
11. Windows 10 will open, and Boot Camp will ask you to install more drivers. Click “Continue” and let these install, prompting another Mac reboot.
12. The final step is to click the Windows Start Menu and choose “Apple Support Software,” which will update Windows so that your drivers, graphics cards, and more will work smoothly.

And that’s it; Boot Camp has now installed Windows 10 on your Mac.

When Windows 10 has been installed, simply download the Genshin Impact Windows launcher and get playing.

2. Using Bluestacks Android Emulator

Using the Bluestacks Android Emulator is the second way to play Genshin Impact on your Mac, but unlike with Boot Camp, you will only be able to play the mobile version of the game and not the full Windows version.

Regardless, Bluestacks is free to use and, once installed, will allow you to play any Android game on your Mac. You will just have to download Genshin Impact from the Google Play store.