How to Play PC Games on a Mac (Without Installing Windows)

If you’re a Mac user who wants to play PC games—especially those from Steam—that aren’t natively supported on macOS, you might feel a little stuck. Fortunately, there’s a way to run these games on your Mac without installing Windows. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the process of using Whiskey (an app that lets you run Windows apps on macOS) to play your favourite Steam games.

Step 1: Download and Install Whiskey

1. Download Whiskey for Mac
   • Start by opening your browser and searching for “Whiskey app for Mac.” This should take you to the Whiskey website (I’ll leave the link in the description below). Whiskey is an app that allows you to run Windows programs on macOS without installing a complete Windows operating system.
   • Click the Download Latest button to download the app.
2. Install Whiskey
   • Once the download is complete, open your Downloads folder (or Desktop) and double-click the downloaded file to extract the Whiskey app.
   • Now, go to your Finder, click Go in the top menu, and select Applications.
   • Drag the Whiskey app into your Applications folder to install it (this is how apps are installed on a Mac).
   • Double-click the app to open it. You may see a prompt asking if you want to open it since it was downloaded online. Click Open to proceed.
3. Set Up Whiskey
   • When you launch Whiskey for the first time, it will guide you through the setup process. Most of the necessary components have already been installed, but you might need to install GPK (a Windows compatibility layer). Just click Next, and Whiskey will handle it for you.

Step 2: Create a “Bottle” for Your Games

In Whiskey, a “bottle” is a virtual environment where you can install and run Windows applications. Let’s set one up:

1. Click on Create a Bottle.
2. Name your bottle (e.g., “Shrek” for fun) and select Windows 10 as the version.
3. Leave the default path for the bottle and click Create.

Now, you have a bottle to install Windows apps, including Steam.

Step 3: Install Steam on Your Mac

1. Download Steam for Windows
   • Open your browser and go to the Steam website. Click the Install Steam button and choose the Windows version of Steam (not the macOS version).
   • Download the Steam Setup.exe file.
2. Add Steam to Your Whiskey Bottle
   • Open your Whiskey bottle by clicking into the C: drive (the Windows virtual drive) inside Whiskey.
   • Drag the Steam Setup.exe file into the C: drive.
3. Run the Installer
   • In Whiskey, click Run to open the C: drive from within the app.
   • Double-click the Steam Setup.exe file to begin installing Steam.
   • Go through the usual Steam installation process as you would on a Windows machine.

Once Steam is installed, you can sign in with your account and start downloading and playing your favourite Windows-only games.

Step 4: Troubleshooting and Performance Tips

While Whiskey is a great free tool for running Windows apps on macOS, remember that not all games will run perfectly. Some may have bugs or performance issues, but many popular games work well. Here are some things to keep in mind:

• Performance: Games like The Binding of Isaac run on Whiskey, but you might notice slight delays or lag. This is common when running Windows applications on a Mac. If you encounter performance issues, consider tweaking settings in Whiskey or trying one of the paid alternatives.
• Alternatives to Whiskey: If you find that Whiskey doesn’t meet your needs or want better performance, there are two other paid apps to consider: Parallels and CrossOver. Both apps offer 14-day free trials. Parallels costs about $19.99 annually, or you can make a one-time purchase. CrossOver tends to run Windows games more efficiently than Parallels. Still, it costs around $60 per year or a one-time fee of $500 for a lifetime license.

Conclusion

Thanks to Whiskey, running Windows-only Steam games on your Mac is now possible without the hassle of installing Windows itself. While it’s not perfect, Whiskey offers a free and relatively easy solution to run many of your favourite games, especially if you want to save money compared to the paid alternatives like Parallels or CrossOver.