Playing Valorant on Mac: A Step-by-Step Guide and System Requirements

For Mac users who love gaming, the burning question is often, “Can I play Valorant on my Mac?” The answer is not a straightforward yes or no. Unlike some games that have native support for macOS, Valorant does not have an official app compatible with Mac devices. However, there’s still hope to experience the adrenaline rush of Valorant on your Mac.

In this comprehensive guide, we will walk you through the step-by-step process of running Valorant on your Mac, covering both Intel-based and Apple Silicon machines. So whether you have an Intel-based Mac or one powered by Apple’s M-Series chipsets, we’ve got you covered.

Before we dive into the details, it’s essential to set realistic expectations. While it is possible to play Valorant on a Mac, it’s worth noting that Apple MacBooks are not optimized for gaming, so the performance may not match that of dedicated gaming PCs. Nonetheless, with a few adjustments, you can still have an enjoyable gaming experience.

So if you’re ready to embark on your Valorant journey, let’s get started!

Can You Play Valorant on Mac?

Yes, you can play Valorant on your Mac, despite the lack of native macOS support. To achieve this, you have a few alternative methods at your disposal.

One option is to use Windows virtualization software, which creates a virtual Windows environment within macOS. This allows you to install and play Valorant on your Mac.

Another approach involves streaming services, which enable you to play Valorant by streaming the game from a remote Windows-based system to your Mac, eliminating the need for a direct installation.

However, the most reliable method is using Apple’s Boot Camp, a free desktop virtualization tool. With Boot Camp, you can install the Windows operating system alongside macOS on your Mac. By creating a dedicated Windows partition, you can install Valorant natively, just as you would on a Windows-based PC.

So whether you choose virtualization, streaming, or Boot Camp, you can jump into the thrilling world of Valorant on your Mac.

Can You Play Valorant on an Intel-Based Mac?

Absolutely! If you have an Intel-based Mac, you can play Valorant using Boot Camp. Boot Camp allows you to install and run both macOS and Windows on your Intel-based Mac devices.

With Boot Camp, you can create a dedicated Windows partition on your Mac’s storage and install Valorant seamlessly. Once Windows is set up, you can log in to Valorant using your Riot Games ID and embark on your gaming adventure.

Can You Play Valorant on M1 and M2 Macs?

Playing Valorant on newer M1 and M2 Macs, which are based on Apple Silicon architecture, presents challenges. Boot Camp is not supported on these Macs, making it currently impossible to install Windows and run the game in the traditional manner.

Additionally, alternative methods like CrossOver or Parallels also face limitations due to Valorant’s stringent anti-cheat system. Consequently, running the game on Apple Silicon Macs through virtualization or streaming services is not feasible at this time.

As the architectural differences between Apple Silicon and Intel-based Macs pose restrictions, an Intel-based Mac with Boot Camp remains the viable option for experiencing Valorant on a Mac.

How to Add Valorant on Mac [Step-by-Step Guide]

Adding Valorant to your Mac involves using Apple’s Boot Camp, as previously mentioned.

Please note that this method is only compatible with Intel-based Macs. If you own an M1 or M2 Mac, you’ll need to await for an Apple Silicon compatible version of Valorant from Riot Games.

System Requirements for Valorant

Before proceeding to download and install Valorant on your Mac, ensure that you meet the prerequisites for installing the Windows operating system on your Mac device: Here are the system requirements for installing Windows on your Mac using Boot Camp:

1. The latest macOS version to support Boot Camp Assistant.
2. At least 64GB of free storage (we recommend 128GB for smoother gameplay).
3. A disk image or an external USB drive with at least 16GB of free space containing Windows 10 Home or Windows 10 Pro.
4. Sufficient free space on the startup disk equivalent to your Mac’s memory, especially for iMac Pro or Mac Pro models with over 128GB of RAM.

Supported Mac Models for Boot Camp:

• MacBook Air 2015 or later
• MacBook Pro 2012 or later
• Mac mini 2012 or later
• Mac Pro 2013 or later
• iMac 2012 or later
• All models of iMac Pro

Steps to Install Windows 10 on Mac Using Boot Camp

STEP 1: CHECK SECURE BOOT SETTING

Before proceeding with the Windows installation, you need to enable Secure Boot, which is set to Full Security by default. If you had previously modified this setting to No Security, revert it back to its original state. Follow these steps:

1. Restart your Mac and immediately press Command + R keys when the Apple logo appears to enter Recovery Mode.
2. Select your user and click Next, then enter your credentials.
3. In the macOS Utilities window, click Startup Security Utility in the menu bar.
4. Choose the Full Security option and enter your macOS password.

STEP 2: CREATE A PARTITION USING BOOT CAMP ASSISTANT

1. Open Boot Camp Assistant from the Utilities folder in the Applications folder.
2. When prompted, connect a USB drive to your Mac, which Boot Camp Assistant will use to create a bootable USB drive for Windows installation.
3. Set the partition size for Windows based on your Mac’s RAM and available storage (as mentioned in the system requirements above).
4. Ensure the partition size is sufficient to accommodate Windows updates, as it cannot be changed later.

STEP 3: FORMAT THE WINDOWS PARTITION

1. Once the partition is created, your Mac will restart to the Windows Installer.
2. Choose the BOOTCAMP partition as the installation location and click the Format button.

STEP 4: INSTALL WINDOWS

1. After formatting, the installation process will start.
2. Now, disconnect any external devices, except for the USB drive, during installation.
3. Click Next and follow the on-screen instructions to install Windows.

STEP 5: INSTALL BOOT CAMP IN WINDOWS

1. After the installation, you will see the Welcome to the Boot Camp installer window.
2. Follow the on-screen instructions to install Boot Camp on the Windows partition, which will also install Windows support drivers.

Switch from macOS to Windows

After successfully installing Microsoft Windows on your Mac, you can choose the startup operating system between Windows and macOS each time you start it up.

1. Restart your Mac and press and hold the Option key.
2. Release the key when you can see the available startup volumes on the screen.
3. Choose Boot Camp to start your Mac in Windows.

Play Valorant After Installing Windows on macOS

Now that Windows is installed on your Mac, you can download and run Valorant. Follow these steps to do so:

1. Visit Valorant’s official website and click the Play Free button.
2. Download the Valorant installer package, and when the download completes, open the downloaded file.
3. Choose the installation location for the game, ensuring a minimum of 8GB of free space is available.
4. After installation, log in to your Riot Games account using your credentials.
5. Now, you can play Valorant on your Mac and immerse yourself in the thrilling gameplay!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you play Valorant on Mac without Boot Camp or Parallels?

No, currently, it is not possible to play Valorant on Mac without using Boot Camp or Parallels. These tools are essential as they provide the necessary environment to run Windows applications on Mac, and since Valorant lacks native support for macOS, one of these tools is required.

Can I play Valorant on Mac M1?

No, playing Valorant on Mac M1 devices is not possible. The game is not compatible with Mac devices powered by Apple’s Silicon chip. Due to the game’s strict anti-cheat system and architectural differences, Valorant cannot run on Mac M1 systems at the moment.

Why won’t Valorant run on Mac?

Valorant doesn’t run on Mac without additional tools or workarounds because it lacks native support for macOS. The game’s developers have not released an official macOS version, which means players must use tools like Boot Camp or virtualization software to create a Windows environment on their Mac devices in order to run the game successfully.

Conclusion

Although some video game titles, like Valorant, may not have native support for macOS, there’s still a way to play the game on your Mac through Boot Camp.

Keep in mind that this method is specifically designed for Intel-based Macs. If you own a Mac powered by Apple’s M-Series chipsets, this approach won’t be applicable.

Nevertheless, we trust that this comprehensive guide on playing Valorant on Mac allows you to experience the thrill of this popular game, even without owning a Windows device. So gear up, and may your adventures in Valorant be nothing short of epic!