How to install Whisky on your Mac
Whisky is a free, open-source app that runs Windows games on Apple Silicon Macs, no Windows required. Setup takes about ten minutes. One thing to know before you start: Whisky's developer has ended active development, so it still works today but won't be fixed when things break. Here's the setup, and the honest tradeoff.
What you need
- An Apple Silicon Mac (M1 or newer): Whisky does not run on Intel Macs
- A recent version of macOS
- Disk space for the game plus a few GB for the bottle
Install and set up
- Download Whisky from its official site (getwhisky.app) and drag it into Applications, like any Mac app.
- Let it fetch its components. On first launch Whisky downloads the Wine and translation pieces it needs. Give it a few minutes.
- Create a bottle. A bottle is a self-contained Windows environment. One bottle for Steam covers most people; Windows 10 as the bottle's Windows version is the safe default.
- Install Steam in the bottle. Download the Windows Steam installer, run it through Whisky in your bottle, then log in. Small caveat: Steam's interface can be sluggish under translation; the games themselves usually run far better than the launcher.
- Install your game and play. Check the game's ProtonDB rating first; Gold or Platinum means players confirmed it runs well on this technology. Everything on our verified list meets that bar.
The tradeoff, plainly: Whisky is free and works for a lot of games right now, but it's frozen. If a macOS update or a new game breaks it, that's where it ends. If Mac gaming is something you'll do a lot, CrossOver is the same idea with active development behind it; here's the comparison.
If a game won't launch
- Check its ProtonDB page for the exact settings other players used
- Try switching the bottle's Windows version
- Games with anti-cheat generally won't run on any Wine-based route; that's not a Whisky problem
Not sure a game is worth the setup? Check what runs on your Mac first: if it has a native or Rosetta 2 build, you can skip all of this.
Common questions
Is Whisky free?
Yes, free and open source. It wraps the same Wine plus Apple-translation technology that powers paid options, with a simple Mac-native interface.
Is Whisky still maintained?
No. Its developer ended active development and recommends CrossOver. Whisky still works for many games today, but new game releases and macOS updates can break things with no fix coming, so treat it as a free way to test the waters.
Does Whisky work on Intel Macs?
No. Whisky requires an Apple Silicon Mac (M1 or newer) on a recent version of macOS. On Intel Macs, look at CrossOver instead.
Whisky or CrossOver, which should I use?
Try Whisky if free matters most and your game is well-rated on ProtonDB. Choose CrossOver if you want ongoing updates, support, and the best chance with newer releases; it is the actively developed option.
