Setting Up UTM on Apple Silicon

What is UTM?

UTM is a free and open-source emulator that allows you to run virtual machines on macOS, including Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3) chips. It supports both ARM64 and x86_64 architectures, making it ideal for testing Linux distributions without dual-booting.

Prerequisites

• A Mac with Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3)
• macOS 12 Monterey or later
• At least 8GB RAM (16GB recommended for smooth performance)
• Download the latest UTM release from mac.getutm.app

Step-by-Step Setup

1. Install UTM

1. Download the .dmg file from the official website.
2. Open the downloaded file and drag UTM into your Applications folder.
3. Launch UTM from Launchpad or Finder.
4. If you see a security warning, go to System Settings > Privacy & Security and allow UTM to run.

2. Create a New Virtual Machine

1. In UTM, click the + (Plus) button in the top-left corner.
2. Select Linux as the operating system and choose Full Virtualization.
3. Click Next.

3. Download a Linux ISO

Choose an ARM64-compatible Linux distribution:

• Ubuntu Server (ARM64)
• Debian ARM64

Download the ISO and select it in UTM when prompted.

4. Configure Resources

• CPU Cores: 2–4 cores recommended
• Memory: 4GB minimum (8GB for desktop environments)
• Disk Size: 20GB or more depending on your needs

5. Install Linux

1. Start the virtual machine.
2. Follow the on-screen installer prompts for your chosen distribution.
3. Create a user account and set a password.
4. Once installed, shut down the VM and remove the ISO from the drive settings.

6. Post-Installation Tips

• Shared Clipboard: Enable in UTM settings for easy copy-paste between host and guest.
• VirtioFS: Use VirtioFS to share folders between macOS and Linux for seamless file access.
• Graphics: For desktop environments, install xorg or wayland packages inside the VM.

Troubleshooting

• VM won't start: Ensure you downloaded an ARM64 ISO, not x86_64.
• Poor performance: Allocate more CPU cores and RAM in VM settings.
• No network: Check that the network adapter is set to NAT or Bridged in UTM settings.

What's Next?

Now that you have a Linux VM running, explore our command reference and other tutorials to start mastering the terminal!