You can play Valorant on Mac in 2025. Here's everything you need to know about installing and running Valorant on macOS, even without native support.
Valorant is one of Riot Games’ most successful tactical shooters, attracting millions of players worldwide. Despite its popularity, Mac users are still left out, as the game officially runs only on Windows. But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to play. While Valorant doesn’t have a macOS version, there are workarounds that let you run it on a Mac. In this guide, you’ll learn how to install and play Valorant on your Mac, along with alternative options for those using Apple Silicon devices.
As of July 2025, Valorant is still not playable on Mac, meaning there is no official version of the game that natively supports Apple’s operating system. The main reason is that the anti-cheat system called Vanguard is not compatible with macOS and is exclusively designed to run on Windows.
However, Valorant can be played on most Intel-based Macs from 2012 onward, including the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, Mac mini, iMac, iMac Pro, Mac Pro (2013 and later), and MacBook (2015 and later).
Also read: What Platforms is Valorant on? Valorant Platform Availability
To get Valorant on a Mac, your device must use an Intel processor, as the game only works through Microsoft Windows installed via Boot Camp Assistant. Wonder your Mac using an Intel or Apple Silicon chip, here’s how to check:
On your Mac, pull down the Apple icon in the upper left of your screen. Tap About This Mac.
If it says “Processor,” you have an Intel-based Mac . If it says “Chip,” you have a Mac with Apple Silicon.
Additionally, your Mac also needs at least a 4th-gen Intel Core i3, 8GB RAM, 65GB free storage (128 GB recommended), and a dedicated GPU like NVIDIA GT 730 or better with 2GB VRAM.
After meeting all the required specifications to play on Mac, it’s time to install Valorant through Boot Camp:
Open Boot Camp Assistant from the Applications > Utilities folder.
The assistant will guide you through creating a Windows partition on your Mac.
When prompted, select the Windows 10 ISO file you downloaded. It's recommended to use Windows 10 rather than Windows 11, as it generally offers better stability when running Valorant.
Allocate at least 64GB of storage for the Windows partition.
Your Mac will then restart and begin the Windows installation process.
While setting up Windows, make sure to run the Boot Camp driver installer. This step is essential to ensure that all your Mac’s hardware components work properly under Windows.
Once the installation is finished, you’ll be able to choose between macOS and Windows each time you start your Mac by holding down the Option key during startup and selecting the system you want to use. With Windows installed, you can now download and install Valorant directly from the Valorant website.
If your Mac doesn’t support Boot Camp, there are still some workarounds to play Valorant. Instead, they can come with several limitations. Some alternatives worth considering include:
Play through Cloud Gaming services like GeForce NOW: You don’t need to install the game or Windows, just log in and stream Valorant directly from the server. This is quite convenient, but requires a strong and stable internet connection to play smoothly.
Use virtual machines software like Parallels Desktop, Parallels Desktop, or UTM to run Windows right in macOS. However, the performance will not be high and sometimes Valorant will not let you play, because the Vanguard anti-cheat system can block the virtual machine.
In short, if you can't use Boot Camp, the above two methods are temporary options. Although not optimal, it is still worth a try if you really want to play Valorant on Mac.
Also read: Valorant Chat Commands: Full List & How To Use (2025)
Riot hasn’t shown any intention of supporting Valorant on Mac. In a 2021 Reddit discussion, one of Riot Games’ software engineers stated that there are no plans to bring Valorant to macOS. Additionally, Macs are not designed for gaming, and adapting Vanguard to macOS is not a priority for Riot.
However, the gaming landscape is always evolving. With the growing popularity of gaming on Macs, there's always the chance that Riot will reconsider in the future.
Since Valorant isn’t officially supported on macOS, many Mac users look for alternative FPS games that offer a similar experience. Fortunately, there are several great options that run well on Mac.
Some notable alternatives include:
Team Fortress 2: Valve's classic FPS, focused on team play with multiple character classes. Still available on macOS via Steam and compatible with Apple Silicon via Rosetta 2.
Borderlands 2 & Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel: Two installments in the popular Borderlands series, combining shooting and role-playing, with fun co-op gameplay. Both have native versions for macOS.
Call of Duty: Black Ops: One of the few Call of Duty games to officially support Mac. Great campaign gameplay and fun zombie mode.
Bioshock Infinite: Story-driven FPS, native macOS support, beautiful graphics, and deep story.
Metro Last Light Redux: For those who love survival shooters, dark and tense atmosphere. Available for macOS via some platforms like GOG.
While none of these games fully replicate Valorant, they still offer engaging experiences for Mac gamers.
Valorant doesn’t natively work with macOS, especially on Macs with Apple Silicon chips (M1, M2 or M3). But if you're using an Intel-based Mac, you can still play the game by installing Windows through Boot Camp. Other methods like virtualization software or cloud gaming are also available, though they come with performance issues. While these workarounds aren’t perfect, they give Mac users a chance to experience Valorant while waiting for any future support from Riot Games.
Valorant
