4 methods to play GTA 5 on Mac (Intel/M1/M2/M3)

Is it possible to play GTA V on Mac?

Brought to light by Rockstar Games, GTA V is an iconic and most recent part of the legendary Grand Thief Auto series. Just like previous chapters, the game offers to feel the taste of being a criminal that explorers the world of Los Santos, a fictional city based on Los Angeles. GTA 5 gives out a story split between 3 major characters – retired bank robber Michael De Santa, street gangster Franklin Clinton, and a drug dealer Trevor Philips. All these protagonists have their own background, which shapes up unique and storytelling gameplay for each of the characters. As their main mission is centered towards committing a heist against corrupt government groups and armed criminals, players get fully engaged in focal turn of events accompanied by lots of sideway activities. You can basically do whatever you want through the world of no limits – that is exactly what makes GTA V a truly captivating project to play. Whilst this game has been present around the globe for 6 years, its gameplay cannot be yet experienced on macOS. With that being a sip of dismay, users are unable to play it however they want. This is what most tend to think, however, there is a way to break over the barrier and launch it on Mac regardless. For this exact purpose, we have prepared the instructions below.

System Requirements

Play GTA V on Mac with CrossOver

CrossOver, developed by CodeWeavers, is a Windows compatibility layer for macOS, ChromeOS, and Linux. It enables many Windows-based applications to run on these operating systems without virtualization. Though compatibility layers can be tricky to work with, CrossOver in particular includes user-friendly configuration tools, automated installation scripts, and technical support. As such, it is a relatively easy way to run Windows software and games on non-Windows devices. You may be able to play GTA V on Mac using CrossOver as well.

Play GTA V on Mac with cloud gaming services

Update: Boosteroid and AirGPU support GTA V to the date, and you can play GTA V on Mac on full settings! Register and explore cloud gaming now!

If you have an old Mac, or it cannot satisfy GTA V game system requirements, there is an easy solution. Cloud gaming provides you with sufficient cloud resources for a fixed fee. All you need is a small client program and a good internet connection starting from 15 MBits/s. There are several great services, that provide such an opportunity, among the best are Boosteroid, Nvidia GeForce Now, Xbox Cloud, AirGPU. Among all services only Boosteroid and AirGPU allow to play GTA V, and you can play on any Mac computer (starting from MacOS 10.10) and even Android!

Play GTA V on Mac with Parallels

GTA V does not require lots of PC resources, and you can play the game on any Mac computer (iMac, iMac Pro, or Mac Pro), where Parallels Desktop can be a solution. This is software for Windows virtualization on Mac with the full support of DirectX and GPUs. It allows you to install Windows 10 on Mac with a couple of clicks and switch between MacOS and Windows instantly. You can run Windows just like on a regular PC, install Steam and enjoy the GTA V game on Mac.

Download Parallels Desktop

Note: Recommended devices to run resource-demanding games: MacBook Pro (models with Intel processor, discrete graphics cards, and 16 GB of RAM or more), iMac (models with Intel processor, discrete graphics cards, and 16 Gb of RAM or more), iMac Pro (all versions are suitable), Mac Pro (all versions are suitable). Parallels on Mac computers with M1 (M1 Pro, M1 Max) chips may not support recent games. Games that require DirectX 12 and later currently not supported by Parallels.

Install Windows 10 on Parallels (Step 1)

Install Windows 10 on Parallels (Step 2)

Install Windows 10 on Parallels (Step 3)

Install Windows 10 on Parallels (Step 4)

Play GTA V on Mac with BootCamp

Note: Mac computers with new Apple Silicon (M1, M2, M3 Pro, or M1, M2, M3 Max) currently do not support BootCamp. In this case, please, use the options above to run GTA V on Mac

This method is simple but time-consuming. If your Mac meets all system requirements above, this is probably the best way to play GTA V for now. You need to set up a dual boot of Windows and Mac via BootCamp. BootCamp allows users to choose the system to work in on startup, however, you won’t be able to switch between systems like in Parallels. You will need to reboot your machine every time you switch from Mac to Windows and vice versa. Remember that Mac is just a computer, that uses common processors, RAM, disks, and other components. So you can install Windows on Mac by allocating disc space of a minimum of 64 Gb (to be able to run Windows and a couple of games). To set up Windows via BootCamp, please, do the following:

For OS X El Capitan 10.11 or later

Mention, that for MacOS versions prior to OS X El Capitan 10.11 you will need to create bootable Windows USB.

1. Download Windows ISO file
2. Open Boot Camp Assistant (Go to Applications > Utilities)
3. Define the Windows partition size, choose downloaded Windows ISO file
4. Format Windows partition and go through all Windows installation steps
5. When Windows boots for the first time, follow on-screen instructions to install Boot Camp and Windows support software (drivers)