Can You Run Windows 11 on the M1 iPad Pro?

Running Windows 11 natively on an M1 iPad Pro is not officially supported, as the iPad Pro is built on Apple's ARM architecture, while Windows 11 is primarily designed for x86 architecture. However, achieving this functionality is possible through various workarounds, including virtualization, remote desktop, and cloud services.

Virtualization

One of the most common workarounds is to use virtualization software. Parallels Desktop, for example, allows you to run a version of Windows 11 designed for ARM architecture on your M1 iPad Pro. This setup can provide a functional Windows environment for certain applications. Keep in mind that while virtualization can enhance your productivity, it may not offer the same experience as running Windows natively on compatible hardware.

Remote Desktop

If you have a Windows PC, you can use remote desktop applications to access it from your iPad. This method won't run Windows 11 directly on the iPad but allows you to use Windows applications remotely. This approach is particularly useful if you need to work on projects that require certain Windows-only applications.

Cloud Services

Cloud services like Microsoft Azure or AWS offer a way to run Windows 11 in the cloud. Accessible via your iPad's web browser or a remote desktop app, these services can be an excellent choice if you need a full Windows environment without the hardware limitations.

Running Windows 11 on a Mac With Virtual Machine

If you want to run Windows 11 on a Mac with an M1 processor using a virtual machine, you can use VirtualBox. Here's how:

Install VirtualBox using the installer downloaded from their official website. Follow the instructions shown in the installer. The default settings should be sufficient for our needs. Open VirtualBox by clicking on its icon on your Dock or Launchpad. Click the New button at the top of the window to open a second window where you can enter the name of your new virtual machine, the virtual machine's storage location, its type, and finally its version. Type your preferred name for your virtual machine and leave the Machine Folder in default. Select Microsoft Windows as the Type and Windows 10 64-bit as the version. Click Next. Select your preferred memory allocation for your virtual machine. We recommend setting this to at least 4GB or 4096MB, although Windows 11's minimum requirement is only 1GB. Click on the Create option to proceed to the next step. Select VDI (VirtualBox Disk Image) as the Hard disk file type on the next window, and click Next. Set Storage on a physical hard drive to Dynamically allocated. Click Next. Select where you want your virtual machine to be saved and the maximum size that it can take up in your Mac computer. Remember that Windows 11 requires at least 64GB to function. Click Create. After a short period of loading, a new virtual machine should be listed on the left side of the VirtualBox Manager. Follow the remaining steps to set up your virtual machine to run on Windows 11. Right-click the virtual machine name and click Create. Await the creation process, and once completed, your virtual machine should be successfully created.

While these methods provide a way to use Windows on an M1 Mac, they may not offer the same level of performance as running Windows natively on compatible hardware.

Conclusion

While running Windows 11 on the M1 iPad Pro is not officially supported, there are several workarounds that you can consider. Virtualization, remote desktop, and cloud services are powerful methods to achieve this functionality. However, the experience may vary, and certain applications may not run as smoothly as on a native Windows PC.