Apple M4: Virtualization of older macOS versions currently disrupted

Macs with Apple's new M4 chip are currently unable to virtualize older macOS versions. Attempts to start a virtual machine with a macOS version prior to 13.4 Ventura fail: Only a black screen is displayed, as affected users report. The error can even be reproduced if the virtual machine with the older macOS version is freshly created on the M4 Mac, notes developer Howard Oakley, who was the first to draw attention to the problem. The installation still runs normally, but the virtual machine cannot be started.

Probably all virtualizers affected

The error appears to affect all virtualization applications for the Mac that are based on Apple's virtualization APIs, including UTM and VirtualBuddy. Specifically, this means that macOS versions from 12 to 13.3 cannot be virtualized on Mac mini M4, MacBook Pro M4 and iMac M4. Whether the bug is present on all M4 variants – M4, M4 Pro and M4 Max – remains to be seen. The host appears to only use one processor core when starting the VM, explains Oakley. A workaround is not yet known.

Users who are dependent on a functioning VM with an older macOS version should keep an older Mac with Apple's M1, M2 or M3 in their back pocket for the time being. Everything will work as usual there, even if the host is running the latest macOS version 15 Sequoia.

macOS 15.2 will be released in early December

Bug reports have already found their way to the right team at Apple, emphasized an employee of the company responsible for dev support in the developer forum. Although he could not yet give a concrete timetable, a fix is planned. Whether this will happen with macOS 15.2, which is currently still in beta testing, remains to be seen. Version 15.2 of macOS Sequoia is expected to be released alongside iOS 18.2 in the first half of December.

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(lbe)